Somyot ‘does not have to explain’ Bt300m loan in Victoria’s case

[webfact]

Somyot ‘does not have to explain’ Bt300m loan in Victoria’s case

By The Nation

 

File photo: Pol General Somyot Poompunmuang

 

FORMER NATIONAL police chief Pol General Somyot Poompunmuang did not have to explain to police the reasons behind Bt300 million in loans he received from Kampol Weerathepsuporn, the alleged owner of Victoria’s: The Secret Forever massage parlour, deputy national police chief Pol General Srivara Ransibrahmanakul said yesterday.
 

The Bangkok parlour is being investigated for alleged human trafficking and prostitution after a raid last month. Several people considered to be the parlour’s executives were apprehended and arrest warrants have been issued for the alleged owners, including Kampol and his wife Nipa.

 

As the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) was investigating the case and the parlour’s transactions, it was up to that office to summon Somyot to determine whether his actions violated the law, Srivara said. 

 

Police would join the investigation if requested by AMLO.

 

Somyot’s recent revelations of a loan from Kampol followed a report that an unnamed retired police chief and five others were to be summoned for questioning by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) over the human-trafficking case involving Victoria’s.

 

DSI deputy chief Pol Colonel Songsak Raksaksakul said yesterday that Somyot’s expression of innocence to the media did not mean that the DSI would no longer summon him if he is found to be linked to the case. 

 

He said the DSI had not received any formal explanation from Somyot, which the agency would have to obtain as part of the evidence-gathering process.

 

Songsak said the DSI investigation was focussed on everyone involved, not just Somyot. 

 

He said many people had financial transactions with Kampol and they would be summoned for questioning in the future. 

 

Songsak said authorities had seized assets worth Bt300 million from Kampol and the DSI and AMLO officials were working together to impound more assets.

 

Srivara and Songsak’s comments were made after Somyot on Monday admitted to borrowing Bt300 million from Kampol, a friend of 20 years. He also claimed that he had repaid the loan to Kampol. 

 

Somyot added that the loan was not a secret and said he had reported the transaction to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) three years ago. 

 

Somyot said Kampol had joined him at various charitable events and loaned him money on three or four occasions, which totalled Bt300 million. He said he repaid Kampol within the year. 

 

“These were legal transactions, done with proper contracts, and all have been repaid,” he said. “There is no reason I would cover this up because I don’t think it’s illegal,” he added. 

 

“If society or anyone still wonders whether there was anything illegal about it, they have to ask Kampol where the money came from, because I can’t answer that.” 

 

Somyot said he was ready to answer inquiries with documentation that he had previously shown the NACC.

 

Meanwhile, DSI chief Paisit Wongmuang said the DSI would not summon Somyot or other witnesses until investigators had more clarity about the parlour's transactions and were equipped with sufficient information to pose effective questions. 

 

He added that DSI officers were divided into two teams investigating human-trafficking crimes and financial transactions while the Securities and Exchange Commission and AMLO were also gathering evidences to submit to the DSI.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30338117

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-02-07

[gunderhill]

No corruption or prostitution in Thailand, none anywhere, all not the way to the very top.

[ezzra]

With friend like this who needs the banks? old adage says: tell me who are your

friends and i'll tell you who you are... when a chief of police cozy up to a massgage

parlor boos who engages in human trafficking and slavery that says a lot about him....

[flyingfox1]

Time Thailand “drained the swamp” if it is wants to have any credibility on the worlds stage!


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[z42]

I think it is pretty fair to assume that this utter stain Somyot has done all of Thailand's major (crooked) players favours many times before, and this in turn will make him 1 of the untouchables (in much the same way that Prawit is).

Every corrupt baht he has had his filthy mitts on, and there are likely billions of them, have the woes of poor and downtrodden people all over them. He is the epitome of a scumbag & it makes me want to vomit every time  I see or hear of him

[Fish Head Soup]

25 minutes ago, flyingfox1 said:

Time Thailand “drained the swamp” if it is wants to have any credibility on the worlds stage!
 

They're not interested in world stage credibility, they are only interested in lining their own pockets.

Edited February 6, 2018 by Fish Head Soup
spelling

[Dexlowe]

Kampol is part of the criminal underworld. There is absolutely no way in the wide world that there can be anything innocent about Somyot's association with him. 

 

Unless I've missed it, there has been no explanation from Somyot for the reasons for these loans from the crime figure Kampol. 

[Fish Head Soup]

3 minutes ago, Dexlowe said:

Unless I've missed it, there has been no explanation from Somyot for the reasons for these loans from the crime figure Kampol. 

My guess is there were never any loans in the first place.

Edited February 6, 2018 by Fish Head Soup

[berybert]

Where do you send your referees if you don't want them to be corrupt ?

How about to one of the most corrupt leagues on earth !!

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/sports/30338018

[rkidlad]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

DSI deputy chief Pol Colonel Songsak Raksaksakul said yesterday that Somyot’s expression of innocence to the media did not mean that the DSI would no longer summon him if he is found to be linked to the case. 

