Big Joke involved as five charged for swindling 6 million baht from Brit in exchange for freedom

[webfact]

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Five people - including the chief of police in Mae Hong Son, northern Thailand are facing charges of collusion to commit fraud. 

 

It is alleged that a British man in detention paid 6 million baht in exchange for his freedom - but he remains in the custody of the immigration police.

 

Ritesh Patel, 39, was arrested at the end of June with a fake British passport. It was discovered he was wanted in the UK and by Interpol on drugs charges. 

 

Phone calls and bank transfers were allegedly made to secure his release for 6 million baht.

 

Pol Maj-Gen Surachate Hakpan, a senior assistant commander of the RTP known as Big Joke - told Thai Rath that Pol Col Ramet Kaewsungnoen was one of those arrested.

 

There are four others in the alleged plot, all civilians. 

 

Ramet reportedly used the name of Surachate to try and persuade immigration to release the suspect.

 

Surachate was once the chief of immigration. 

 

A woman called Thirawan initially tried to get  bail for the Briton who later sought help from a man called Thanawat who promised a connection to Ramet who was a former classmate of Surachate in intake 47 at the police academy.

 

It was mentioned that 6 million baht must be paid for the release of the suspect from a Bang Khen detention center.

 

Thirawan filed a complaint after the money was paid and the supect had not been released. 

 

The 6 million baht has been found to have been remitted to third party accounts before it found its way into the policeman's and his family's accounts as well as that of co-conspirators, police allege. 

 

-- © Copyright  ASEAN NOW 2022-07-19

 

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[ThailandRyan]

A drug dealer trying to curry favor.  One wonders if a bag was placed over his head to force him into paying the funds, but then was never granted his freedom that he wanted and was promised.....

[shackleton]

Good business for corrupt  police and people in the know 

Especially involving criminals who should be jailed or deported 

Getting to be the Norm in Thailand 

[Orinoco]

Paid 6 million before he was at least on the outside of the nick.

Silly billy. 

 

[ThailandRyan]

12 minutes ago, 2long said:

????????????

oops....missing the L after the F i see....

[Rimmer]

An inflammatory post also a post with an altered quote has been removed

[JonnyF]

Well I for one am shocked that Big Joke was involved.

 

He seems like such a nice, honest, upstanding fellow.

[lopburi3]

1 minute ago, JonnyF said:

Well I for one am shocked that Big Joke was involved.

 

He seems like such a nice, honest, upstanding fellow.

His involvement seems to have been reporting.

 

Quote

"Joke" announced the arrest of a colleague of the 47th rank of Pol.Col., falsely claiming his name, extorting 6 million baht for lobbying for bail.

https://www.thairath.co.th/news/local/2449353

[petermik]

False news,just a slight misunderstanding........

[Scott]

Off-topic post and reply removed.  

 

[law ling]

Yes, very unfair if he paid the asking price, but was not released.

 

Wonder what will happen to those involved ... we rarely hear the tail-end of these stories.

 

And where will the B6m end up.

[ThailandRyan]

1 minute ago, law ling said:

Yes, very unfair if he paid the asking price, but was not released.

 

Wonder what will happen to those involved ... we rarely hear the tail-end of these stories.

 

And where will the B6m end up.

Inactive posts and donated to the prosecutions fund....

[webfact]

Alleged Six Million THB Fraud By Senior Police In Bail Attempt For British Man

By Editor

 

 

Five people have been charged in connection with swindling 6 million baht out of a British man in exchange for freeing him from detention, according to police.

 

Pol Col Ramet Kaewsungnoen, a superintendent of Mae Hong Son police, was among the accused. He was also using his alleged connection with Pol Lt Gen Surachate Hakpan, the assistant national police chief. The British man, named as Ritesh Patel, 39, was arrested at the end of June with a fake British passport. It was discovered he was wanted in the UK and by Interpol on drugs charges. 

 

Phone calls and bank transfers were allegedly made in an attempt to secure his release for 6 million baht.

 

Pol Lt Gen Surachate, known as Big Joke, told reporters that a woman named Thirawan Khiewngam had sought bail for the Briton, who was her friend, but this was rejected. Interpol had issued a red notice for him, and he was detained by the Immigration Bureau in Bangkok.

 

Red Notices are issued for fugitives wanted either for prosecution or to serve a sentence. A Red Notice is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.

 

Ms Thirawan then sought help from Thananwat Thanthanpan who told her that he was acquainted with a man named Witthaya Somsrisomsakul who could get in touch with Pol Col Ramet, a former classmate of Pol Lt Gen Surachate in the Royal Police Cadet Academy.

 

Mr Thananwat said he believed Pol Col Ramet’s connections would be enough to persuade the immigration officers to release the Briton but 6 million baht must be paid to secure his freedom.

