Phra Khanong Police Chief Denies Fake Arrest Warrant Claims

On August 18, 2025, Pol. Col. Chaiwat Pradabpai, superintendent of Phra Khanong Police Station, addressed allegations made by Ms. Chommani, known as Pa Da, who claims she was charged with eight counts of attempted murder by Phra Khanong Police. The case originated in 1995 when Abbas filed a lawsuit against the Royal Thai Treasury Department over coastal land that had since eroded into the sea. After three court proceedings, the Supreme Court ruled in 2016 that the land had disappeared beneath the sea, concluding the civil case. In 2016, a group claiming to be estate managers rejected the Supreme Court's decision and led public protests, eventually cutting wire fences and trespassing on an oil company's leased area. This led to multiple criminal charges for trespassing and property destruction. Pa Da was among those prosecuted, facing one case from 2018 and three more from 2020. The first case resulted in a jail sentence and is under appeal. In 2024, prosecutors decided to prosecute the group for additional trespassing charges, requiring her arrest. When she failed to respond to a police summons, officers requested a court-issued arrest warrant, which Pol. Col. Chaiwat emphasized was a legitimate court order, not a police fabrication. He stressed that police do not issue arrest warrants; they gather evidence and present requests to the court, which then decides whether sufficient grounds exist. When she was arrested a second time during a public holiday, she was held pending transfer to prosecutors for court filing, which he clarified was lawful arrest, not unlawful detention. Regarding her claim that fingerprints were not repeated during the later arrest, Pol. Col. Chaiwat explained that since the arrest was for prosecution purposes in an existing case where fingerprints had already been taken, duplication was unnecessary. He also dismissed allegations that officers sprayed water on her, stating police had no reason for such conduct. He concluded by noting that with the case now under court examination, the legal process must proceed according to law.