"Joe Ferrari" former police chief has 29 cars - many luxury supercars and sports models - on a 43K salary

[KhunMorris]

As someone who raced British Touring Cars in the early 2000s I have been around the 'Petrolhead' scene for a large part of my life. Having examined 'Ferrari Joe's' extensive car collection I have concluded that he has no clue about what constitutes a decent motor. In fact on reflection is collection is rather aging and included nothing of any merit.

 

In 1995, I took delivery of the much coveted McLaren F1, a 240MPH beast. I subsequently crashed it into a donut van at Goodwood. Not my proudest moment. The car was economically  unrepairable. I live to tell the tale. These cars now sell for upwards of £12 million, no regrets though, my ex wife would have collected.

 

Anyone to summarise, Ferrari Joe seems like an absolute cretin.

 

Sincerely

 

MORRIS

Ex Bar Owner

 

 

[BangkokReady]

1 hour ago, rupert the bear said:

audit needs to be done on all senior cops and the politicians,in fact post their bank balances on the net as i feel now thais generally would approve such a move and  the info is there and  available,post it on the walls of the nation, time to clean the toilet

Why stop there?  Why not every public official?  All levels of police?  Every business person?  Every individual? 

 

How about every resident of Thailand that earns money pays tax, follows regulations and gets the required licenses and insurance?

 

What's good for the goose is good for the gander...

[Isaan sailor]

Ever wonder why the Baht rises dramatically (+2%) against all western currencies from time to time?  HiSo's like this gentlemen need to keep up with the latest western toys.

[Burma Bill]

5 hours ago, KeeTua said:

The list in the op shows his name as the owner in the two columns on the right.

For reference, the latest in "Breaking News" in The Nation so all the cars could be "legit"!

"The Customs Department said on Wednesday that Pol Colonel Thitisan Uthanapol had helped seize 368 illegal cars since 2011 and should have earned some 400 million for his work. 

The department has sold 363 of the 368 cars Thitisan helped seize and has earned 1 billion baht from the sale. ............ said officers are given 40-per-cent of the proceeds earned from the sale of cars they seized, and in this case, Thitisan is entitled to 400 million baht."

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40005301

[Pedrogaz]

Throw this scum and all like him in jail and throw away the key. Indict his boss and his bosses' bosses.....all the way to the top. Seems Prayut isn't worried about corruption, but is only concerned for the image of the police. Well their image is already stained inky black, so do something about it that does not involve cover ups or white washes. 

Clear up the Boss situation....why has it taken so long?

[malthebluff]

Like they do in must countries assets from ill gotten gains are taken away and sold and money raised is used for victims support unfortunately if they did that here the police would claim to be victims from the bad press they have received during all this. 

[raccos21]

Maybe he owns an used-luxury-car business for extra income.

[KhonKaenAde]

5 hours ago, bobandyson said:

The name 'Bobby Muskovich' has a nice ring to it.

How about Larry Lada?? ????????. 

[DUNROAMIN]

One drug lord retired another takes over, keep it in the family.

[KhonKaenAde]

No surprises about his wealth, his car collection and how he amassed it, well at least not from his senior colleagues and investigating officers, all part or normal day to day business here in the land of smiles and brown envelopes.let’s be fair about it they give him a great head start applying for a warrant 3 days after he was sacked, the Guys long since gone! Makes you wonder how much he managed to take with him if he left 29 cars behind. Hahaha just imagine if he was ever to be caught how many officials, senior police officers and politicians he’d take down with him, now there’s a thought? After all United they stand and divided they fall, no honour amongst thieves etc

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The cop known by the nickname of "Joe Ferrari" was one of the leading lights in the fight against drugs until his abrupt removal from the force after a drug suspect died in custody

Finding the drugs and re-distributing the proceeds, I wonder how much ended up back on the streets with the wealth in his pockets.... nice work if you can get it.

And don't say it couldn't have been noticed by his station buddies or superiors...

He even had a nic-name Joe Ferrari...

