Taling Chan Police Inspector Colonel Thanit Thienpradapchote, however, dismissed the allegation, insisting that Manas Chanthormchai, 32, was nabbed along with 40 ya ba tablets from Nonthaburi's railroad area near Wat Sanam Nai, an area notorious for drug dealing.

Food vendor Somneuk Malaidaeng, 58, appealed for justice to the Law Society's representative Thanom Trachuwanich, that her son and his friend were arrest¬ed on Sunday and forced through physical assault and verbal threats to confess to having ya ba in their possession.

"My son sustained injuries to his right cheek and his friend has bruises all over him. They said they were so scared they confessed to the crime, despite the fact that my son had no ya ba on him and just Bt50 in his pocket," Somneuk said after her visit on Monday to the imprisoned Manas.

Admitting that Manas used to smoked marijuana but had already quit, Somneuk said her son worked as a construction worker and had a wife. "It's impossible he would have that much money to buy 40 ya ba tablets. I feel he didn't do it, but is a victim of injustice," she said, lamenting that she also could not afford the Bt70,000 to bail Manas out.

Thanom accepted the com¬plaint and said he would look into the case.

The Nation