The Bangkok Council has found about 20 city officials were at fault in allowing markets to operate illegally at Seri Villa, where two angry aunties attacked a parked truck with an axe and a metal pole.
Council vice president Niran Praditkul said the committee that looked into the matter found the blame lay with people at the BMA's Public Works Department and the Prawet district office.
The council found that all five markets at Seri Villa in Prawet district were operating illegally. The operators had not sought permits since 2008, he said.
Those involved at the Public Works Department included Jumpol Sampaopol and Winai Limsakul, who were the directors from 2009 to 2013.
At the Prawet district office, the council committee put the major blame on the present district chief, Thanasit Metpanmuang, and his three predecessors, since retired who had had the position from 2008 on. They were Somchai Chatsakulpen, Achara Horsombat and Narong Jongjamfa.
Mr Niran said that the Prawet district office had fined the market operators and made arrests, but action had been taken at varying degrees of strictness.
Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang received the council's report on the markets on Monday, and said the BMA would need one week to verify the details in it.
He also said the Central Administrative Court would rule if Seri Villa should be only a residential area, or could include markets.
At the Prawet police station on Monday, Ratanachat Saengyoktrakarn, 61, and Ranee Saengyoktrakan, 57, answered charges of damaging property, threatening people and carrying weapons in public.
On Feb 18, they used an axe and metal pole to pound a pickup truck parked in front of the entrance gate and driveway to their fenced house, which is in the middle of markets on Soi Srinakarin 55 in Seri Villa.
Miss Ratanachat filed a complaint against the truck owner Rachanikorn Lertwasana, 37, accusing her of causing trouble. On Feb 18, their family's vehicles could not leave the house because the pickup was blocking the way. The two sisters said they had waited for about an hour for the owner to return, sounding their car horn for second half hour, before finally losing their collective temper.
The Saengyoktrakan family had put up numerous signs on the gate and fence in front of their house telling people not to park across the entrance and denouncing the markets operating next door to them. They said Seri Villa was for residences only.
A market stands deserted next to the house of the Saengyoktrakan family in Seri Villa. (Photo by Nattapol Lovakij)