TAO leader videoed slapping, abusing flood victims

Kulfalee Thepparak, chairwoman of Phong Pheng tambon administration organisation, points angrily across the room, venting her anger at flood victims in Ayutthaya's Bang Ban district during their meeting at the district office organised by the Ang Thong governor on Monday. (Photo by Sunthon Pongpao)

ANG THONG: The local leader of Pa Mok district allegedly scolded and slapped flood victims from the adjoining province for setting up tents in her area, and was later relieved from duty after she again rudely abused them in the presence of the provincial governor.

Kulfalee Thepparak, chairwoman of the Phong Pheng tambon administration organisation (TAO), was videoed abusing and slapping the faces of flood victims from Bang Ban district of Ayutthaya on Sunday.

She was furious they had set up tents for use as temporary shelters on a road at the entrance to Wat Thanon in tambon Phong Pheng in Ang Thong’s Pa Mok district.

The clip was posted online and was rapidly shared. According to the poster of the video, a rescue volunteer and resident of Bang Ban district, the TAO leader was shouting, "The road is in my area of jurisdiction. I don't allow you to stay here. Get out!"

Ms Kulfale immediately came under a barrage of social media criticism.

Ang Thong governor Veeravut Putraseranee on Monday mediated talks between the TAO leader and the targets of her wrath at the Pa Mok district office.

But upon seeing them, Ms Kulfalee again vented her anger, scolding them with rude words in front of the governor and other officials.

Mr Veeravut ordered her to leave the room for a while and calm down, but the TAO leader instead stormed out of the meeting and left the district office.

The governor resolved to set up a fact-finding committee to investigate her actions. She was suspended from duty pending the finding of the inquiry.

Somkhid Prasongsri, head of Moo 1 village in tambon Bang Chanee of Bang Ban district, and about 50 other people still taking refuge in the tents in front of the temple on Monday told visiting security officers the floodwater in their village was more than two metres deep. They had no choice but to evacuate to higher ground.

They set up their tents in front of the temple in tambon Phong Pheng because it was immediately adjacent to their village and safe from flooding. They also regularly made merit at the temple.

If they had erected their tents on a road behind their community, they would be at risk of being flooded out again, as it very close to the rain-swollen Chao Phraya River.

While they were settling in to their tents on Sunday evening, Ms Kulfaree showed up and began scolding them. She accused them of being outsiders and slapped several of them in the face, the victims said.

Ms Kulfaree was previously investigated for allegedly using an official vehicle for her personal use.