Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh (left) addresses
Pattaya’s 240 municipal officers, reminding them they must show respect to
residents and tourists while maintaining peace and order in the city.
Thanachot Anuwan
Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh reminded Pattaya regulatory enforcement
officers of their duty to serve, not abuse, the public after one was fired
for assaulting a ferry owner in a video broadcast on the Internet.
Chertsit Boonkliang was pressured to resign following the Feb. 11 incident
at Bali Hai Pier in which he punched and kicked Nattapong Poothasuwannasuk
after the boat owner complained about Chertsit and his partner, Tanongsak
Pisit, backing their truck into his motorbike. An onlooker recorded the
video to the YouTube website, where it has been viewed more than 12,000
times.
At a Feb. 20 assembly, Ronakit upbraided the city’s 240
municipal officers, reminding them they must show respect to residents and
tourists while maintaining peace and order in the city. Chonburi’s governor
ordered city officials to inspect and evaluate officers and terminate anyone
not upholding their duties, he said.
Officers were split into groups and sent for remedial training on how to
uphold their duties while dealing properly with the public.
The video, posted online Feb. 12, showed Nattapong demanding an apology from
the officers for hitting his bike. Instead, he got angry bluster from
Chertsit, who could be heard saying, “What are you going to do about it? Who
are you? Do you have any idea what kind of problems I have already been
through?”
Chertsit then starts the fist fight, punching Nattapong and kicking him
after he fell. Tanongsak and others broke up the melee, which lasted about
15 minutes.