 

On June 29, Mr Thananwat and Mr Witthaya visited the man at the detention centre in Bang Khen district, Bangkok. Ms Thirawan was to transfer 6 million baht to some bank accounts, however, after the money was transferred, Mr Witthaya made little attempt to secure bail and could not be reached on his phone. Ms Thirawan then decided to file a police complaint against the group with the Pak Klongsan police.

 

The 6 million baht was found to have been remitted to third-party bank accounts before the money was eventually transferred to Pol Col Ramet and his family members’ bank accounts, as well as accounts owned by Mr Witthaya. 

 

The Pak Klongsan police have gathered evidence and summonsed Pol Col Ramet, Mr Witthaya, 67, and three others, Apirak Thiengtham, 43, Natnaree Boonma, 35, and Thipsuda Insongjai, 26, to acknowledge the charges against them. Initially, they have been charged with colluding to commit fraud. The three other suspects allegedly opened the third-party bank accounts to receive the 6 million baht.

 

Source: https://royalcoastreview.com/2022/07/alleged-six-million-thb-fraud-by-senior-police-in-bail-attempt-for-british-man/

 

-- © Copyright Royal Coast Review 2022-07-20

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

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[bkk6060]

Disgusting truly.  They need to give these corrupt thieves very long prison sentences.

[ThailandRyan]

14 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Disgusting truly.  They need to give these corrupt thieves very long prison sentences.

Now I see why the "Do you know who my friends are" is always thrown about, just like " Do you know who my daddy is" or "Do you know who I am"....they are used without care knowing most times they will walk free or obtain payoffs...

[rabas]

2 hours ago, shackleton said:

Getting to be the Norm in Thailand 

Getting to be?

 

So you don't know about the Saudi Crown Jewels. (which disappeared forever in Thailand)

 

34 minutes ago, law ling said:

And where will the B6m end up.

What 6 million baht?

[huangnon]

Quote

Mae Hong Son, northern Thailand

Nice cops up there.. Remember the lovely policeman that murdered a tourist:

https://www.thephuketnews.com/pai-killer-cop-changes-plea-to-guilty-41289.php

 

The guy allegedly murdered his pregnant g/f whilst out on bail. Bib's finest.

[mikebell]

RTP are racking up the nails in the coffin of their reputation.

[gerrytraveller]

Maybe big Joke may have to look out for damage to his car  again..

[SuwadeeS]

Why Prayut not make some crackdown on corruption in the RTP??

[RichardColeman]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Ritesh Patel, 39, was arrested at the end of June with a fake British passport. It was discovered he was wanted in the UK and by Interpol on drugs charges. 

How on earth did he get through immigration with their super duper recognition system and how was he not picked up on his 90 day reporting - oh yeah, right, just good guys ever bother going

 

 

[roo860]

4 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

A drug dealer trying to curry favor.  One wonders if a bag was placed over his head to force him into paying the funds, but then was never granted his freedom that he wanted and was promised.....

Mr Patel trying to 'curry' favour!

Nice one!????????

[PEE TEE]

Ritesh Patel ..Yep sounds British

[khunpa]

Damn, You can’t even trust some good old corruption anymore. Sounds like a “project” with too many involved.

[Sydebolle]

Hold on for a moment ........:

"Thirawan filed a complaint after the money was paid and the supect had not been released. "

In other words, if you bribe the police and latter does not follow suit, you can sue the police by the police? 

Most interesting indeed. 

[racket]

Someone didn’t receive his piece of the cake, so it became headline news  

[khunpa]

40 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

How on earth did he get through immigration with their super duper recognition system and how was he not picked up on his 90 day reporting - oh yeah, right, just good guys ever bother going

 

 

I guess they burn all the paper work on a weekly bases. Otherwise why would they need the same info again and again.

[khunpa]

9 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

Hold on for a moment ........:

"Thirawan filed a complaint after the money was paid and the supect had not been released. "

In other words, if you bribe the police and latter does not follow suit, you can sue the police by the police? 

Most interesting indeed. 

LOL, yes it is Thai-logic I guess ???? 

[allanos]

If Mr Patel (it means farmer or peasant, in Hindi), holds a false passport,

then how can he be described as British in the OP? Fake British, maybe . . .

[Iamfalang]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Ritesh Patel, 39, was arrested at the end of June with a fake British passport.

But I'm guessing they figured out he was a Brit, not mentioned except in the title.

 

I think MHS is beautiful (only been on the outskirts for a short time) but nobody lives there.  when nobody lives somewhere, corruption can easily take over.   plus it's on the border to one of the biggest opium producers on the planet.   MHS will be a great place, but maybe after we're all gone.    If I was a Chinese zillionaire, I'd be buying land there.