Who burnt down CentralWorld?

Prosecutors will show today video footage which they hope will convince the Criminal Court to convict the men charged with the arson and looting of CentralWorld on May 19 last year.

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Video may identify arsonists

Rioters kept guards from dousing fires

Achara Ashayagachat

Public prosecutors are scheduled to present closed-circuit video footage today in the criminal trial of two men charged with participating in the arson that burned down CentralWorld and Zen department store last year.

The video is expected to help pinpoint those responsible for setting the shopping centre ablaze during riots after the military moved in to disperse red-shirt demonstrators in central Bangkok on May 19 last year. Police have charged two adults and two minors with arson and their trials are being held separately in Criminal Court and Juvenile Court.

Tawee Nakchumnum, 42, a senior security guard employed by Central Group which owns the shopping complex, on July 1 testified in Criminal Court he and other guards had discovered a number of small fires in the building and were trying to douse them when the rioters stormed the building.

The security staff tried to negotiate with the rioters to allow them to put out the fire in the building but their threatening behaviour forced Mr Tawee and his team to retreat and hide.

Anond Khempetch, 30, another state witness who has been in charge of the CentralWorld's CCTV control room for two years, told the court that he had watched on the control room monitors as a dozen people or more threw molotov cocktails at the building as others started looting.

Two of the defendants, Saichol Pae Bua (29) and Pinit Jannarong (27), are due to appear before the court again today for another hearing, during which the public prosector will present CCTV video footage of the looting and arson attack on the shopping complex.

The other two defendants Padsakorn Chaisrithao (18) and Attaporn Wannato (18) appeared before the juvenile court last week in separate hearings. They are scheduled to return to court on Thursday for another hearing.

In addition to the arson charge, Padsakorn, Attaporn and Mr Pinit also face charges of looting. Mr Saichol is being tried only for the arson charge.

While the other suspects have spent the past year in jail, Padsakorn and Attaporn have been out on bail since their arrests. Another five people have been charged with looting. The court has already examined all the state witnesses but has yet to question defence witnesses in the case.

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identify – to specify who someone is  ระบุชื่อ
arson – the illegal use of fire to destroy a house, building, or property; an arsonist is a person who commits arson การลอบวางเพลิง  
riot – a violent protest by a group of people ความไม่สงบ การจลาจล
rioter – a person who protests violently about something ผู้ก่อการจลาจล
prosecutor – a lawyer whose job is to prove in court that someone accused of a crime is guilty อัยการ
scheduled – planned to happen at a particular time or day ตามตารางเวลา
closed-circuit video (TV) – a television system that works within a limited area, for example a public building, to protect it from crime โทรทัศน์วงจรปิด (ซีซีทีวี)
footage – film or video of a particular subject or event ฟิลม์หรือคลิปภาพยนตร์ หรือวิดีโอ
criminal – relating to illegal acts เกี่ยวกับอาชญากรรม
trial – the process of examining a case in a court of law and deciding whether someone has or has not committed a crime  การพิจารณาคดี
charge – to accuse someone officially of committing a crime ตั้งข้อกล่าวหา
participate – to take part in or become involved in an activity มีส่วน
pinpoint – to discover or explain exactly what something is  เจาะจง
set ablaze – to set on fire วางเพลิง
disperse – to cause a crowd of people to separate and go away in different directions สลายฝูงชน
demonstrators – people who march with other people in public to show that they support or oppose something ผู้ชุมนุมประท้วง
adult – a fully grown person who is legally responsible for their actions  ผู้ใหญ่
minor – someone who has not reached the age where they are legally an adult เยาวชน
juvenile – a young person who is not yet an adult  เยาวชน
guard – a person who protects a place or people  ยาม, ผู้ดูแล, ยามรักษาการณ์
employ – to have someone work or do a job for you and pay them for it ว่าจ้าง, จ้าง
complex – a large building with various connected rooms or a related group of buildings
testify – to make a statement about something that you saw, know, or experienced, usually in a court of law ให้การเป็นพยาน
storm – to use force to enter a place and take control of it บุกกระหน่ำ
negotiate – to try to reach an agreement by discussing something in a formal way เจรจาต่อรอง
threatening – dangerous; likely to cause harm or violence อันตราย, เป็นภัย
behaviour – the way that someone acts or behaves พฤติกรรม, การกระทำตัว
retreat – to move back or away  ถอยกลับ
witness – someone who tells a court or investigators what they know about a crime พยาน
state witness – a witness for the government side, i.e., the prosecution, in a court case
in charge of – to be in control of an activity and to check that everything is being done correctly  ดูแล ควบคุม
monitor – a television screen used to show particular kinds of information; a screen that shows information from a computer  เครื่องโทรทัศน์วงจรปิด, จอคอมพิวเตอร์
Molotov cocktail – a simple bomb consisting of a bottle filled with a liquid that you can set on fire and then throw (the writer is comparing the bottles of alcohol to a Molotov cocktail, saying in this situation they are very similar, i.e., very dangerous)
looting – stealing things from buildings, houses or shops, especially during a war or other violence or after a disaster   การปล้นสะดม
defendant – someone who has been accused of a crime and is on trial จำเลย
charge – an official statement accusing someone of committing a crime ข้อหา
suspect – a person who is thought to have committed a crime ผู้ต้องสงสัย
bail – money that is given to a court when someone is allowed to stay out of prison until their trial. If they do not return for the trial, the court keeps the money  เงินประกัน; การประกันตัว
arrest – (of the police) taking someone to a police station because they are believed to have committed a crime การจับกุม
defence – all the things that are said and shown in a court case to prove that someone is not guilty การสู้คดี