Santhana defiant, awarded Bt300,000 bail on extortion charges

[webfact]

Santhana defiant, awarded Bt300,000 bail on extortion charges

By The Nation

 

 

“I WILL NEVER be defeated. I will sue every single one of them,” Pol Lt-Colonel Santhana Prayoonrat vowed, as he was taken to the Criminal Court for his first 12-day period of detention yesterday morning. The former deputy superintendent of the police Special Branch had surrendered at his house on Saturday.

 

Santhana was taken from his detention cell to Bangkok’s Don Muang Police Station after the Criminal Court approved eight arrest warrants against him over allegations of extortion at Donmuang Modern Market. 

 

Santhana, an adviser to the market’s operator, told reporters: “I slept well because this police station was my ‘former home’ [office].” Then he added: “The Royal Thai Police took good care of me. I’ll see what other agencies will do.” 

 

Later yesterday, Santhana’s lawyer Apichat Kruachua secured his client’s temporary release on bail by paying a Bt300,000 surety. Santhana was bailed to attend court at 9am on July 2.

 

The court’s bail conditions forbade Santhana from tampering with evidence or witnesses, and from leaving the country without permission.

 

Santhana later said he would soon submit a letter to the national police chief about three police generals who had a problem with him, resulting in “overreactions” and discrimination. 

 

 

He cited the Thai SWAT team’s raid of his condo last week and the fact he was publicly marched away in handcuffs without the benefit of cloth to cover his wrists. He said police should feel ashamed to have treated him so unfairly. 

 

“People have criticised me for my loud personality. I said I would never be defeated because I didn’t do anything wrong. I’ve been a fighter throughout my life and I will fight until the end,” he said, insisting there was a hidden agenda behind the charges by people who might even want him dead. 

 

The police application for his detention had claimed that Santhana and 10 others had allegedly extorted monthly “protection money” from vendors from April 2016-April 2018, amounting to Bt1,000-Bt3,000 per shop and that he threatened them if they refused. 

 

Santhana has repeatedly denied the charges so police plan to interview 50 other witnesses to strengthen their case. They are also waiting for the results of forensic and criminal record checks, hence their request to detain him until May 24. 

 

Police opposed bail on the grounds that the crime had many victims and because they feared that Santhana, who allegedly led a gang of at least 20 men, might flee or tamper with evidence and/or witnesses.

 

Santhana said he learned that the accusations against him and company employees stemmed from eight vendors who claimed their shops would not be allowed to stay open unless they paid the “protection money”.

 

“Only eight of the market’s 500 shops have this issue? This group might be ‘convinced’ to accuse me,” he said before he and his wheelchaired 91-year-old father Pol Colonel Somchai Prayoonrat left the court in separate vehicles. 

 

Earlier this month, Santhana confronted a senior police officer as he led a team probing an allegation that some shops were selling substandard products.

 

 

Meanwhile, national police deputy chief Pol General Weerachai Songmetta insisted that more than 100 people had testified that they had paid “protection money” and they should not be afraid of Santhana’s counter-lawsuits. 

 

Weerachai said no one had falsely accused or bullied Santhana as he claimed. He also said further charges related to the growing number of victims would be filed and police were gathering evidence to support the arrests of more suspects, many of whom had reportedly fled the market.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30345291

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-05-14

[YetAnother]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

insisting there was a hidden agenda behind the charges by people who might even want him dead. 

add paranoia to the smug arrogance displayed in photos and his speech; these are exactly the types of people we do Not want in any position of authority

[colinneil]

He said police should feel ashamed for treating him unfairly.

What a jerk, what about the hundreds of people he and his thug mates have treated unfairly?

[rkidlad]

Anyone remember that new kid at school who would just go nuts when being told off by the teacher. The reaction of a spoilt child screaming and kicking. All the other kids look on and think, “What a wrongun”. Well, here is that kid. Only thing is he hasn’t grown up and this is his first telling off.

 

And this, ladies and gentleman, epitomizes so much the attitude of the rich and powerful here. This guy is an utter scumbag who believes he can do as he pleases. 

Edited May 14, 2018 by rkidlad

[Darcula]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

He cited the Thai SWAT team’s raid of his condo last week and the fact he was publicly marched away in handcuffs without the benefit of cloth to cover his wrists.

 

Don't worry about that unless you have very small wrists.

 

 

[Oziex1]

He feels hard done by I understand and ask the question, who will the vendors be paying protection money to now?

[klauskunkel]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

he was publicly marched away in handcuffs

“The Royal Thai Police took good care of me. I’ll see what other agencies will do.” 

[happy chappie]

You know there's never smoke without fire.its not the 8 vendors making false statements,its the other 492 that are too scared to make them.find the bank accounts and you will find the truth.

[Get Real]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

“I WILL NEVER be defeated

Sounds to me like this man have a touch of what can be called a "Napoleon Complex".

[sweatalot]

reading his comments nearly made me vomit

[ostyan]

Corrupt cops in Thailand? Impossible. Thais do not do this

[janclaes47]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

 

The court’s bail conditions forbade Santhana from tampering with evidence or witnesses,

 

No doubt, with his history and the charges he was arrested on, he would ever consider that. NOT?

[trainman34014]

Arrogance personified. The man just doesn't think it's wrong to threaten and intimidate people who are just trying to make a living the best way they can.

 

Sadly, there are tens of thousands more just like him in Amazing Thailand !

[sammieuk1]

He looks as guilty as a smug grunt can look.

[Eric Loh]

There must be reasons for his smugness. He is just a front man for powerful people. He did promise to leak details involving military officers to Prayut. I bet my last satang that he will go free and case quietly fade away.  

[puck2]

4 hours ago, rkidlad said:

Anyone remember that new kid at school who would just go nuts when being told off by the teacher. The reaction of a spoilt child screaming and kicking. All the other kids look on and think, “What a wrongun”. Well, here is that kid. Only thing is he hasn’t grown up and this is his first telling off.

 

And this, ladies and gentleman, epitomizes so much the attitude of the rich and powerful here. This guy is an utter scumbag who believes he can do as he pleases. 

When I read your comment without having seen the top it exactly matches the qualities of your best friend, the LOTUS.

So, why do you complain about the man here in this case and not about your darling .  Great moral ! Some people call it double standard.

Be sure I don't like both.

Edited May 14, 2018 by puck2

[rkidlad]

1 hour ago, puck2 said:

When I read your comment without having seen the top it exactly matches the qualities of your best friend, the LOTUS.

So, why do you complain about the man here in this case and not about your darling .  Great moral ! Some people call it double standard.

Be sure I don't like both.

What on god's green earth are you talking about?