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, petermik said:

Why do they close their eyes to this beforehand....no one think "how can he afford all this"...beggars belief what goes on here at times.

I've always said these huge drugs busts are distributed among the ranks.

It finds it's way back onto the streets and the money into greedy pockets.

[DavisH]

6 hours ago, internationalism said:

most likely just a tip of an iceberg. Investigation just started and not all will be disclosed, as all it implicates his subordinates and superiors in force.

Just one of his residencies in thailand.

Probably he is already at his another home across border in cambodia or laos

 

...and just about every police chief should be very worried now when they have their assets assessed. Yes, I highly doubt he is in LoS anymore. 

[Dogmatix]

2 hours ago, rupert the bear said:

audit needs to be done on all senior cops and the politicians,in fact post their bank balances on the net as i feel now thais generally would approve such a move and  the info is there and  available,post it on the walls of the nation, time to clean the toilet

Assts declarations every year for anyone over the rank of lance corporal would be a good start. 

[tomacht8]

2 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

 

Probably a major reason that there is so much corruption in Thailand, along with many other issues, people just don't really care that much about what other people do.  Mai bpen rai.

That is not the reason.

Many Thai people care and angry about these criminals in uniform.

But what can they do?

They are powerless. There is no independent institution in Thailand that consistently prosecutes such corruption, which is visible to everyone and protect the Informants. On the contrary, potential informants run the risk of repression and campaigns of revenge. As a rule, the normal Thais do not trust the police and do not want to have anything to do with the them.

[harleyclarkey]

This seriously expensive fleet of luxury cars is but the public display of his wealth....all gained from sleaze and corruption. 

What else has he hidden from public view? What of those above him? 

 

And nobody in authority thought for one second as to how he accumulated this wealth. 

No. Because they are ALL in at the trough. TOP TO BOTTOM. 

[anchadian]

Police Colonel Thitisan Utthanaphon, wanted for the murder of a drug suspect, has turned himself in. He has been taken to a safe house #ผู้กำกับโจ้ #Thailand

 

https://www.khaosod.co.th/breaking-news/news_6585239 (Thai langue)

 

https://twitter.com/ThaiNewsReports/status/1430808735790686213

 

[Chongalulu]

6 hours ago, bobandyson said:

Wish I had a nickname like 'Joe Ferrari'.

 

Having flings call me 'Bobby Dinky' wasn't really nice because I didn't even collect Dinky toys.

????

 

Will you settle for "Peter Pickup " ???? ???? 

[Dogmatix]

11 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Finding the drugs and re-distributing the proceeds, I wonder how much ended up back on the streets with the wealth in his pockets.... nice work if you can get it.

And don't say it couldn't have been noticed by his station buddies or superiors...

He even had a nic-name Joe Ferrari...

When I was a teenager in Edinburgh I knew a slightly older guy who got arrested for possession of cannabis.  I can't remember the details but he was really worried because the amount he had was just over the amount that would have been considered dealing and liable for a custodial sentance. But when they asked him to acknowledge the charge he was surprised to find that 75% of his stash had disappeared and he was only fined.  The drug squad was known to be completely corrupt, although they didn't use plastic bags on suspects to my knowledge.  But they were obviously doing the same thing on a regular basis and selling the surplus dope back into the market and allegedly consuming some of it themselves too.   

 

If that kind of nonsense can go on in relative rule of law jurisdictions, I would say the sky is the limit in Thailand.  The product that is consigned for destruction must be small proportion of what is actually seized.  In cases like this one where cops were intending the let the suspects off with an informal fine, they would obviously have taken the comoplete haul for re-sale.  I would guess that all drug squads in Thailand are doing the same thing.   

[Anant72]

6 hours ago, internationalism said:

most likely just a tip of an iceberg. Investigation just started and not all will be disclosed, as all it implicates his subordinates and superiors in force.

Just one of his residencies in thailand.

