National Police Chief Questions Murder Suspect Of Russian Tourists

[george]

Police chief questions murder suspect of Russian tourists

CHON BURI: -- Thailand's acting national police chief Pol. Gen. Sereepisuth Temiyaves Saturday interrogated a suspect in the killings of two female Russian tourists at a popular beach last Saturday.

The top cop pledged to wipe out criminal gangs which have preyed on tourists and others in the past.

Details of the interrogation on the suspect identified as Anuchit Lamlert, 24, were still unknown.

Mr. Anuchit was apprehended by police on Thursday and initially confessed to police that he had murdered the Russian women, Tatiana Tsimfer, 30, and Liubov Svirkova, 25, after they resisted being robbed.

The two were found shot dead in their deckchairs in the eastern resort of Jomtien early on the morning of February 24.

Pol. Gen. Sereepisuth said he intended to personally investigated the murder case immediately after he received the report but was unable to do so as he had to visit the three troubled southern provinces -- Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat.

Although police arrested the suspected murderer, Pol. Gen. Sereepisuth said he was still not satisfied as he believed there must be a further motive behind the killings and that the police

chief in Pattaya must be held responsible if the arrested suspect turned out to be a scapegoat.

"It's about time for me to wipe out mafia gangs operating in Pattaya because they've created a lot of problems for tourists in the past.

"There's a need to lay out preventive measures aimed at protecting lives and property of the people and tourists. I'll personally restructure police suppression measures if they fail to restore order in the area," Gen. Sereepisuth said.

--TNA 2007-03-03

[george]

Seripisuth: Police got real gunman

(BangkokPost.com) - Acting national police chief Seripisuth Temiyavej said he believed the man arrested on the slaying of two Russian women tourists in Pattaya is the real gunman.

His confidence came after Pol Gen Seripisuth went to Chonburi province Saturday morning to personally interrogate Anuchit Lamlert, the 24-year-old suspect who was arrested on Thursday after his former girlfriend Nongluck Sudta notified the police.

However, Pol Gen Seripisuth said he believed Mr Anuchit works for someone else. He assigned Pattaya police to find the perpetrators without giving them a deadline to avoid arresting a scapegoat.

Mr Anuchit earlier confessed to police that he tried to rob the two women and had been forced to kill them when they shouted for help. But police doubted that robbery was his real motive because his act was brutal.

The two Russian women arrived in Pattaya on Feb 16 on a package tour. They were found dead last Saturday in their deckchairs on the Jomtien beach.

-- Bangkok Post 2007-03-03

[crudy21]

Police chief questions murder suspect of Russian tourists

"It's about time for me to wipe out mafia gangs operating in Pattaya because they've created a lot of problems for tourists in the past.

--TNA 2007-03-03

Yeah right, whatever copper. I'll believe that when i see it!

[nikster]

"It's about time for me to wipe out mafia gangs operating in Pattaya that have not been paying us because they've created a lot of problems for tourists in the past the others need to know they have to pay up."

Edited for clarity

[leoalex]

I for one would let the ruskies, pakies and the other low life farang down there keep their little gang wars going and eventually wipe each other out -- just let the tourists know not to trust anything that is offered to them from local non thais -- but then again there are a lot of dodgy thais who frequent tourists sites as well -- if the local police chief does not do his job as deemed but the powers that be - oh well =- give him an advisory post at police HQ in Bkk - normal practice

yeah, let all poor lowlife aussies, uk, us, eu backpackers go out thailand to clean out the police reports and let LOS charge million bahts to living here - will no any rasist posters like at quoted text. Never say for all race - keep in your minds what you speak about some persons only!

[Ch4co]

I for one would let the ruskies, pakies and the other low life farang down there keep their little gang wars going and eventually wipe each other out -- just let the tourists know not to trust anything that is offered to them from local non thais -- but then again there are a lot of dodgy thais who frequent tourists sites as well -- if the local police chief does not do his job as deemed but the powers that be - oh well =- give him an advisory post at police HQ in Bkk - normal practice

Nice racist remarks..

