Private Dressed As General To Get Free Drinks

(21 September) A soldier
has been arrested for disguising himself as a Lieutenant General to bully a bar owner into voiding
his bills.

Ms. Orn-Uma Sukkasem, 57, the owner of Tukta Cafe and Karaoke Bar in Nonthaburi
Province, told the police that Pvt. Chatchai Sribung-ngaw, 21, had been drinking and eating at her
bar on the night of 19 September. He also reportedly summoned a waitress to drink with
him.

When Ms. Orn-Uma′s bar closed down after midnight, she presented a bill of 1,800 baht to
Pvt. Chatchai, who reportedly complained the price was too high. Ms. Orn-Uma said she agreed to give
him a discount of 500 baht, but Pvt. Chatchai still refused to pay the bill.

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The Private
eventually walked to his van in the parking lot, and came back dressed as a Lieutenant General. He
threatened Ms. Orn-Uma that he would have her business closed down for good, according to the owner.
She called police soon afterwards.

When the police interrogated Pvt. Chatchai, he said he was
actually a Captain in the Royal Thai Army, and that the uniform belonged to his father. The police
ran a quick check and realised that the uniform in fact belonged to Lt.Gen. Pavaris Jamsawaeng,
Director of Tourism Department of the Royal Thai Army, who is not related to Pvt.
Chatchai.

The man also failed to answer which
year he graduated from the cadet academy, and was unable to explain how a 21-year-old man like him
can earn such a high-ranking army decoration so quickly.

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Pvt.Chatchai later confessed that he
was actually a private serving as a driver for Lt.Gen.Pavaris. His boss was sleeping, Pvt. Chatchai
said, so he drove the van out for drinks.

Ms. Orn-Uma asked Pvt. Chatchai to pay for his
meal, but he said he only had a few hundreds baht. Ms. Orn-Uma then took the money, and did not file
any charge against him, saying it would be waste of her time.

 However, the police said
they must proceed with the charge of wearing Army uniform without permission against Pvt. Chatchai.
The soldier will be investigated by a joint unit between Ministry of Defense and Royal Thai Police.