Bangkok Night Market Illegally Razed in Shock Mafia-Style Raid by Phairath Khampha 31 January 2003 Tenants turfed out, 126 men arrested A wrecking crew in Bangkok illegally demolished a popular tourist spot, razing open-air bars, shops and eateries in a surprise early morning raid on Sukhumvit Square, at the corner of Soi 10, on January 26, 2003. Tenants were forced out into the street and given no time to collect their belongings, which were destroyed. The violent eviction by about 600 men using heavy machinery came after a four-year dispute between a landowner and tenants, police said. In true Thai style, where the rich arrogantly care not about anyone else, they arrived shortly after 3am, tore down shops with demolition equipment and cranes, destroyed inventories and forced tenants and workers to leave. The barbaric demolition left about 500 people jobless. Five senior army officers were named as likely suspects behind the classic Thai gangland-style demolition of the Sukhumvit Square night shopping strip after raid plans were found in shop and bar wreckage and 191 police were also involved in the brutal raid. Warrants for the arrest of two senior army officers were issued. The uncivilised and barbaric men then erected a shoulder-high concrete wall topped with barbed wire around the area and posted guards. Lumpini police later arrested 140 men hired by Nickel Co to evict traders from the 15-rai (1 rai = 1,600 m2) property. Eyewitnesses said they were woken by men wearing green caps, who told them to get out while they still could or be killed. Acting on complaints by the tenants, police that afternoon arrested more than 100 men inside a tent set up at the site. The men were believed to be among those who had destroyed the shops. About 30 of them were found be to security guards for a Tesco Lotus supermarket, police said. Several of the store's guards were off-duty military officers. "The electricity was cut and I heard men shouting outside my door to get out or lose my life," said Lai, the wife of a caretaker at Sukhumvit Square. "My family wasn't given enough time to gather our belongings. It was just like in the movies when the mafia wants to teach someone a lesson," she said, sitting on the footpath with dozens of other victims. An employee of a beer bar was injured during the demolition. Pratuang Srisuk, 23, sustained a severe injury to his left ear after being hit with a blunt object. He said that at about 4 am while he was cleaning the shop, someone knocked on the door. Some 10 men were outside and they told him they were policemen carrying a court permission to tear down all the shops in the area. Everything was flattened within two hours, said one local resident. Signs were posted around the wall, declaring "Social Order Policy in accordance with the Ministry of Interior" and "Do not enter. We will not be responsible for any consequences". The demolition crew and not ministry officials put up the signs, however. Police said the men were led by Tawatchai Rungruang. Nickel Co had just received a lease from landowner Silver Star Co, which bought the plot for 500 million baht from finance firm Tisco. Tisco claimed the previous leaseholder BTR Holding, which had subleased the plot to about 100 traders, failed to honour its agreement. Few shopowners were around at that hour. Anyone who stood in the gang's way was threatened, said a food vendor. The only structure left standing was the spirit house on the corner of soi 10. A heavily pregnant Burmese antique shop assistant said she was only able to get her slippers out. "They didn't give us time to take anything out with us," she said, crying. "I have lost everything, including a 4-baht gold chain which I was going to sell to pay for the delivery of my baby this month. We had goods worth about one hundred thousand baht in our room. Nothing is left now, even my passport is gone. We have lost all our earnings." Traders said that they were not told of the severity of the rift between the landowner and the company which subleased space to them. "I am baffled that such a thing can be allowed to happen in a democratic country,"said Yak, owner of Sweet Home Bar. "Thousands of people have lost their jobs. It's just like a terrorist attack." Chandra, a resident of Sukhumvit Soi 8, said the demolition crew were thorough. "In one hour there was nothing left standing. The fear of the devil was put into the people, so they left with only the clothes on their backs." But then again, this is Thailand, where the rich are arrogant and democracy is only a thin veneer over an autocratic and oppressive of rule of the ordinary masses. However, he station's superintendent Colonel Prawit Lekawanit said charges would be filed against Sukhumvit Silver Star on behalf of business owners whose merchandise was destroyed. Company representatives faced a 60,000 baht (1 US Dollar = 42.66900 Thai Baht) fine and three years in prison if found guilty of destruction of personal belongings, an officer said. Thai Prime Minister: Anarchy will not be tolerated The gangland-style destruction of Sukhumvit Plaza nightstrip was barbaric and would not be tolerated, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said. He inspected the flattened site on January 27 and said his presence was meant to give police a message they must act firmly against those responsible. He termed the violent eviction "barbaric" and "perpetrated by anarchists". "We will not tolerate mafia rule in Thailand even though at times it appears to be the norm. Whoever [destroyed Sukhumvit Plaza] cannot remain above the law," Mr Thaksin said. A total of 140 suspects, including 15 men from the 2nd and 4th Cavalry