Military denies bribery after video goes viral and police officers investigated

[webfact]

Military denies bribery after video goes viral and police officers investigated

By THE NATION

 

 

REPRESENTATIVES of the Fourth Army Region filed a police complaint with Phuket’s Patong Police Station yesterday over a video clip showing three military officers meeting a Phuket hotel executive on March 27, while an investigation has been launched into the actions of two police officers seen guarding the executive.
 

The Fourth Army Region’s police complaint called for the prosecution of those involved in the publication of the video clip on social media.

 

 

The clip, which has been circulating on social media, has been described as depicting the military officers’ alleged attempt to demand a bribe from Patong Paragon Hotel executive Visith Eiumvirojrit. 

 

The clip shows three Army officers accusing Visith of violating the law and acting as an “influential figure” before engaging in a verbal argument. 

 

Many social media users have speculated that the officers were pressuring the man in order to then demand a bribe from him.

 

Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) Region 4 staff have claimed the clip was doctored to deceive the public with the intent to tarnish the image of military officers and the Fourth Army Region.

 

 

Phuket police chief Maj-General Theerapol Thipcharoen said he had told a Patong police superintendent to conduct an investigation into whether there had been inappropriate acts committed by two police officers seen guarding Visith in the four-minute clip. 

 

There are allegations that the officers were inappropriately providing services to a man whom the Fourth Army Region was investigating as a “dark influential figure”. The investigation is supposed to conclude within seven days. 

 

National police chief Pol General Chakthip Chaijinda separately said the two police officers – whom Provincial Police Region 8 chief Pol Lt-General Sorasak Yenprem has already transferred to inactive posts pending the investigation – would face disciplinary action if found guilty.

 

Isoc Region 4 spokesman Colonel Pramote Phrom-in told a press conference that the three military officers seen on the clip were performing their duties under Article 44 and the National Council for Peace and Order orders regarding a crackdown on “influential figures”. Article 44, which is enshrined in the interim charter, gives Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha near-absolute powers.

 

Pramote said the military officers, led by Second Lieutenant Wattanachai Khlongpradit of the 25th Infantry Regiment, had contacted the hotel executive to tell him that a special taskforce of the Fourth Army Region, led by Lt-Colonel Surasak Peungyaem, would investigate a staff member’s complaint.

 

The employee allegedly had told authorities that Visith and others had threatened him and pressured him to quit his job.

 

“Officers just performed their duties and did not assault [the man], use force or demand any bribes nor benefits,” Pramote said.

 

Meanwhile, Visith asked for a postponement to provide an explanation of the incident, which had been scheduled for yesterday, without specifying a date.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30342297

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-04-03

[Somtamnication]

Defamation charges. LOL. You can't make this stuff up.

[YetAnother]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The Fourth Army Region’s police complaint called for the prosecution of those involved in the publication of the video clip on social media.

total deflection; the usual 'never mind if We did anything wrong...'; this army does anything it wants

[Darcula]

Let the Turf Wars begin.

[colinneil]

Officers just performed their duties !!

Well that will be the first time then.

Edited April 2, 2018 by colinneil

[sammieuk1]

Bribery and corruption impossible here its against the law today. 

[sebastion]

Thailand is fast becoming Myanmar.


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[HLover]

1 minute ago, sebastion said:

Thailand is fast becoming Myanmar.


Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
 

Becoming Muslim?

[terminatorchiangmai]

It's getting impossible to catch the bad guys nowadays with these Defamation and computer crime act laws.

 

Rob a bank and make sure your caught on cctv and wait till they broadcast it, free pass me thinks or is it only for the army and police ?

[mrmicbkktxl]

So if I have problems at work I can call the army for help.Prayuth is really my hero

[BEngBKK]

Come one.... A Hotel executive can only pay small money in bride...
No military officers would risk this for pocket money....

Social medias will always be unreliable...
Facebook in Thailand will always be Fakcebook...

Just look how your neighbors Thai daughter present herself on Fakcebook 

[ujayujay]

Yes...... Beat the news deliverer................

[geriatrickid]

4 hours ago, sebastion said:

Thailand is fast becoming Myanmar.
Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
 

Myanmar military  doesn't do mickey mouse stuff like this.

[sebastion]

Myanmar military  doesn't do mickey mouse stuff like this.

Yeah you're right, their too busy with genocide.

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[sebastion]

Becoming Muslim?

It's becoming less muslim by the day.

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[thaiguzzi]

8 hours ago, Darcula said:

Let the Turf Wars begin.

Sooo embarrassing. Innit?

[chama]

It's a pity that the first thing one would think when seeing a group of military officers meeting with someone with access to large sums of money is that they are extorting funds. Unfortunately historic events have established that this is not unusual and could likely be the case. Maybe the military needs to put some effort into stopping the practice of extortion and clean up their image. 

[NamKangMan]

 

Could you imagine the Thai Army invading another country? 

 

Their soldiers would be too busy robbing civilians, and looting shops and houses, to fight the opposing army.