Chaotic scenes resulted as a furious crowd of relatives and onlookers attempted to lynch the murderer of a factory lady in Rayong, eastern Thailand.
A video posted by Thai Rath on YouTube caught screams and the disgraceful scenes at the re-enactment. Fists flew and people tumbled amid the confusion.
Hundreds of police had been deployed to maintain security but they failed miserably as a cordon was breached by the angry mob.
It happened yesterday at one of two places where a re-enactment of the murder of 23 year old Yotnam happened on September 6th.
Re-enactments were supposed to have ended years ago but still they persist in Thailand as a means of expediting the justice process.
Sometimes, like yesterday, they descend into chaos. Police have apologized for the unruly scenes.
Udorn Kenma, 50, was arrested for the murder. He attacked the victim then stole her motorcycle.
CCTV outside a convenience store in the Nong Krap police jurisdiction plus a 50,000 baht reward led to his capture in Udon Thani in the north east of Thailand.
He had previously served time for attempted murder in 2013.
Yesterday at 10.30 am Pol Maj-Gen Mana Inphithak, region 2 deputy chief and head of Rayong provincial police, led 200 officers and security personnel to two re-enactment places – a deserted house where the suspect changed his clothes after the murder and the place where he laid on a mat then attacked the victim.
It was at the second of these where hundreds of relatives and locals gathered to hurl abuse at Udorn.
But they could not control their anger, reported Sanook in a detailed report containing 16 pictures.
They broke through the police cordon and attacked Udorn who was wearing a motorcycle helmet.
Police tried to protect him but many were injured in the process.
This forced the officers present to abandon the reenactment and hurry the suspect away.
The local chief said that three officers were injured. He said that trouble had been anticipated but police had underestimated the extent of the crowd’s anger.
He apologized for the ugly scenes but said that it had not affected the progress of the case.
Meanwhile people at the scene told Sanook this was a terrible crime and they wanted the death penalty for the murderer.
The police were thanked for their swift arrest of the suspect.