regiments have been arrested. Pol Maj-Gen Chakthip Kunchorn Na Ayutthaya, deputy city police chief, said they were initially charged with trespassing at night and damaging property. The offences carry a maximum five-year jail term. The suspects were being detained at Lumpini, Klong Tan, Thung Mahamek, and Tha Rua police stations. "The government will make no exceptions whatsoever, even if it means dismissing civil servants who are found to have been involved in incident," Thaksin said. The premier's statements followed reports that a sizeable number of the 600 demolition workers who carried out the pre-dawn blitz were government soldiers. Police chief General Sant Sarutanond said the investigation would take some time but it was "quite clear as to who is in the wrong". As of January 27, at least 70 damaged parties had filed police complaints and investigators had questioned more than 100 witnesses. The traders complained they were not given any advance eviction notice. They did not even have time to gather their belongings before the men knocked down the plaza. The raid was estimated to have left over 500 people jobless. The police source said Sukhumvit Silver Star wanted Nickle to end BTR's meddling in the business and evict the traders. Nickle Co was still collecting rent, raising complaints from traders who were also paying BTR at the same time. Police suspect Sukhumvit Silver Star, managed by Charnvit Kamolvisit, had a role in directing the raid, but "no evidence surfaced" because many of the company's officers are senior members of Thailand's military and influential politicians. Mr Charnvit and Nickle executives would be questioned by police, the source said. They were unavailable for comment. Five senior army officers named - Raid plans found in shop, bar wreckage Five senior army officers were named as suspects behind the gangland-style demolition of the Sukhumvit Square night shopping strip. The names were compiled by Maj-Gen Trairong Intharathat, adviser to the prime minister. The list reached Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on January 28, a source said. The five were Lt-Gen Sit Sitthimongkol, a staff officer at the Defence Ministry reportedly close to Maj-Gen Sornchai Montriwat, former secretary to Deputy Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh; Col Chamnan Masamran, attached to the army headquarters; Col Apirat Kongsompong, chief-of-staff of the 11th Infantry Regiment and son of the late Gen Sunthorn Kongsompong; Lt-Col Himalai Phiewphan, an officer of the Supreme Command and adviser of Ideal security guard company; and Col Arkom Kruenak, now retired and an executive of Ideal. This is who the elite in Thailand help each other in illegal and barbaric acts. A cabinet source said Mr Thaksin believed Lt-Col Himalai plotted and directed the raid. A piece of paper containing plans of the attack was retrieved from the razed site. The prime minster approved drastic action against the raiders and the masterminds. State officials implicated would be immediately suspended from duty. The government would also attend to the grievances of the traders and broker talks between them and the management of the square. The source said Mr Thaksin had instructed the Attorney-General's Office, through his deputy Visanu Krue-ngam, to deal firmly with all culprits. "Anyone who handles this issue lightly without serious commitment, I will make sure they never see the light of day again," the source quoted Mr Thaksin as telling his cabinet that day. Lt-Gen Sit categorically denied any involvement. Col Apirat also insisted he had nothing to do with the raid but admitted knowing some executives of Sukhumvit Silver Stars, the firm which owns the square. Lt-Col Himalai also denied any involvement. His General Guard Co, affiliated to Ideal, was hired by Nickel Co to send security guards to Sukhumvit Square. His guards arrived after the demolition was over. None of the raiders were from his company, said Lt-Col Himalai. Traders at the square put total damage to their properties at least at 100 million baht. Lt-Col Himalai was known to have close ties with Maj-Gen Intharat Yodbangtoey, a corrupt and evil Chiang Mai senator, and Gen Akradej Sasiprapa, former deputy supreme commander. Lt-Col Himalai said General Guard was contracted by Nickel Co to keep the traders out of Sukhumvit Square because of an ongoing lease dispute. Tisco, a financial firm, originally leased the 15-rai property on Sukhumvit Soi 10 to BTR Holding Co, which sub-leased the land to operators of small businesses ranging from beer bars, internet service shops to antique stores. Later, Tisco wanted to sell the prime property to Sukhumvit Silver Stars Co and did not renew contract with BTR. After the contract expired, BTR continued to collect rents from the traders, resulting in Tisco suing the firm. Sukhumvit Silver Stars later bought the land for 496 million baht and became the square's rightful owner, but could not make use of the area due to the ongoing court battle. Sukhumvit Silver Stars sub-leased the land to Nickel Co, said to be owned by a former beauty queen close to Gen Akradej. All 140 suspects arrested after the raid, including 15 non-commissioned military officers, were charged with trespass during nighttime, and with damaging other people's property. Heavies received 20 million baht  The demolition plan found at the razed area in Sukhumvit Soi 10 reads like a military manual. The plan called for temporary abduction of two leaders of the shopping community who had resisted eviction. Then the area was to be blocked off with the short concrete blocks normally used for highway blockades, thus paving