AN OLD Honda Accord sedan owned by a public prosecutor chased Prime Minister’s motorcade on the expressway while he was traveling from his residence within the 1st Infantry Regiment compound to Government House yesterday morning, INN News reported today (August 18).
The bluish-green Bangkok-registered sedan, driven a middle-aged man who police have already identified, chased Gen. Prayut’s motorcade during the route from entry to the expressway at Din Daeng till exit at Yommarat and then further to Government House.
The driver flashed the emergency lights and blared the horn intermittently all the way.
The Prime Minister’s motorcade tried to block this sedan at Yommarat exit but failed to do so, and this led to the driver following the motorcade to Government House and then disappearing into Rachadamnoen road.
However police later said that this was a misunderstanding as the Prime Minister’s convoy had tried to overtake the sedan near Yommarat intersection, which angered the driver, who without knowing it was the Prime Minister’s motorcade chased and honked it till Government House.
Once there Government House police gave chase but the driver managed to zoom away.
This is the first such incident that the Prime Minister has faced since rallies and demonstrations have broken out.
It was noticeable that the Prime Minister’s security had been boosted during his visit to True Digital Park building on Sukhumvit road. Instead of just one security checkpoint there were several in place with a large number of policemen, building staff, soldiers in plainclothes and Explosive Ordinance Disposal specialists were guarding him.
The security team initially did not let reporters into the room where the event was held, arranging for them to only watch it on projectors outside, but Gen. Prayut told the staff to let them in.
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Top: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha during a recent official trip. Thai headline says, “blared the horn and chased Prime Minister’s car.” Photo: Sanook.com