Police yesterday issued a summons for rock star Sek Loso to acknowledge a charge of Type 1 drug use, after a lab test allegedly showed traces of the drug in his system following his arrest in a high-profile temple incident.
Kannayao police station have called him in on Jan 12 at 1pm. Police say they have filed the fresh charge against Sek, whose real name is Seksan Sookpimay, after a urine test showed traces of methamphetamine.
Speaking after a one-hour meeting of investigators handling Sek's cases, Pol Col Sing Singdetch, superintendent of the station, said the summons was handed to a caretaker at Sek's house in Sukhaphiban 5 Road in Bangkok's Bang Khen district.
He said if the singer turns up to acknowledge the charge, he has no need to seek bail again since he has already been granted bail by the Min Buri Provincial Court on charges of obstructing officers from performing their duty.
This stems from an incident in which police attempted to arrest him at his house on Sunday night after the temple drama in which Sek shot bullets from a handgun into the air. Police say the weapon was found at his house.
"But if he fails to show up after two summons are issued, police will petition the court to withdraw his bail,'' Pol Col Sing said.
Referring to the handgun, he said police have questioned the weapon's owner and the pistol has been sent to forensic officers to look into its history.
Pol Col Sing also insisted Sek cannot be sent to the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB)'s drug rehabilitation programme since he was earlier convicted of assault, for which he received a suspended jail term, and currently faces charges of obstructing officers from doing their duty and possessing a firearm without a permit. The singer's criminal record has been sent to the Narcotics Suppression Bureau and the ONCB, he said.
Pol Col Sing said that as a narcotic substance was found in Sek's body, officers will track down those who supplied the drugs to the singer. Sek argued that he only took sleeping pills, but did not hand the sleeping pills to officers for examination, Pol Col Sing said.
Mongkolvijit Dhanasophon, the rocker's lawyer, said he informed his client about the summons and the singer confirmed he would show up.
Sek has come under fire after he streamed a video of himself firing shots into the air at Wat Khao Khun Phanom in Phrommakhiri district of Nakhon Si Thammarat last Friday. Local police later pressed charges of illegal possession of a firearm, carrying it in public illegally and firing shots in public illegally. The court later approved an arrest warrant for Sek. During the arrest at his house, Sek resisted, prompting officers to break the door down and apprehend him.
The Min Buri Provincial Court court granted him bail on Monday on charges of obstructing officers but he was handed to Nakhon Si Thammarat police the following day to face charges associated with the temple shooting incident. On Wednesday, Sek was granted bail by the Nakhon Si Thammarat Provincial Court.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has asked police for a report on the case, as it has drawn wide public attention.
