Chon Buri ‘godfather’ Kamnan Poh succumbs to cancer

[webfact]

Chon Buri ‘godfather’ Kamnan Poh succumbs to cancer

By The Nation

 

 

Somchai Khunpluem, better known as Kamnan Poh or the “godfather of Chon Buri” who brought prosperity and development to the eastern province but was sentenced to two jail terms, succumbed to cancer early Monday, his family said. He was 82.

 

Somchai, former mayor of Tambon Saensuk Municipality, died at 3am in Chon Buri hospital. He was released from jail on December 14, 2017 due to his illness.

 

Narongchai Khunpluem, Somchai’s youngest son and the present mayor of Tambon Saensuk Municipality, posted the message “I love you, dad. #RIP” on his Facebook wall.

 

Somchai was born on September 30, 1937. He was a well-known politician and businessman in Chon Buri and was perceived as the godfather of the east coast who brought prosperity and development to the tourist town of Bang Saen. He was also perceived as an influential person who supported several politicians from eastern provinces.

 

He was sentenced to five years and four months in jail and the seizure of his assets for corruption in a land case. He was also sentenced to 25 years in jail for masterminding the murder of Prayoon Sitthichote, another influential person and his rival. After the verdicts he fled his home but was captured in Bangkok on January 30, 2013.

 

Somchai was born to Charnchai and Thuam Khunpluem. His father was a village head in Tambon Saensuk in Chon Buri’s Muang district. His mother worked as a pork vendor in the market and went on to own a slaughterhouse.

 

Somchai left Wat Klang Don School after completing Grade 4 and worked as a bus conductor on the Bang Saen-Sri Racha-Chon Buri route before being promoted to driver.

 

After buying his own fishing boat, Somchai became friendly with a French tourist, who had an oil trading business in Cambodia. Through his connections with the French businessman, Somcchai got a license to fish in Cambodian waters. He run a successful fishing business for a few years but quit when oil prices soared.

 

He later went into digging and supplying gravel and soil for road fill. The success of this business allowed Somchai to expand his business empire to include the construction business, liquor sales, hotels, and real estate development. His wealth and influence in Bang Saen and Pattaya also allowed him to support his sons in their bids to become politicians..

 

Somchai and his wife Satil had four sons and one daughter, most of whom went on to become national and local politicians.

 

Sonthaya Khunpluem, Somchai’s eldest son, was a former Chon Buri MP and served as a political adviser to Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha during his first government. Sonthaya also held several ministerial posts.

 

Somchai’s second son, Witthaya Khunpluem, is the Chon Buri Provincial Administrative Organisation’s CEO and chairman of the Chon Buri Football Club.

Somchai’s third child was a daughter the couple called Jiraporn.

 

His fourth child is Itthipol Khunpluen, former Chon Buri MP and former Pattaya mayor.

 

His youngest son Narongchai Khunpluem, is now the mayor of Tambon Saensuk Municipality.

 

On January 30, 2013, Somchai was arrested by Crime Suppression Division police in his car at the Lat Krabang toll gate while travelling on the outbound motorway after using the name of Kim Sae-tang to receive treatment at the Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital.

 

After his arrest, he was sent to jail to serve the two outstanding jail terms, one for corruption in the Khao Mai Kaew’s land purchase by Tambon Saensuk Municipality when he was the mayor and the other for murder.

 

On December 14, 2017, the Corrections Department sought permission from Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister ACM Prajin Juntong to release him from jail on humanitarian grounds because he was suffering from stage 4 cancer and was over 70 years old.

 

At 3 am on Monday, his colourful life as a poor bus conductor who went on to become the godfather of the east coast finally came to an end.

 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30371215

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-06-17

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[ezzra]

Frankley, the world is a better place without people like this 'godfather' and that goes for his clan and all his ilks and alikes, no pearly gates for this guy i presume...

[canopus1969]

At last

[digbeth]

Sorry for the family of his victim, he never meaningfully served any sentence behind bars

[poohy]

Well hes gone !

As for sympathy well its found between S**t and syphilis in the dictionary

[z42]

Good riddance

[jacko45k]

And the door closes on a new one...... key theme tune.

[worgeordie]

I expect he will be reincarnated as a cockroach.

regards worgeordie

[digbeth]

Remember during his 'fugitive' years supposedly spent in Cambodia, his 'empty' house in Chonburi would receive long line of guest and well wishers on his Birthday every year without fail. The whole of Chonburi knew he never left the local police probably got handsomely rich for it, and when he got nabbed, he was quickly and conveniently transferred out to house arrest.

 

The family now 'owed' the government for the get out of jail free card, The government probably hoped they would get the Chonburi votes on a platter, yet the family lose out to Future Forward in many of their home turfs like Pattaya, it is probably the beginning of the end of their influence in local politics for sure

[Cake Monster]

5 hours ago, z42 said:

Good riddance

Plenty more bad Apples in that barrel though.

Soon to float to the top

 

[Dogmatix]

Good riddance to bad rubbish. It seems unlikely that the murder he was convicted of was the only one he was responsible for. With good connections and billions of baht garnered from a life of crime he was able to fix things, so he never had to spend a day in jail and has been able to found an enduring political dynasty. He is symptomatic of all that is wrong with Thai society. Let's hope they are getting a nice big fire ready for him down below.

Edited June 17, 2019 by Dogmatix

[happy chappie]

7 hours ago, ezzra said:

Frankley, the world is a better place without people like this 'godfather' and that goes for his clan and all his ilks and alikes, no pearly gates for this guy i presume...

You took the words right out of my mouth.i bet his victims and there will be a few are having a party today.

[grollies]

2 hours ago, Dogmatix said:

Good riddance to bad rubbish. It seems unlikely that the murder he was convicted of was the only one he was responsible for. With good connections and billions of baht garnered from a life of crime he was able to fix things, so he never had to spend a day in jail and has been able to found an enduring political dynasty. He is symptomatic of all that is wrong with Thai society. Let's hope they are getting a nice big fire ready for him down below.

You didn't read the article did you? Says he was in gaol from 2013 to 2017.

 

[Huayrat]

4 Rats live on in his memory though..

[JamJar]

1 hour ago, grollies said:

You didn't read the article did you? Says he was in gaol from 2013 to 2017.

 

 

Allegedly, he spent most of that time in different hospitals.

[Henrik Andersen]

Corruption on a higher level 

this family has always been the biggest mafia in Chonburi 

RIP but please don't come back 

[jacko45k]

7 hours ago, Henrik Andersen said:

RIP but please don't come back

As far as the family is concerned better they went away, as they are certainly here. Finger in every plum pie. 

[Jim1000]

When  he was interviewed ,  after one of his  numerous court cases , apparently a  journalist asked him why he didn't  seem to be  surrounded by   minders and supporters  .  He said " I used to have a lot of enemies but they all died ' . 

[ratcatcher]

On 6/17/2019 at 4:59 PM, Cake Monster said:

Plenty more bad Apples in that barrel though.

Soon to float to the top

Do you mean this sort of barrel?

[ratcatcher]

On 6/17/2019 at 5:09 PM, Dogmatix said:

Let's hope they are getting a nice big fire ready for him down below.

He was Buddhist, I expect they are getting a nice big fire ready for him up here.

[ratcatcher]

On 6/17/2019 at 8:50 PM, Huayrat said:

4 Rats live on in his memory though..

Thanks for the heads up.