Picture: Naew Na

 

The former chief of the Muang Nakhon Sawan police  - now in custody after surrendering to face charges of murdering a drug suspect - has spoken for the first time about the case.

 

Former Pol Col Thitisan Uthanaphol - known as Chief Jo or Ferrari Jo after 29 cars were found to be owned by him despite his 43,330 baht monthly salary - was speaking on the phone at a press conference headed by the chief of the RTP Pol Gen Suwat Chaengyodsuk last night, as reported by Naew Na.

 

Suwat outlined the backgrouynd to the case that is now familiar to most people inThailand after a clip that showed a drug suspect having plastic bags wrapped round his head went viral. The incident happened on the morning of August 5th and ended with the suspect dying.

 

Suwat said the former chief could not face the press in person so he spoke over the phone. 

 

Thitisan said that he would tell his side in court but he was full of explanations for what happened.

 

He said he would not normally have got involved but it appeared to be a big case so he did. The suspect and his wife had been arrested and he had seen evidence of a picture on the suspect's phone of what looked like a kilo of "ice" and 20,000 Ya Ba pills. 

 

He said that what happened - the plastic bags being placed over the suspect's head - was not right but he was trying to get information from the suspect. 

 

He admitted that it was all down to him and that his underlings - five of whom are in custody and also facing charges - were acting on his orders.

 

He took full responsibility for what happened. He said it was not about extorting money but about getting to the truth. Plus he didn't want the suspect to see his face.

 

He claimed the suspect was cuffed to stop him scratching away at the plastic bags. 

 

"I have never done this before," he continued as Thailand's press preyed on every word. "I swear by the amulet that hangs around my neck that this was not about extorting money. I have never been involved in any corrupt practices over money".

 

He said he didn't report the death of the man immediately because he was shocked by what happened. He was in a panic and didn't know what to do, he claimed. The CCTV was taken out of the room for the same reason.

 

He described how the man went unconscious despite having a pulse then how CPR was done before he was taken to hospital. 

 

Nothing was reported or said about the hospital putting the cause of death down to drugs, notes ASEAN NOW.

 

But he claimed that the wife of the suspect had told him that he did a lot of drugs and had little rest.

 

"If I am sentenced to life in prison, so be it," he said insisting that it was his responsibility alone.

 

"I didn't mean it to happen, I was just doing my job for the good of the public and to protect kids from drugs."

 

Before the dramatic phone call Gen Suwat had attempted the usual top brass platitudes speaking of getting to the truth, not protecting wrong doers, apologizing to the public for what happened and insisting the public can have faith in the Royal Thai Police.

 

ASEAN NOW notes that this is wearing extremely thin with a public convinced that many aspects of the RTP make them look virtually synonymous with the mafia. 

 

Earlier Sanook reported on what led up to the torture and death of the suspect at the hands of the Muang Nakhon Suwan police in northern Thailand.

 

The suspect and his wife were arrested in a sting outside a fort after information from a police captain in a drugs taskforce who had helped the local force for years. This was on August 4th.

 

The susp[ect only had three grams of "ice" (crystal meth) with him but there were pictures of much more on his phone. He was taken to his house in Takhli district where he lived with his father but no drugs were found there. 

 

He was taken back to the police station and the incident that was filmed took place the next morning. 

 

Sanook said that all five of the six other police officers involved had all stated that extortion was not involved in the case. 

 

(The other suspect, a lieutenant, was due to surrender to police after arriving from Prachuap Khirikhan).

 

One of those charged - a lance corporal - applied for bail in the sum of 900,000 baht but bail was denied to all the police involved as they were deemed a flight risk in a case of great public interest. 

 

-- © Copyright  ASEAN NOW 2021-08-27

 

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When these types come up with these lies, like the overdose death certificate being 'temporary', do they think anyone believes them? Do they believe others are so stupid?

