Arrest dare gets results
A young woman who posted pictures of herself holding a pistol and ya ba on Facebook and challenging police to arrest her got what she wanted — she was arrested together with a female friend by Songkhla police yesterday.
Pailin Saengthawee, 22, and her friend Hafeecha Musoryaena, 24, who posed by her side in the picture, were caught in Thepha district of the southern province and charged with illegal possession of a shotgun. Pailin was also charged with drug use as her urine test was positive.
Ms Pailin on Tuesday posted several pictures of herself holding handguns while a pile of what appeared to be ya ba or amphetamine pills was sitting on her lap.
In one of the pictures, posted on her page “Sao Krab Khon Dang Khao Kheow” (Famed chick of Khao Kheow), she also put a pistol to her own head. Ms Hafeecha appeared in one of the pictures with Ms Pailin, holding a magazine for the gun Ms Pailin was holding.
But it was what Ms Pailin wrote that really landed them in trouble.
“I am not your friend ... animal. Don’t come and arrest me, I warn you. That’s my good wish to you. Warning: You may die or be crippled,” she wrote.
Her Facebook post was entitled “feeling chilled”. She asked people to click “Like” on her page.
Unfortunately for the women, the post caught the attention of “Johnny CSD” or Yuthapol Srisompong, an officer with the Crime Suppression Division.
Officer Yuthapol reposted the pictures on his Facebook on Wednesday asking the police and media to help look for the girls.
“To their parents and relatives … please hurry and bring them in,” Johnny CSD said, adding, “Share this so they [the women] will not have a place to stand in society.”
The next day, Thepha police arrested the women at a house in tambon Sakom. The pistols and the drugs were not found though they were in possession of a shotgun, according to police.
Police said Ms Pailin is known to them, having been arrested several times for possession of kratom, an illegal narcotics plant.
The story, also reported on the Thailand Police Story Facebook page, drew many comments from readers.
“Now you are as famous as you wished, sisters. Congratulations!” Summit Wongvithi wrote.
Aodji Pattrakorn was perplexed: “She [Pailin] was famous for such a short time. She can now be famous in jail. Funny idea she had. All this for some Likes? I really don’t know what she was thinking.”
Johnny CSD got the last laugh, posting a mugshot of Pailin after her arrest. “Hope you are really, really happy. Karma with rocket boosters,” he said.
He also expressed admiration for the work of police involved in catching the women.