Ah, that’s good to know. Really instills confidence when law enforcement say they will still do their job even when someone in the spotlight says they’re innocent. 

[FreddieRoyle]

Was this Somyot not famously the richest head of police ever here? He boasted an 800 odd million baht fortune, now turns out he borrowed 300 mill from a dodgy massage parlor owner. And then there was his famous/lucrative overseeing of "justice" in the koh tao debacle. The guy need firing from his footy job, hauling over coals and a full asset confiscation, a lesson to other bent coppers. Disgraceful seeing these elites like Somyot and Prawit being corrupt and not caring, not setting the best example IMHO.

[smutcakes]

1 hour ago, Dexlowe said:

Kampol is part of the criminal underworld. There is absolutely no way in the wide world that there can be anything innocent about Somyot's association with him. 

 

Unless I've missed it, there has been no explanation from Somyot for the reasons for these loans from the crime figure Kampol. 

I would not say underworld so much. There are photos of him at charity events etc with many of the leading lights of Thai business society and higher still...

 

I expect many of these people knew exactly what he did, but could not  care less. As if these hi so's give a toss about a few prostitutes or trafficked women, there plight would not even cause a flicker on their emotion meter.

[coulson]

He'll just do one round with the NACC 

[pedro01]

Any news on how someone on a police salary paid back a 300 million Baht loan?

[RichardColeman]

Quite agree - he should not have to explain borrowing the money. BUT, he should have to explain how he paid it back and with what income he did it with !

[Tarteso]

One Word.... Karma.

[worgeordie]

Have the taxman investigate all his dealings,that's how they got

Capone,but the problem is, even the taxman here is corruptible.

regards worgeordie

[Nip]

2 hours ago, rkidlad said:

Ah, that’s good to know. Really instills confidence when law enforcement say they will still do their job even when someone in the spotlight says they’re innocent. 

Indeed and don't place any faith in any AMLO investigation as they claim to have no powers to investigate suspect

bank accounts. Or so they claim.

 

Edited February 7, 2018 by Nip
Spelling

[Nip]

1 hour ago, FreddieRoyle said:

Was this Somyot not famously the richest head of police ever here? He boasted an 800 odd million baht fortune, now turns out he borrowed 300 mill from a dodgy massage parlor owner. And then there was his famous/lucrative overseeing of "justice" in the koh tao debacle. The guy need firing from his footy job, hauling over coals and a full asset confiscation, a lesson to other bent coppers. Disgraceful seeing these elites like Somyot and Prawit being corrupt and not caring, not setting the best example IMHO.

I seem to recall he was also involved in some dodgy share dealings amounting to close to 500 million Baht? 

[mtls2005]

3 hours ago, Dexlowe said:

Unless I've missed it, there has been no explanation from Somyot for the reasons for these loans from the crime figure Kampol. 

 

He needed the money for making a very short-term trade on the SET which netted him a huge profit.

 

If you say "inside trading" he'll have your legs broken.

 

 

[Emster23]

Considering defamation laws here (truth is no defense) can't really see any investigative journalists following the money trail.

[jumbo]

4 hours ago, flyingfox1 said:

Time Thailand “drained the swamp” if it is wants to have any credibility on the worlds stage!


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

Its a 3rd world country!!! Credibility on the worlds stage???

[jumbo]

56 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Quite agree - he should not have to explain borrowing the money. BUT, he should have to explain how he paid it back and with what income he did it with !

Is the investigation about him? And is he repaid with loans from others, they should be investigated as well, etc. etc. etc.

He reported the loan to NACC... more he not need to do...

[Juan B Tong]

Ah, the new "loan" explanation.

 

Same as the guy with a couple of dozen watches 'loaned' by a couple of dozen friends who have died.

 

I guess in a little bit, when I get stopped by the cops they will ask or a 'loan' too.

[Baerboxer]

1 hour ago, pedro01 said:

Any news on how someone on a police salary paid back a 300 million Baht loan?

 

There wasn't any interest on how someone on a police salary managed to acquire a 800 million baht fortune so doubtful this will raise any questions.

 

All to do with marrying well, prudent financial management and shrewd investments, apparently.

[Lupatria]

4 hours ago, flyingfox1 said:

Time Thailand “drained the swamp” if it is wants to have any credibility on the worlds stage!


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

If you want to drain a swamp- DON'T ask the frogs!

[Traveller2000]

Every corrupt officer is learning fast from Malaysian PM's 2.6B loan from Saudi prince

[klauskunkel]

A former National Police Chief does not have to explain a money trail to a fugitive criminal, because a current National Police Chief says so.

Please note this statement of exemption did not come from a public prosecutor of the case, or Attorney General, but from a police colleague. It shows exactly how power is distributed.

[peperobi]

1st: for what he needs 300 Mn. Baht?

2nd: How he will pay it back?

3th: How long he will need to pay it back?

[newnative]

'Does not have to explain'.   Well, that's the whole problem, isn't it?  Sad.