Police officer’s New Year largesse investigated

[webfact]

Police officer’s New Year largesse investigated

By Jessada Chantharak, 
Suriya Patathayo 
The Nation

 

 

A senior policeman’s Chinese New Year gifts to subordinates did not constitute a crime, but might have been a breach of discipline, a Metropolitan Police Bureau commissioner said on Monday.
 

Lt-General Charnthep Sesawet said Pol Sub Lieutenant Manas Termthanasak gave about 60 subordinates traditional red ang pao envelopes, each containing Bt500 in cash and a talisman, describing the gifts as being “from an elder brother to juniors”.

 

Charnthep said Metropolitan Police Area 7 had launched a fact-finding probe into the gesture and has asked anyone involved to submit to questioning within seven days.

 

He cited a National Anti-Corruption Commission rule allowing civil servants to accept cash or items worth up to Bt3,000.

 

There is also a Royal Thai Police regulation against officers visiting business establishments during annual festivals, especially Lunar New Year, and collecting money, gifts or other benefits, an activity deemed “inappropriate”.

 

“This case seems to not be a crime, but it might be a disciplinary breach,” Charnthep said.

 

A Royal Thai Police source said Manas, who distributed the ang pao to fellow Metropolitan Police Area 7 officers at his Thonburi home, was being investigated for having skipped work to travel abroad 96 times between February 2017 and this month.

 

National police deputy chief Pol General Srivara Ransibrahmanakul issued an urgent order on Sunday for the Special Branch Division to investigate Manas.

 

The source said Srivara wanted Manas removed from duty as a member of Pol General Paisal Cheuarod’s security detail while his allegedly inappropriate actions were scrutinised.

 

Paisal is a former senior adviser to the Royal Thai Police.

 

The division ordered Manas to report for duty at his original Area 7 office on Monday and set up a fact-finding committee led by deputy superintendent Pol Lt Colonel Eknirut Wansiripak.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30339206

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-02-19

[PatOngo]

11 minutes ago, webfact said:

skipped work to travel abroad 96 times between February 2017 and this month.

With all that travel experience, you'd think he'd have learned something.

[keith101]

If they are allowed to receive up to 3,000 baht but only got 500 why is this a problem as it is a gift from a very senior officer to his subordinates not from known or suspected criminals .

[rebo]

17 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

With all that travel experience, you'd think he'd have learned something.

Yes, possibly he learned how to smuggle ...

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, PatOngo said:

With all that travel experience, you'd think he'd have learned something.

 

96 times in the last 12 months - how come an investigation didn't start 11 months go?

 

Wonder where he went?

 

Was it the same location?

 

Who did he meet, was it the same person / group / family?

 

Again, seniors paying no attention to managing their officers.

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, keith101 said:

If they are allowed to receive up to 3,000 baht but only got 500 why is this a problem as it is a gift from a very senior officer to his subordinates not from known or suspected criminals .

 

So around 30,000Baht total if they all got 500Baht.

 

Not many cops (if reliant totally on their salary) have 30,000Baht to spare for this purpose, and would it really be their first priority?

 

So was the money supplied by another person who is simply buying police favor on a big scale? 

 

 

[mercman24]

if you skipped work in my company just a few times, you would not be working there anymore

[webfact]

Police quagmire as officer’s ‘ang pao’ largesse probed for gambling links

By JESSADA CHANTHARAK, 
SURIYA PATATHAYO 
THE NATION

 

 

A POLICEMAN’S Chinese New Year’s gifts to fellow officers did not constitute a crime, but might have been a breach of discipline, Metropolitan Police Bureau commissioner Lt-General Charnthep Sesawet said yesterday.

 

Meanwhile, national police deputy chief Pol General Srivara Ransibrahmanakul referred to a report that Pol Sub-Lieutenant Manas Termthanasak had allegedly been linked to “grey” businesses over the past decade, including a gambling den. 

 

He said deputy national police chief Pol General Chalermkiat Srivorakhan would be in charge of the investigation. Chalermkiat later yesterday promised to proceed with a straightforward process that would not protect any officers.

 

Chalermkiat said he had not received a formal report about the envelopes’ content, adding that if it were cash, police would verify if it was linked to a gambling den.

 

Charnthep said Manas had given about 60 fellow policemen traditional red ang pao envelopes, each containing Bt500 in cash and a talisman, describing the gifts as being “from an elder brother to juniors”. 

 

Charnthep and Chalermkiat both said Metropolitan Police Area 7 had already launched a fact-finding investigation into the gifts and asked anyone involved to submit to questioning within seven days. 

 

There is a Royal Thai Police regulation against officers visiting business establishments during annual festivals, especially Lunar New Year, and collecting money, gifts or other benefits, an activity deemed “inappropriate”. 

 

However, Charnthep cited a National Anti-Corruption Commission rule allowing civil servants to accept cash or items worth up to Bt3,000. 

 

“This case seems to not be a crime, but it might be a disciplinary breach,” Charnthep said. 

