Boat taxis under suspicion of rupturing tyres to boost trade
Police have vowed to arrest would-be profiteers who have placed metal spikes on flooded roads to stop rescue trucks from helping people.
The Flood Relief Operations Command (Froc) has received complaints from members of the public that many flood relief vehicles have run over road spikes and ended up with flat treys on Ratchapruek and Kalpapruek roads.
Froc said the complainants made the same observations, that boat operators from central provinces were often seen near the spots where flood-aid trucks had hit the road spikes.
The Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) says the trucks ran over spikes on roads in flooded areas including Vacharapol Road and Wongsakorn Market in Sai Mai district, the Don Muang section of Phahon Yothin Road and the Bang Phlat area of Charan Sanitwong Road.
Pol Col Sappisit Yamkesorn, superintendent of the 191 police emergency hotline's news center, said ripoffs from the public were in line with police reports of road spikes bursting the tyres of several large vehicles sent out by state agencies, including police and military forces, to help flood victims.
Boat operators in flooded areas are suspected of placing the road spikes to deter rescue vehicles, which they regard as a threat to their business.
Pol Col Sappisit said some boat operators may feel upset with charity trucks that transport flood victims. The trucks provide free transportation which causes them to lose revenue, he said.
The incident caused widespread anger among the public, prompting Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung to order tough action against those using road spikes to aid profiteering.
Police are still looking for evidence for example, a spike laid on the road in the Bangkok metropolitan area, said Pol Maj Gen Winai Thongsong, acting chief of the MPB, who is leading the investigation.
However, drivers and passersby found spikes on flooded roads in some of the nine central provinces under the jurisdiction of Provincial Police Region 1.
Pol Maj Gen Winai urged members of the public to tip off police if they see anyone laying the spikes.
"I have ordered our team to take records of hire boat operators in Bangkok," he said.
"We will also work with other state agencies to regulate boat owners who are overcharging for their services."
Laying spikes on a public road is a criminal offense with a maximum prison sentence of three years. Offenders in this instance will also be charged with an additional count of hindering officials giving aid to flood-affected people.
He admitted police could not do anything about overpriced boat tickets, unless the Ministry of Commerce set a median price range for boat fares in flooded areas.
At present, police could only ask boat owners to collect "fair" rates from passengers. "What they did [placing road spikes is such a heinous act.
It aggravates the suffering of people already affected by the floods. These people are immoral," Pol Maj Gen Winai said.
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