Chonburi –
The Mueang Chonburi Police held a training session over this past weekend on how to properly handle uncooperative suspects.
The drill by the Mueang Chonburi Police was held earlier last week in Soi Bang Sai in the Bang Sai sub-district.
The Mueang Chonburi Police Deputy Chief Lieutenant Colonel Eakkarat Malwanno told The Pattaya News, “The drill aimed to practice what we do when an uncooperative and disruptive suspect is causing trouble in public.”
However, local residents in an apartment complex were not told that the situation was a drill before the exercise and thought the training regimen was genuine. The suspect, who is a trained actor and volunteer, began a public disruption near the apartment complex, throwing things and screaming, leading to residents calling the police. In addition, the officers taking part were not told what the situation would be when residents called for police assistance, only that they would be participating in a training exercise.
Chonburi police also noted a Taser was used in the drill and that they have begun to equip the devices for emergencies with uncooperative suspects in the area. This is common in many other countries, notes TPN media, but unusual for Thailand. The suspect, who is a trained actor and volunteered to be hit by the taser, said he felt numb after being hit by the weapon and was able to be apprehended quickly. He did not sustain any long-term effects. A video of the training exercise is below.
Deputy Chief Lieutenant Colonel Eakkarat stated to TPN media that senior officials were pleased with their officer’s work during the training exercise and reassured the public that the actor playing the suspect was fine.
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