The "men in black" seen on top of a Labour Ministry building during the violent clash between anti-government protesters and police at the Thai-Japanese sports complex in Din Daeng on Dec 26 were policemen, national police chief Adul Saengsingkaew said on Thursday.
Pol Gen Adul Saengsingkaew (Photo by Somchai Poomlard)
Pol Gen Adul said the men who smashed cars in Din Daeng on Dec 26 were also policemen.
A preliminary investigation found that an anti-government protester who fired at police ran and hid in a car and the men were trying to break into the vehicle to arrest him.
There will be further investigations into both incidents and the officers will face disciplinary action if found at fault, he said.
On Dec 26, protesters led by the Network of Students and People for Reform of Thailand (NSPRT) gathered outside the Thai-Japanese sports complex to oppose the registration of candidates for the election.
At a press conference later on Thursday afternoon, Pol Gen Charumporn Suramanee, an adviser to the Royal Thai Police office, showed a map locating the Labour Ministry building and surrounding areas. Reporters were also taken around the actual scene at the ministry.
He said a forensic investigation had confirmed that police on the building's roof could not have shot Pol Sen Sgt Maj Narong Pitisit or Wasu Suchantabut, who died from bullet wounds received during the clash.
The building was only 12 metres high and it was surrounded by higher buildings. Police on the roof could not have fired at the two victims from there, judging by the angle and direction of the bullet wounds.
He did not mention the three other protesters who received bullet wounds.
Pol Gen Charumporn said the police stationed on the roof of the building had only teargas guns, teargas canisters and shotguns for use with rubber bullets.
The police went on the roof three times, and each time they used teargas to prevent protesters from entering the Keelawes building inside the Thai-Japanese sports stadium, the venue for election candidacy registration. The stadium is located next to the Labour Ministry.
The building has three storeys. It is not the main Labour Ministry building.
Police chief Gen Adul also said police will have to reassess the security situation now the anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) has announced that protesters will march to different locations of Bangkok, starting on Jan 5, to call on the public to join their operation to seize and shut down the capital on Jan 13.
The PDRC hopes to topple the caretaker government and ensure national reform before the next general election, presently planned for Feb 2.
Earlier, PDRC secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban told demonstrators from the Democracy Monument stage that the "men in black" who fired into the protest area from atop the Labour Ministry building were not civilians but well-trained officers.
"The men in black are certainly not a third hand. Civilians were not allowed to go up on the building because it was under police control.
"Take a look at the men in black operating and firing, people who have not been trained would be incapable of such tasks. Good civilians like us did not wear black on that day," the former Democrat Party powerbroker and deputy premier told his supporters.
The video clip below, taken from the Democrat Party-owned Blue Sky satellite television channel, shows Mr Suthep telling his supporters that the "men in black" on a government building are not civilians but well-trained officers.
The video clip above, uploaded to YouTube by G Gsociety, shows a group of men in police uniform smashing cars in Din Daeng on Dec 26, 2013.