2 minutes ago, webfact said:

He took full responsibility for what happened. He said it was not about extorting money but about getting to the truth. Plus he didn't want the suspect to see his face.

 

He claimed the suspect was cuffed to stop him scratching away at the plastic bags. 

What happened to just blindfolding a person or wearing those masks that the police always seem to wear.  This statement is just pure BS, and the man is trying to wriggle out of a charge of murder.  Well thats my view at least.

14 minutes ago, webfact said:

swear by the amulet

I bet he can't swear on his (holy) money, though????

I would like to hear his explanation for the number of luxury vehicles he owns, and how he affords all the costs associated with them,( regardless of costs to purchase) let alone the property he must lives in to accommodate all the vehicles.

Is he a very astute investor and only a police officer to protect the vulnerable public from predators?

 

How much higher this goes? They really try to whitewash this guy.

"was not right but he was trying to get information from the suspect" and "Plus he didn't want the suspect to see his face."

so that clears up that then... in fact he should get a medal

So the narrative building begins.

I imagine that all the head honchos have had a sit around chat on how they can stop this from being about corruption so they can continue doing what they have done for years, last thing they will want is for the truth about all the corrupt police being shown. All those involved will be told what to say and they will all be found to be not guilty, it will be listed as an accident so the police force does not lose their extra income stream. The video shows the truth but it will be twisted to suit the new claims

Edited August 27, 20214 yr by seajae

3 minutes ago, MadMac said:

How much higher this goes? They really try to whitewash this guy.

No top cop is going to condemn him otherwise they will lose their Lamborghinis. He will be "reassigned" until the fuss dies down.

6 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

I would like to hear his explanation for the number of luxury vehicles he owns, and how he affords all the costs associated with them,( regardless of costs to purchase) let alone the property he must lives in to accommodate all the vehicles.

Is he a very astute investor and only a police officer to protect the vulnerable public from predators?

 

Well he has earned over 400 million baht from all of the seized vehicles that were auctioned off.  A perk is they get 40% of the money earned at the auction.

He obviously still doesn't understand that putting several plastic bags over the head of a person might / will kill it. Scary. Perhaps he should try himself... 

This is nothing but a PR exercise on behalf of the RTP in order to save face. Life goes on, except of course for the victim, and nothing will change as a result of any enquiries or prosecutions. 

7 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Well he has earned over 400 million baht from all of the seized vehicles that were auctioned off.  A perk is they get 40% of the money earned at the auction.

That is one large number of vehicles, i would like to see the audit of that figure for his share. He must be the most successful drug seizing person in the world to make that much money

30 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

What happened to just blindfolding a person or wearing those masks that the police always seem to wear.  This statement is just pure BS, and the man is trying to wriggle out of a charge of murder.  Well thats my view at least.

Obviously it all was a big misunderstanding... 

Let him donate his soccer-star honey-seller proceeds to the public then, they'll use it to by some raincoats to keep the "khee khwai" that's about to be served up in monsoon portions, off them.

10 minutes ago, mokwit said:

So the narrative building begins.

Already started with media reporting the cars being a reward from customs, surrendering to Police, allowed to speak to the media over the phone etc.

 

Sickening and pathetic. 

 

#1 Prayuth's chance to show he's not the ret*rded demon we all believe him to be.

#2 This doesn't look good for the ongoing protests with regards to 'public respect of the police'. Just this week we have seen policemen shooting kids on motorbikes, and dragging them off. It could really kick off this weekend!

15 minutes ago, seajae said:

I imagine that all the head honchos have had a sit around chat on how they can stop this from being about corruption so they can continue doing what they have done for years, last thing they will want is for the truth about all the corrupt police being shown. All those involved will be told what to say and they will all be found to be not guilty, it will be listed as an accident so the police force does not lose their extra income stream. The video shows the truth but it will be twisted to suit the new claims

Absolutely spot on.

 

This place is corrupt to the very core and incapable of change it seems.

