Thais demand police reform as videos of alleged brutality go viral online
- After a police chief nicknamed ‘Ferrari Jo’ was arrested for the alleged murder of a drug suspect, whistleblowers have posted more videos of alleged police torture
- But critics say it’s unclear if they can change the culture of impunity within the force that has contributed to abuses of power
Police Colonel Thitisant Utthanaphon was detained on August 26 after the leak of a video allegedly showing him using plastic bags to suffocate 24-year-old Jeerapong Thanapat to death, with the help of six other officers.
The video gave the public a rare window into police brutality and the culture of impunity within the force, which critics say contributes to abuses of power.
Questions have since emerged over how Thitisant had amassed the collection of supercars reportedly worth some US$3 million found at his luxury villa in Bangkok. The 39-year-old, who had earned the nickname “Ferrari Jo” due to his penchant for sports cars, reportedly has a monthly income of around US$1,500.
“I am not corrupt,” Thitisant said during a press conference last week, during which he claimed he had accidentally killed Jeerapong while trying to extract intelligence “to protect the Thai public” from the scourge of drugs.
