The Suvarnabhumi Airport customs officer who was assaulted by a high-ranking official on Sunday has come forward to tell his side of the story. Sirichai Maichum, 32, is speaking to the media as he was so surprised by the violent incident, he's now not sure he can return to work. But, one statement he made has Bankok Post readers outraged and is leading to speculation security, or lack thereof, at Suvarnabhumi may cause safety issues for passengers flying out of Thailand.
Mr. Sirichai told the Bangkok Post today he didn't know Sombat Chartchaiwaiyawit, the official who attacked him, and couldn’t understand why he had been treated so badly.
He went on to say, on the day in question, airport customs officers had been warned there would be a VIP party coming through security, but that they normally came through a separate section. Mr. Sombat however walked through the gate for ordinary passengers and, when asked to stop so he could be patted down, attacked Mr. Sirichai.
Mr. Sirichai explained, "He shouted very loudly: "You have no right to check me' and showed me his customs officer's card.”
"I felt scared. I said I was sorry and moved backwards but he walked towards me and thumped my ears until a woman in the VIP group told him to stop."
Although, of course, the assault by Mr. Sombat is troubling and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of Thai law, what’s even more troubling is what Mr. Sirichai said next.
"I am as polite as possible to passengers. During my five years working here, I have come across other VIPs who refuse to have a body scan. I have never tried to stop them going through.
Now surely, as happens at any western airport, shouldn’t VIPs still be checked, or are Suvarnabhumi Airport officials presuming none of them could possibly be a danger to the safety of an aircraft or that of other passengers? If so, they could be unnecessarily putting hundreds of passenger lives at risk.
In most western countries, although VIPs usually go through a separate channel, they are still checked by security officers and, if a VIP refused to be patted down if a security alarm had gone off, as in the case of Mr. Sombat, they would not be allowed to board the plane. That Thai officials seem to think VIPs are above the law, to many westerners, is terrifying.
Comments on the Bangkok Post article range from this by Christiani in Thailand
"During my five years working here, I have come across other VIPs who refuse to have a body scan. I have never tried to stop them going through"
THIS is the most shocking thing about this whole story! He NEVER tried to stop them going through!? This in itself should lead to the airport being closed immediately and an international inquiry should be started RIGHT NOW.
Unlike other places within Thailand, an international airport cannot be run in any way thai "VIP's" se fit. There are rules to be followed, these planes fly to OTHER countries. Stunning.
And from Aussie John,
A Malaysian pilot was charged in Australia recently for importing a large quantity of drugs.... his status gave him the impression that he could flout security laws. So the laws are different for influential people at Thailand's main airport. With the amount of corruption that occurs at upper levels of organizations in the kingdom you would think this sort of selective behavior when it comes to laws would be changed. Unfortunately not; wealth and influence buy you impunity in the Land of the Free you just have to be connected.
Whatever officials at Suvarnabhumi Airport think, it will only take one catastrophic incident caused by a "Thai VIP" for damage so devastating to Thailand's tourist industry it could take years to recover.
Maybe they should think about that before allowing these so-called VIPs to walk through Thailand's airport security without subjecting themselves to the security checks every other passenger has to agree to, if they want to be allowed on the plane.
