A flip-flop vendor has been further charged by Ayutthaya police for distorting facts about the killings at Ratchaprasong and offending traditional Thai morals for putting the faces of Abhisit and Suthep on her flip-flops.

Sombat Boon-ngam-anong, Amornwan, and a friend

On 11 Oct, Amornwan Charoenkij, 42, together with a lawyer and close friends, met Pol Maj Col Chakkraphan Thupatemi at Ayutthaya Police Station by appointment to hear a clarification of the charges against her.

Pol Maj Col Chakkraphan said that Amornwan’s case had been vetted by a joint committee composed of various police commanders, because the case has attracted much public attention.

Pol Maj Col Chakkraphan informed Amornwan of additional charges that ‘the message and images distort the facts and mislead the public to understand that Abhisit Vejjajiva and Suthep Thaugsuban have been involved in the killings at Ratchaprasong.  Selling [the flip-flops] to demonstrators and others is considered to be dissemination.  And putting the faces of individuals on flip-flops is considered not proper according to the traditional morals of the Thai people, violating the Emergency Decree.’

According to the police record, Amornwan was arrested at 6 pm on 3 Oct on the footpath of Sri Sanpetch Rd for selling flip-flops with the face of Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban printed on the left sandal, and the face of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on the right, both displaying the message ‘People died at Ratchaprasong’.

The police record says that Pol Maj Gen Jaruwat Waisaya, acting Commander of Ayutthaya police, ordered his subordinates to buy the flip-flops from the vendor who offered to sell them 5 pairs for 100 baht.  Pol Maj Gen Jaruwat brought the flip-flops to show to acting Commander of Provincial Police Region 1 Pol Maj Gen Sriwara Rangsitprahmkul, and they considered that the flips-flops were printed materials which contained messages which might cause panic or misunderstanding among the public about the emergency situation, affecting national security or the good morals of the people, under the Emergency Decree and its derivative regulations issued on 7 April 2010.

So the suspect was arrested and the 5 pairs of flip-flops, together with a further 49 pairs in her possession, were confiscated as evidence.

When arrested, the suspect admitted that she had sold 5 pairs to the policemen, had bought the flip-flops from an unknown man at Ratchaprasong on 17 May, and had been selling them ever since.

Amornwan continued to deny the charges, and wanted to testify in court.

She later said that some policemen had warned her against selling flip-flops at an upcoming event in Ayutthaya for fear of further legal hassles, and that low-ranking police had to follow orders against their wishes.

She said that she didn’t know what to do as it was her regular job.  She did not gain much profit from selling 3 pairs for 100 baht, at a cost of 22-23 baht per pair, but she wanted people to buy them to wear at an affordable price. 

After the news of her arrest, sale of the flip-flops has much increased.

She said that she liked police, and she always gave them extras when she sold the flip-flops at Ratchaprasong.