37 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

When these types come up with these lies, like the overdose death certificate being 'temporary', do they think anyone believes them? Do they believe others are so stupid?

Yes and yes.... 

41 minutes ago, webfact said:

"I have never done this before," he continued as Thailand's press preyed on every word. "I swear by the amulet that hangs around my neck that this was not about extorting money. I have never been involved in any corrupt practices over money".

Of course it's about the money. Uniform + Thailand = Money + Corruption. 

 

The only difference here is that you got filmed murdering someone and your colleagues threw you under the bus.

Edited August 27, 20214 yr by Karma80

1 minute ago, RJRS1301 said:

That is one large number of vehicles, i would like to see the audit of that figure for his share. He must be the most successful drug seizing person in the world to make that much money

Somebody mentioned 600 supercars vanishing from a Customs lot in 2015-17? SIX HUNDRED!!! I bet my non-existent pension, he got a few in the "recovery operation" of that lot.

 

Their "share the spoils" culture of transnational policing is jaw dropping, this is right out of Gengis Khan, Thailand 4.0 still on track for the feudal age! 

 

This story just beggars belief, its like reading about the RTP cover-up bombing of a Cathay Pacific jet in 1972 all over again!

40 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

When these types come up with these lies, like the overdose death certificate being 'temporary', do they think anyone believes them? Do they believe others are so stupid?

You'd be surprised what people accept, usually self-interest has a big part in their belief system.

 

Of course, since no fellow officers have anything to fear, and no self-interest in hiding unusual wealth themselves, no-one will accept any part of his kindergarten tales whatsoever!

 

Unless of course, Inspector chicken-wing here is going to be the whipping-boy to 'prove' corruption has been tackled. He did ok for a runt with girls biceps!

 

I laughed so much a bit nearly popped out.

54 minutes ago, webfact said:

"If I am sentenced to life in prison, so be it," he said insisting that it was his responsibility alone.

 

"I didn't mean it to happen, I was just doing my job for the good of the public and to protect kids from drugs."

Plus it pays so well that I own a house worth 60 million baht and 29 luxury motor vehicles.

 

His story is almost as believable as some truck driver saying his brakes failed....LOL

 

Life in prison is a good suggestion, I would prefer that someone do to him as he had done to the deceased, case closed.

52 minutes ago, webfact said:

The susp[ect only had three grams of "ice" (crystal meth) with him

 

30,000 baht.

 

Is the normal shake-down fee for this amount. Maybe 60,000.

 

 

But Thitisan wanted more. So out comes the plastic bag. And oops, nothing but trouble.

 

 

So if everything is above board, explain the hospital/doctor corruption in issuing a false death certificate.

 

 

And let's see a complete investigation into every questionable death on this guy's "watch", and a full forensic accounting investigation into his "unusual" wealth. (Hint: He married well.)

 

 

Here's how to "protect kids from drugs" just put the drugs behind the counter at the "Sewen" it kind of works for alcohol and tobacco, so what magic quality does the "other" drugs have that alcohol and tobacco don't? The legal drugs seem to be very effective at causing lifelong addiction and death, but we don't lose our reasoning over regulating them all that much. The world is irrational.

I can't understand why the heck this guy is even still in custody!  He's sworn on his amulet!  Surely that should be the end of it?  ????

12 minutes ago, chalawaan said:

You'd be surprised what people accept, usually self-interest has a big part in their belief system.

They are so used  to being lied to, and dreaming up the lies, there are no boundaries... and it actually doesn't matter because nobody gets called out on the lies and held to task.

4 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

Plus it pays so well that I own a house worth 60 million baht and 29 luxury motor vehicles.

 

His story is almost as believable as some truck driver saying his brakes failed....LOL

 

Life in prison is a good suggestion, I would prefer that someone do to him as he had done to the deceased, case closed.

If convicted will all his possessions which cannot be accounted from from his salary be confiscated and sold , leaving family to live in typical police type home and drive a Camry?