Truck basher defends her act as she holds Bangkok governor accountable
The woman who bashed a pickup truck in front of her house with an axe broke her silence today (Feb 20) saying that she merely defended her right and, at the same time, suggested that the Bangkok governor and the chief of Prawet district office should jointly pay compensation for the damaged vehicle to its owner.
The alleged truck basher as she was known for the clip which went viral in the social media showing she bashing a pickup truck in front of her house in Seri Villa housing estate off Srinakharin road on Feb 18, Ms Rattanachat Saengyoktrakarn and her sister, Maneerat, held a press conference today in the company of her neighbours in response to the clip.
She said that the pickup truck in question blocked the front gate of her house, making it impossible her to get her car out. She said she tried to push the vehicle away but it didn’t move because the owner set the gear-shifter in park position or put on the brake, adding that she pressed her car horn for almost half an hour to alert the truck owner but to no avail.
Desperate to get the truck moved from her house, Ms Rattanachat said she called 191 police hotline and 1555 City Hall hotline, but no police or officials showed up.
“We can leave our house anytime we wish. You cannot block our entry and exit which is our right. We exercise our lawful right to move away the blockade. For the damages and repairs, they have to demand from the City Hall,” said the houseowner.
She blamed the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and the Prawet district office for causing hardship to residents in the housing estate by granting permission to developers to build markets despite the fact that the housing estate is a residential zone.
She went on saying that residents in the housing estate have lost their peaceful environment and surroundings ever since markets were allowed to be established in the housing estate, with delivery trucks getting in and out of the estate, increased air pollution and noises.
Lawsuits have been brought against the BMA and the district office with the administrative court, resulting to injunctions being issued by the court to protect the residents and for city officials to mitigate the hardships caused to the residents. But the injunctions have never been enforced and the abuses carry on, said Ms Rattanachat.
Another resident of Seri housing estate said she experienced the similar problem with Ms Rattanachat as shoppers frequently park their vehicle in front of her house.
“Once I got a leg injury but could not go to the hospital because there was a car blocking the entrance of my house,” she said.
In the meantime, Prawet district chief Mr Thanasith Methpanmuang defended that Seri Villa is not a housing estate under the care of a legal entity and it is located in a Yellow Zone where a market can be set up legally.
He also maintained that there is no law restricting the number of markets to be set up in the zone.
Mr Thanasit said the district office was not ignorant with the problems of the residents and had driven back all the vendors into the markets so that they would not block the roads in the housing estate or blocking the entrances of houses.
Ratchanikorn Lertwassana, the owner of the pickup truck parked in front of the Saengyoktrakarn family’s house said she thought it was a deserted house.
“I just parked there for a short period of time. Why couldn’t she wait? I admitted I was wrong for parking in front of her house, but she has no right to damage my car,” Ms Ratchanikorn said.
Ms Ratchanikorn filed charge against Ms Rattanachat and Ms Maneerat for damaging her properties, while the Saengyoktrakarn sisters accused the former of giving false statement and defamation.
Truck basher defends her act as she holds Bangkok governor accountable - Thai PBS English News