I'd suggest the police stop their involvement with the Mafia and enforce the law like they are meant to.

[kash]

Yeah, resisted robbery....7 seconds .... my ass.

[joskydive]

I for one would let the ruskies, pakies and the other low life farang down there keep their little gang wars going and eventually wipe each other out -- just let the tourists know not to trust anything that is offered to them from local non thais -- but then again there are a lot of dodgy thais who frequent tourists sites as well -- if the local police chief does not do his job as deemed but the powers that be - oh well =- give him an advisory post at police HQ in Bkk - normal practice

yeah, let all poor lowlife aussies, uk, us, eu backpackers go out thailand to clean out the police reports and let LOS charge million bahts to living here - will no any rasist posters like at quoted text. Never say for all race - keep in your minds what you speak about some persons only!

What unpleasant individuals you are!!!! If you don't like the races here don't stay. Go back to where you come from. I doubt anyone would miss you or is it that your own home countries don't want you either.

At the end of the day all life is important no matter where you come from and these two girls have a right, even in death, to have the murderer found and punished.

[Lorin]

At least the new cop boss went to talk with the suspect and to find out what the real story is. I donno if he is better or trustful than the last boss, but he makes better PR for himself and his force..:-)

[Jockey]

I find this unfortunate story more and more fascinating. The recently appointed acting Police Chief Gen Seripisuth is apparently very unpopular with a lot of "corrupt" and "Lazy" police. He wants them to do their jobs properly and ged rid of corruption. I believe in him. From what he is saying, reading between the lines, he is ridiculing the arrest of the Thai guy as the only one involved, and has said it is the whole of a crime gang connected to the slaying

He has already moved half the district police in an attempt to reduce police corruption in comfort zones. A massive shake up. Now what he is saying is completely different from what we have become accustomed to. I am watching how this story unfolds with much interest!

I think this newly appointed Police Chief deserves some respect.

[OzMan_Bkk]

I agree Jockey. We get so used to seeing headlines like this over the years that we cease to believe them. However I reckon this new guy has come in with a big broom to clean up. He's already kickin' a**e and takin' names. There are good cops out there. Let's hope they are identified and given a boost and the dead wood is cleaned out. A nice big pay rise might go a long way to improving not only the image of the force but attract a better standard of recruit. However the clean up of Pattaya is going to need more than a few rookie cops. It needs a monster effort from the top brass in the Royal Police, money from the government and a genuine push by city officials. I wish them success.

[howerski]

I'm not often moved to comment on posts, but I do feel that some members are being less than charitable to other races (i.e. UK bar owner OK - russian whatever - not OK). So my comment to them is have a beer and chill out. As for the story - well at least the guy is commiting himself publicly to try and do something about what is an intractable problem. For that I for one applaud him.

[tilac2]

I agree with the last few posts. How about some congratulations to these police, who it seems have taken swift action. Why this cynicism all the time?

[PuaSai]

I for one would let the ruskies, pakies and the other low life farang down there keep their little gang wars going and eventually wipe each other out -- just let the tourists know not to trust anything that is offered to them from local non thais -- but then again there are a lot of dodgy thais who frequent tourists sites as well -- if the local police chief does not do his job as deemed but the powers that be - oh well =- give him an advisory post at police HQ in Bkk - normal practice

yeah, let all poor lowlife aussies, uk, us, eu backpackers go out thailand to clean out the police reports and let LOS charge million bahts to living here - will no any rasist posters like at quoted text. Never say for all race - keep in your minds what you speak about some persons only!

I agree with you. You can't label all people because of a few, or all farangs would never be let in. There are enough Farangs who have unfortunately made the headlines in Thailand regarding practing pedophiles, murder, assaults, just to name a few types of situations which tarnish all with the same ignorant labeling.

What happened was tragic and hopefully the crime will be resolved.

[jaapfries]

What unpleasant individuals you are!!!! If you don't like the races here don't stay. Go back to where you come from. I doubt anyone would miss you or is it that your own home countries don't want you either.

At the end of the day all life is important no matter where you come from and these two girls have a right, even in death, to have the murderer found and punished.