the way for hundreds of demolition workers to move in with bulldozers and cranes. "It was a professionally well-planned operation with workers divided for the three main tasks of destruction, containment and surveillance," a source quoted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra as saying, as he conveyed information from the well-printed manuscript to his Cabinet members. Although the planned abduction of the shopping-community leaders never took place, the whole incident was decried as a blatant and barbaric act--committed by those with strong military connections. Sixteen military officers were suspended. The shop owners insisted their leases had not yet expired. Maj-General Trairong Intaratat, adviser to the Prime Minister and in charge of the investigation, said the demolition team had received about 20 million baht from whoever was their employer to carry out the barbaric act. "I have had a list of names. It includes Army officers, some of whom have been mentioned in the news. But it's better for the prime minister to reveal the names himself. These people are both stupid and greedy," Trairong said. The operational plan had the name of a well-known military officer placed above the names of other officers in charge of the three tasks, the Cabinet source said. The prime minister planned to call the parties involved to discuss a settlement to the business conflict, but insisted that legal moves against the "mafia" would continue. 191 police in raid Supreme Command officer Lt-Colonel Himalai Phewpan on January 28 told the House committee on military affairs that 191 police had been involved in the blitz on the beer bars and shops between Sukhumvit sois 8 and 10. At least 20 of Mialai's security company guards were among the 140 suspects arrested after the attack. He revealed that 191 police cleared the area, cut off the electricity and blocked the entrances to the complex. He said they also manned the area during the one-hour demolition job, adding that when they were asked where they were from, the police said their commander had ordered them to provide security for the demolition team. Himalai said that Nickel Co, which sublet the land where the bars and shops were demolished, had duped him into doing the job and said he would file a suit against the company. A lousy excuse. "I told Nickel I would not accept the job if my staff were going to be involved in the demolition job, but they told me to only man the outside, with no involvement in the demolition,'' he added. Defence Minister General Thamarak Isarankura dismissed Himalai's defence, saying that even though he and his guards were not involved in the demolition, manning the area was wrong because being involved in the scheme was wrong and immoral. Metropolitan Police Bureau deputy commissioner Maj-General Chakthip Kunchorn na Ayuthaya said the damage from the demolition was more than 100 million abht, and added that police would question Nickel's managing director about the blitz. A Police Branch source said the team that attacked the shops had met at a massage parlour owned by Chuwit Kamolwisit, who also owned Sukhumvit Silver Star Co, which bought the land where the shops were demolished. Chuwit took a document he claimed was a court order to demolish the structures to the district police station, which was the reason the police arrived at the scene in the belief that it was a legal demolition, the source said. Thamarak said he would make a list of military officers who also carried out sideline jobs as security guards, but he would not ban them from doing their second jobs. "They [the security guards] have learnt a lesson that their boss cannot help them if they commit wrong,'' he added. Warrant out for arrest of Himalai - Army major also on wanted list The South Bangkok Criminal Court has approved a police warrant for the arrest of Lt-Col Himalai Phiewphan of the Supreme Command's military development unit, and Maj Thanyathep Thamthep of the Army Reserve Department. Lt-Col Himalai and Maj Thanyathep became the 141st and 142nd suspects in the case. If found guilty, the two officers faced a jail term of up to five years. Pol Maj-Gen Chakthip Kunchorn na Ayutthaya, deputy city police chief, said police were coordinating with the two officers' units prior to arresting them so as to organise ways in which to eventually absolve them. After all, Thailand's elite has to look after its own. The two officers said they were innocent and would turn themselves in to fight all charges against them. Meanwhile, the mother of a suspect in the same case on January 30 asked the Justice Ministry to investigate the ``unnatural death'' of her son in Bangkok Special Prison. Chan Kimnguluem, 56, said her son Niran Prommala, 30, died early that morning after being sent to the prison on January 29. There were bruises and other traces of physical violence on his body, she said. Niran was one of the 128 suspects arrested soon after the nightstrip raid and charged with trespass and causing damage to other people's property. ``I do not believe my son committed any crime. He went there on that day just to take a look,'' Mrs Chan said. "He probably was killed because he saw and knew who the real perpetrators of this brutal act were." Niran's wife, Kornkamon Thongkhamen, 20, said she visited her husband the following day and found him unconscious with bruises on his face. She visited him again the day after that only to be told by a warder that her husband was dead. She quoted the warder as saying Niran received the bruises and wounds during his detention at a police station. His body was sent for autopsy at the Police Hospital forensic institution.