Klong Toei vendors, concessionaire employees clash

Meanwhile, vendors say the police took no action to the employees of Legal Professional from attacking them. The skirmish began at around 6.20am yesterday and lasted for around 10 minutes before police stepped in. Nobody was arrested.

The vendors later converged outside Maleenont building nearby to air their complaints to a Channel 3 news crew. Thanon Thothong, an ice vendor, alleged that the attack was led by a senior official of the firm called Thammanas Phromphao and said many police officers stood by idly and did nothing to stop the men from attacking the vendors. Many of the vendors wounded were women, but no serious injuries were reported.

Fatimah Yenjai, a meat vendor, said the attackers were armed with guns and knives though none of the vendors were armed. Fatimah said Thammanas threatened to kill anyone who wore black to the funerals of the two security guards, hired by the vendors, who were shot dead last week allegedly by employees of Legal Professional.

She said the police officers took no action and instead escorted the attackers back to their workplace. She added that the incident had been recorded on film, which would be used in court as evidence.

The Ports Authority of Thailand (PAT), which owns the land and has granted a new concession to Legal Professional, said ID cards would be issued to the 1,000 or so vendors. Acting PAT governor Sunida Sukolrattana said the incident had probably resulted from the sharp drop in profits. People have not been shopping at Klong Toei market for fear of clashes since the new concessionaire took over.

Later, Legal Professional issued a public statement saying that Thammanas was on a patrol with five men before vendors started confronting him.

"Thammanas could not stand the abuse and started fighting back," the firm's PR chief, Phoomok Nunjan, said. He added that Thammanas merely wanted to attend the funerals and was about to donate some money to the slain guards' relatives.

"There are only a few vendors whose interests have been affected by the new concession, and they are still protesting and being a nuisance," Phoomok said.