====================================================================

Hey; JoSkyDive - you just said what most decent people were thinking after they read that rubbish. Good on you and I agree with you verbatum !

Pattaya

[Martin]

"He has already moved half the district police in an attempt to reduce police corruption in comfort zones. A massive shake up."

Good for him.

The very nature of tourist areas, especially those that have specialised in attracting sex-tourists, creates a difficult police-force staffing problem because of the temptations that will be put in the way of underpaid (or well-paid, but greedy) police staff.

A periodic 'sweeping of the stable' is bound to be necessary.

I sense that there is a growing feeling amongst middle-class Thais that Thailand doesn't need its tourist industry, but they will tolerate it as long as it is tightly confined to the 'write-off' zones of Pattaya, Phuket and Koh Samui, where its negative secondary effects can conveniently be policed.

But if policing those areas fails, and the consequent events gets out of hand and the bad publicity hits Thailand's country-wide image and so gets too much for the middle-class in other area to stomach, the law allows the cheap end of tourism to be strangled overnight.

As I understand the situation, tourists get given that permission to enter and remain for 30-days at the discretion of that officer of the Immigration Police on the desk where they present their passports as they ask to be allowed to enter at the airport.

Tourists have no automatic right to be allowed to enter, and how the individual officers exercise their discretion cannot be appealed against.

The tourist industry should beware, and support effective policing, in its own enlightened self-interest.

[terryp]

And the Circus came to town………………

It’s been crazy all day down the bottom of Chaiyapruk

What I just don’t get is why have these top brass been given hundreds of flower gifts today?????

These should have been given as a mark of respect to the murdered girls…not to a bunch of Corrupt fools

Tomorrow is the re-run with the killer 9am...so another circus

[phuketrichard]

Yeah, resisted robbery....7 seconds .... my ass.

Why would anyone try to rob to women in deck chairs early morn on the beach? what would he hope to get.

I for one am sure it is more than meets the eye. Just to easy..

[wrecker]

Yes we have the right man! I still remember the last high profile case in which the head of the immigration said it. After all the chap had confessed. Sadly he did not do anything. It is ridiculous to believe that someone who claims to be a robber, just shoot the girls without taking anything. Just view it in the light of most Pattaya suicides, hands bound on the back, and hooded. the Pattaya police is notorious in finding scapegoats, or nothing at all.

[logbags]

I think most people are cynical of the Thai Police as they act with lightning speed in making arrests when "face" is involved or the tourist industry needs protecting. (i.e vested interests). At other times when a person of influence is involved in a crime there is a total lack of interest in solving anything and scape goats are the only people arrested.

The Police spokesman also forgot to mention the biggest mafia gang of all in Thailand is the Thai police. If you weeded out all the crooks in khaki, the crime rate in Thailand would be cut in half.

When was the last time an influential person in Thailand actually went to jail for a crime?

How can you respect a justice system that only jails the poor?

There is not one gambling den, not one brothel, not one drug dealer that operates in Thailand without the police being paid off.

Thai people usually say being involved with the Thai police is like raising cobras. Oneday you will get bitten.

[wpcoe]

I'm sure things will be much more under control, i.e. crime will be eliminated, the water off the beaches will be drinkable, stray dogs will disappear, and only sunshine will fall over Pattaya, when Kamnan Poh's son wins the mayor's seat.

[tropiccapricorn]

Of course one wonders if the person caught the real killer but I sincerely hope we don't have to believe that robber story. Being driven to the beach on a motorbike by someone else at 5 am, going down to the beach, shoot the women and disappears again.

For one thing, he must have known, they were there quite often.

Being thai, they could not have told him, rather someone who spoke russian. Maybe the driver?

Somebody wanting to rob usually does so. He did not.

And then he was being driven away again. Do robbers walk around with such a gun?

The best way to quiet the women would have been to get lost..

So I gather, in case he is the real killer, he is making up the story to protect somebody. May have a death threat on his head.

I was surpriesd, that he still alive. Anyway I presume, the police here is under pressure for a speedy success

so they can tell the world the place is save again.