 

A Royal Thai Police source said Manas, who distributed the ang pao to fellow Metropolitan Police Area 7 officers at his Thonburi home, was being investigated for having skipped work to travel abroad 96 times in the last year. 

 

Srivara issued an urgent order on Sunday for the Special Branch Division to investigate Manas, the source said, adding that Srivara wanted Manas removed from duty as a member of Pol General Paisal Cheuarod’s security detail while his allegedly inappropriate actions were scrutinised. Paisal is a former senior adviser to the Royal Thai Police. 

 

The division also ordered Manas to report for duty at his original office yesterday and set up a fact-finding committee led by deputy superintendent Pol Lt-Colonel Eknirut Wansiripak. 

 

Srivara later said the fact-finding committee must report its findings to him within 30 days.

 

As the spotlight was on Manas, The Nation found that he had been named as an executive at six private companies, three of which have already folded. 

 

The three firms still in operation are:

 

1. Khunphrakhumkrong Limited Partnership, a Lat Phrao publishing firm registered on January 13, 2015 with capital of Bt300,000. Manas held a 66.66-per-cent share in the company, whose profits totalled Bt3,750, debts Bt8,000 and assets Bt303,750 in 2015.

 

2. Chaan Living Co Ltd, a Khlong San furniture import-export firm registered on March 28, 2014 with Bt4-million capital. No operational information was available.

 

3. Nai Hua Group Ltd, a Bang Khen-based property lessor and water and electricity bill-payment service company registered on September 3, 2012 with Bt1-million capital. Manas held a 50.99-per-cent share in the company, which also has an office in Chatuchak district. Its profits totalled Bt13,075, debts Bt30.1 million and assets Bt22.2 million as of December 2016.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30339256

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-02-20

[grumbleweed]

Obviously he was assuming his role as crook in charge and gifting the lesser crooks. Thus the integrity of the RTP isn't brought into question

[Prairieboy]

18 hours ago, PatOngo said:

skipped work to travel abroad 96 times between February 2017 and this month.

That is once every 3.8 days - when did he work?

 

[RichardColeman]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Charnthep said Manas had given about 60 fellow policemen traditional red ang pao envelopes, each containing Bt500 in cash and a talisman, describing the gifts as being “from an elder brother to juniors”. 

Should have just lent it to them !

[Get Real]

43 minutes ago, Prairieboy said:

That is once every 3.8 days - when did he work?

 

Work??? When has that ever been an issue?

[Bob12345]

55 minutes ago, Prairieboy said:

That is once every 3.8 days - when did he work?

 

Maybe he found someone else to put the 3 traffic cones on the road at 10am and remove them again around 4pm.

[sammieuk1]

500bt can buy you out of a world of trouble here so keep calm and carry on policing.  

[300sd]

19 hours ago, webfact said:

He cited a National Anti-Corruption Commission rule allowing civil servants to accept cash or items worth up to Bt3,000.

Sounds like that would be condoning corruption.

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

There is a Royal Thai Police regulation against officers visiting business establishments during annual festivals, especially Lunar New Year, and collecting money, gifts or other benefits, an activity “inappropriate”. 

It's ok any other time though.

[mark01]

So openly corrupt from the very top to the very bottom.

 

[Classic Ray]

This is why UK police or their close relatives are not allowed business interests that conflict with their duties. In practice, officers are allowed very few business interests as they would be tempted either to attend to business instead of their work, or open themselves to corruption. Here none of those safeguards seem to apply.

[Srikcir]

On 2/19/2018 at 1:55 PM, keith101 said:

If they are allowed to receive up to 3,000 baht but only got 500 why is this a problem as it is a gift from a very senior officer to his subordinates not from known or suspected criminals .

I agree if the cash came from division budget intended for such rewards and no one is left out.

But if the funds come from an unaccountable slush fund, ie., feed by covert disposition of asset seizures (whether legal or not), illegal kickbacks or bribes, and/or division budget allocated to other purposes and/or personal funds, then I would disagree.

It might have been more neutral to use the cumulative 30,000 baht to pay for a year-end celebration wherein no person gets a financial benefit. Then there's no perception of corruption.

[lvr181]

On 2/19/2018 at 4:55 PM, keith101 said:

If they are allowed to receive up to 3,000 baht but only got 500 why is this a problem as it is a gift from a very senior officer to his subordinates not from known or suspected criminals .

Mmmm................I can think of a little twist to the last few words of this comment. 

[nahkit]

On 2/19/2018 at 1:55 PM, keith101 said:

If they are allowed to receive up to 3,000 baht but only got 500 why is this a problem as it is a gift from a very senior officer to his subordinates not from known or suspected criminals .

" gave about 60 subordinates traditional red ang pao envelopes, each containing Bt500 in cash and a talisman "

 

Depends on how much the talisman was worth.

[lvr181]

On 2/20/2018 at 5:30 PM, Srikcir said:

Then there's no perception of corruption.

Unfortunately, whatever they do will never convince anyone, especially 'farang' (except some TV posting fawning sycophants of the current leadership) that there is no corruption.

 

I would think that, with perhaps very few exceptions, RTP = endemic corruption. Surely there must be some good coppers out there?