Army's job to defend ‘rubbish collector’

Army's job to defend ‘rubbish collector’

The Royal Thai Army on Wednesday defended its decision to assign troops to protect the director of Mongkutwattana General Hospital.

Army deputy spokesman Winthai Suwaree said the army gave no special treatment to Rienthong Nanna, who has founded the controversial Rubbish Collection Organisation (RCO) to go after lese majeste offenders.

 

Dr Rienthong has posted a message on the RCO Facebook page saying that he is under protection of the army.

 

Col Winthai said safeguarding of the private hospital and Dr Rienthong’s house was part of the duty of soldiers stationed in the Chaeng Wattana area. The soldiers did not receive special orders from their superiors for this  operation, he added.

 

The hospital director said on Sunday that suspicious-looking men were seen outside his house.

 

Mongkutwattana General Hospital was attacked with an M79-type grenade in March. The attackers were never identified by police.

 

The doctor staunchly supports the People’s Democratic Reform Committee led by Suthep Thaugsuban.

 

A group of doctors and health personnel on Tuesday called for the caretaker government and the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order to urgently find those responsible for that attack on the hospital and on Dr Narong Sahamethapat, permanent secretary for public health. A grenade was fired at Dr Narong's house on Sunday and exploded against the perimeter wall to the grounds.

 

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