Probably he is already at his another home across border in cambodia or laos

 

For sure. Gangsters (police and politicians) usually have an escape route, money and real estate abroad. Let's see how much effort will be put into capturing him. And he is only one of many. He got caught but how many more are living in the lap of ill-acquired luxuries. Untouched as long as they don't make waves and share with their uniformed or three-piece-suited accomplices?

[HandsomeTallFarang]

As sure as God made black and white, what’s done in the dark will be brought to the light. 

[DBath]

“The cop known by the nickname of "Joe Ferrari" was one of the leading lights in the fight against drugs until his abrupt removal from the force after a drug suspect died in custody.”

It’s more likely he was complicit in the drug trade than fighting against it, IMO. Doing so would have put even more money in his pocket.

[suestra29]

No hope when there is a convicted drug dealer in the government supported by Prayut. 

[Dogmatix]

1 hour ago, KhunMorris said:

As someone who raced British Touring Cars in the early 2000s I have been around the 'Petrolhead' scene for a large part of my life. Having examined 'Ferrari Joe's' extensive car collection I have concluded that he has no clue about what constitutes a decent motor. In fact on reflection is collection is rather aging and included nothing of any merit.

 

In 1995, I took delivery of the much coveted McLaren F1, a 240MPH beast. I subsequently crashed it into a donut van at Goodwood. Not my proudest moment. The car was economically  unrepairable. I live to tell the tale. These cars now sell for upwards of £12 million, no regrets though, my ex wife would have collected.

 

Anyone to summarise, Ferrari Joe seems like an absolute cretin.

 

Sincerely

 

MORRIS

Ex Bar Owner

 

 

 

He acquired smuggled high end cars that had been seized. The collection also looks like he may have been trading in the cars.  Some are very ordinary and may have been extorted from victims who handed over their cars in lieu of cash.  For sure there is more than meets the eye in this collection. 

[Colabamumbai]

6 hours ago, worgeordie said:

I suspect a long dead friend loan them to him to keep safe,

It took a murder to uncover this level of corruption , seemed

to have no fear of anything coming to light, it's hard to hide

a huge mansion , swimming pool, football field , and more

cars than a rock star......... the higher ups, I want the Bentley,

dibs on the Lamborghini .......the big boy gets the house...

regards Worgeordie

Where's his watches? 

[tomacht8]

1 hour ago, Burma Bill said:

For reference, the latest in "Breaking News" in The Nation so all the cars could be "legit"!

"The Customs Department said on Wednesday that Pol Colonel Thitisan Uthanapol had helped seize 368 illegal cars since 2011 and should have earned some 400 million for his work. 

The department has sold 363 of the 368 cars Thitisan helped seize and has earned 1 billion baht from the sale. ............ said officers are given 40-per-cent of the proceeds earned from the sale of cars they seized, and in this case, Thitisan is entitled to 400 million baht."

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40005301

Sure he's Superman. tracked down and confiscated the 400 luxury cars all by himself. Or maybe help is coming from a good friend at the customs office?

[rcuthbert]

If they turn over the wrong stone  - they could get bitten by a scorpion...

[Eric Loh]

18 minutes ago, anchadian said:

Police Colonel Thitisan Utthanaphon, wanted for the murder of a drug suspect, has turned himself in. He has been taken to a safe house #ผู้กำกับโจ้ #Thailand

 

https://www.khaosod.co.th/breaking-news/news_6585239 (Thai langue)

 

https://twitter.com/ThaiNewsReports/status/1430808735790686213

 

Thai social media claimed he was arrested in Mynmar and turned over to Thai authority. 

[Srikcir]

I believe under Thai law, government officials can have only one government "salary" but may receive "compensation" from multiple sources, both government and private industry. As the Thai Military owns/operates government/private enterprises and natural resources, active duty and retired officers might get enterprise "dividend distributions." 

Thailand seems very lax when it comes to government officials having financial conflicts of interest.

[JAS21]

Seems the mid-understanding has been cleared up and he has given himself up … been taken to a safe house!