Bangkok: Arrested: Rock thrower at cars of people in Bangna-Trat area, claims to have lost consciousness due to drinking alcohol. History shows that he has been arrested 12 times in the past, this is the 13th time.
According to Thai News Agency, the incident came to light when the owner of a black Volvo car reported to the Bang Na Police Station that a lump of cement fell on their windshield on Bang Na-Trat Road, causing damage. The police reviewed CCTV footage and identified a man carrying a plastic bag with a large lump of cement, throwing it at a citizen’s car from an overpass. An arrest warrant was issued for the individual based on the footage.
The police received a tip-off from a citizen identifying the man as Mr. Chalat, 45, from the Bueng Kum District in Bangkok. He was found sleeping in front of a shop at the intersection of Nawamin Road and Prasertmanukit Road. The police arrested him and took him for questioning at Bang Na Police Station, with Pol. Maj. Gen. Noppasin Poolsawat, Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, present.
Mr. Chalat confessed to the crime, attributing his actions to losing consciousness after consuming a bottle of white liquor. He mentioned stress from financial difficulties as a reason for his actions, claiming he picked up cement blocks from the roadside without premeditation. On the day of the incident, he traveled via public transportation to the site, threw cement blocks at cars, and then fled the scene. The crime was repeated later that day at another location before he returned to the Seri Thai area, where he was apprehended.
Though Mr. Chalat denied drug use on the incident day, he has a history of 10 arrests for drug use and 2 for theft, making this his 13th arrest. He claimed unfamiliarity with similar incidents due to lack of access to news and financial constraints, apologizing to the victims.
Ms. Ornsinee, a 20-year-old victim, thanked the police for the swift arrest but expressed skepticism about the suspect’s intentions, citing footage showing him aiming before throwing the stone.
Pol. Lt. Col. Noppasin stated the case’s severity, indicating that initial charges of attempted murder could lead to a lengthy prison sentence. Mr. Chalat is scheduled for detention at the Phra Khanong Criminal Court.