[lazeeboy]

I agree with the last few posts. How about some congratulations to these police, who it seems have taken swift action. Why this cynicism all the time?

lets give the police some credit here the picture released of the suspect was spot on .having his moterbike stolen the same night funny that what ever way they got the confession doesnt matter they got this guy very quick lets hope the western world write about the very quick arrest and not how maybe how they extracted the confession well dont pataya police

[dezeure]

"It's about time for me to wipe out mafia gangs operating in Pattaya that have not been paying us because they've created a lot of problems for tourists in the past the others need to know they have to pay up."

Edited for clarity

good one, but its as they said before, the only way to clean the whole corrupt pattaya police and maffia is to bring in outside police

[manjara]

I think most people are cynical of the Thai Police as they act with lightning speed in making arrests when "face" is involved or the tourist industry needs protecting. (i.e vested interests). At other times when a person of influence is involved in a crime there is a total lack of interest in solving anything and scape goats are the only people arrested.

The Police spokesman also forgot to mention the biggest mafia gang of all in Thailand is the Thai police. If you weeded out all the crooks in khaki, the crime rate in Thailand would be cut in half.

When was the last time an influential person in Thailand actually went to jail for a crime?

How can you respect a justice system that only jails the poor?

There is not one gambling den, not one brothel, not one drug dealer that operates in Thailand without the police being paid off.

Thai people usually say being involved with the Thai police is like raising cobras. Oneday you will get bitten.

I've heard stories that it's ok to pay someone to go to prison for you???!

Has anyone else heard the same? Is it true?

Obviously it would be hard to find someone to take a life term, but 30 days or a year....

[lazeeboy]

I think most people are cynical of the Thai Police as they act with lightning speed in making arrests when "face" is involved or the tourist industry needs protecting. (i.e vested interests). At other times when a person of influence is involved in a crime there is a total lack of interest in solving anything and scape goats are the only people arrested.

The Police spokesman also forgot to mention the biggest mafia gang of all in Thailand is the Thai police. If you weeded out all the crooks in khaki, the crime rate in Thailand would be cut in half.

When was the last time an influential person in Thailand actually went to jail for a crime?

How can you respect a justice system that only jails the poor?

There is not one gambling den, not one brothel, not one drug dealer that operates in Thailand without the police being paid off.

Thai people usually say being involved with the Thai police is like raising cobras. Oneday you will get bitten.

I've heard stories that it's ok to pay someone to go to prison for you???!

Has anyone else heard the same? Is it true?

Obviously it would be hard to find someone to take a life term, but 30 days or a year....

why what have you done or thinking of doing???????

[Netfan]

Well now that they have this one "solved", maybe the good Pol Gen can head up to Kanchanaburi and find the killer of that nurse last year......

[lannarebirth]

And the Circus came to town………………

It's been crazy all day down the bottom of Chaiyapruk

What I just don't get is why have these top brass been given hundreds of flower gifts today?????

These should have been given as a mark of respect to the murdered girls…not to a bunch of Corrupt fools

Tomorrow is the re-run with the killer 9am...so another circus

Today is Makha Bucha day. It is a major Buddhist holiday with merit making ceremonies being performed everywhere.

[invex]

I think most people are cynical of the Thai Police as they act with lightning speed in making arrests when "face" is involved or the tourist industry needs protecting. (i.e vested interests). At other times when a person of influence is involved in a crime there is a total lack of interest in solving anything and scape goats are the only people arrested.

The Police spokesman also forgot to mention the biggest mafia gang of all in Thailand is the Thai police. If you weeded out all the crooks in khaki, the crime rate in Thailand would be cut in half.

When was the last time an influential person in Thailand actually went to jail for a crime?

How can you respect a justice system that only jails the poor?

There is not one gambling den, not one brothel, not one drug dealer that operates in Thailand without the police being paid off.

Thai people usually say being involved with the Thai police is like raising cobras. Oneday you will get bitten.

agree for 100%

[suiging]

An interesting page from non-regular and non resident pattaya posters,

Good to hear your informed views.