Thuggery in Khlong Toei again.

A market trader and one of the guards were attacked and injured yesterday at the Khlong Toei market in Bangkok.  According to today's Bangkok Post, the attacks occurred at the same time that Kuhn Thammanat Prompao, chair of Legal Professional Co., the new owner of the market, visited Khlong Toei "to shop and carry out an inspection".

Other traders  said a group of men in black ran into the market and attacked the trader, Fatima Jaiyen and the guard, Thanom Thothong.  First they attacked the trader and prevented onlookers from helping her.  They then went to the site where the two murdered men were lying in state (see previous pictures).  They disappeared when the police eventually arrived.

Both survivors of the attacks complained to the police for failing to stop the attacks.  But the police chief, Worapong Chewpreecha, blamed his subordinates for not securing the market in spite of orders to do so.

The new owner warned the guard not to work with the traders.  When the guard tried to leave and call for help, witnesses say the thugs over-powered him and stamped on his face. However, Police Lt-Gen Worapong said the police would be able to arrest the attackers:  they had a video of the event.  He also said that police "were still looking for" Intorn Saenipiban over the killings of the two guards last week.  Once Mr Thammanat had finished his shopping, he went to the lying-in-state site to "help" pay for the funerals but the bereaved traders cursed him.

Where will it ever end?