Three rescue volunteers were injured in a brawl between rival workers, from the Ruamkatanyu and Phetkasem foundations, in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district on Monday night, reportedly over an overlapping of area of operations.
More than 20 police officers from Samran Rat police station, other nearby police stations and a special patrol unit rushed to the scene to control the situation and to mediate between the rival groups.
Patinya Wibunnan, a board member of the Ruamkatanyu Foundation, said that the two teams of rescue workers have engaged in fistfights several times in the past, due to overlapping areas of operations.
The incident last night happened after the two rescue teams both arrived at the scene of the same road accident. They then started quarrelling, but agreed to mediate the conflict at Pan Fah intersection in the Ratchadamnoen area. Fistfights broke out when they failed to settle the dispute.
Patinya explained that the Ruamkatanyu Foundation is approved by the Ministry of Public Health and has entered into an agreement on working protocols and areas of operation with seven other foundations engaged in rescue operations, excluding the Phetkasem Foundation, which is yet to be approved by the ministry.
He suggested that authorities concerned solve this problem, otherwise the conflict may explode into a violent confrontation and a possible loss of life.
The most violent incident between rescuers of the two foundations took place in January last year, on Kaset Nawamin Road, when the rivals engaged in a street gun battle, resulting in several being wounded.
