On the night of Aug 22, political activist Ekachai Hongkangwan experienced another violent attack that broke his left hand.
A group of four to five attackers cornered him and brutally hit the defenceless man in broad daylight. One attacker who was on a motorcycle even attempted to run over him.
The activist, a member of a group that branded itself as "People who want an early election," is all too familiar with trouble caused by his anti-coup role including a series of attitude adjustment sessions ordered by the military regime and a jail term.
The Aug 22 violence was the seventh attack against Mr Ekachai since he assumed his activist role. In May, Mr Ekachai was behind bars on charges related to a rally outside the Royal Thai Army headquarters in March. He was captured at his house in the Phrao 109 area for joining a march from Thammasat University to the Royal Thai Army headquarters on March 24.
But it appears it was his attempts to keep the watchgate saga involving Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon alive that drew physical violence to him.
The latest attack was made while the businessman-turned-activist was on his way home from Government House where he conducted satirical watchgate-related activities. Like the previous assaults, police seem not to show any interest in capturing any attacker. It's not acceptable that after so many attacks, the authorities are not closer to nabbing any suspects. Again, CCTV footage was dubiously useless.
"At least they spare my right hand," Ekachai sarcastically mentioned the attack. Yet he vowed to go on with his attempts to pursue the watchgate facts.
While Mr Ekachai keeps fuelling public attention in the saga with creative satire, the authorities, the NACC in particular, continue to shame themselves with lame excuses. More than eight months have passed, after Gen Prawit was spotted wearing a mysterious Richard Mille during a group photo session, but there is no significant progress. The DPM's "borrow-from-a-dead-friend'' story, not just the Richard Mille but also almost two dozen luxury timepieces, raised public eyebrows. The NACC has acted disappointingly with what is seen as foot-dragging tactics. The DPM insisted he "had returned" all the watches to the family of his unnamed friend.
The anti-graft agency, with the top boss being named by the DPM, has repeatedly postponed its timeframe to wrap up the case. In its latest move last month, the NACC claimed it was "still seeking crucial information" from companies abroad that sold the luxury watches in question before it can conclude its probe into the scandal.
The NACC claimed it did not receive cooperation from local dealers of the luxury watches. All of them had refused to provide the agency with any information about the serial numbers of the timepieces in question and, as a result, it has to submit its requests regarding ownership information to the parent companies selling the watches overseas and this will "take more time". The NACC insisted that the information is crucial as it will prove the ownership details of the watches. Such claims are, however, debatable because the agency must have received the name of Gen Prawit's friend who owned those watches from documents filed by the deputy prime minister. With only one owner, as claimed by Gen Prawit, the case should be cleared in a short time. But it's not.
That stokes Mr Ekachai's fear of foul play. He has every right to think that way. Since Mr Ekachai, 43, has no known enemies, the public has every reason to believe that the violence the activist has experienced is politically motivated. In fact, before the Aug violence, the authorities have resorted to many unjustifiable measures to silence the activists.
The violence has been condemned by rights groups including the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights which called for the authorities to do more to protect the rights and freedom of the people who express their opinions in accordance with the 2017 constitution.
The rights group is right in urging people to exercise tolerance to those who think differently, refraining from violence in any form. In fact, the National Council for Peace and Order, in particular Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and the regime's big brother Gen Prawit should be aware that the violence against Mr Ekachai, and the inability of the authorities to follow the culprits, have put them in the bad light. If anything, the ongoing attacks means the "peace and order" they promised since the beginning of the coup is just a farce.
The military regime, in particular, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit, should also know that the best way to silence the staunch activist in the case is to let facts about the "watchgate" come out.
The sooner the better.
But before that, the regime must instruct police to do their duty, not to let the culprits walk free from the crime. The regime and the authorities have lost credibility over the case far too long.
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