Thailand’s national park chief in custody on corruption charges

[snoop1130]

 

Director-General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, Rutchada Suriyakul Na Ayutya, was arrested today (Tuesday) on corruption charges.

 

Armed with a search warrant, officials from the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) and police from the Anti-Corruption Division (ACD) raided Rutchada’s office at 9.30am this morning and formally notified him of the charges. The search of his office uncovered 5 million baht in cash. He has denied all the charges.

 

Rutchada was later taken to the ACD office for questioning.

 

Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thailands-national-park-chief-in-custody-on-corruption-charges/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-12-27

 

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[sidjameson]

Am I being overly optimistic to think this arrest happening and being reported is a sign things are improving?

[zzaa09]

3 minutes ago, sidjameson said:

Am I being overly optimistic to think this arrest happening and being reported is a sign things are improving?

Clever misdirection and sleight-of-hand on their part.

Things are never what they appear to be. 

 

[anchadian]

We're waiting for the request for bail to be approved

 

Now where did I put that <deleted> ticket?

Edited December 27, 2022 by anchadian

[lopburi3]

From more recent reports this was a sting operation - and he was arrested while receiving marked bribe money.

[ThailandRyan]

The better question is whether or not he will loose that lofty hyphenated name of his......Na ......

[phetphet]

Haven't I see that surname on here before? Was it a young 16 y.o. girl that had a really bad car crash?

 

Added to someone's name to show descended from a royal bloodline.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 27, 2022 by phetphet

[trainman34014]

Oh dear; he hasn't been sharing the takings !

[worgeordie]

2 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The search of his office uncovered 5 million baht in cash.

That will be the petty cash ...... 

 

regards worgeordie

[RichardColeman]

That 5 million is probably foreign overcharge fees !

[TheFishman1]

5 million in his office that’s his petty cash want to go after the real big boys corruption here goes all the way from the top to the very bottom TIT

[lujanit]

In addition to corruption hopefully he gets charged with zenophobia.  Charging foreigners far more than Thais to enter National Parks.

[Tarteso]

the nationalities of suspects are no longer revealed to the media.

 

In this case, they don’t revealed his nationality ????

Edited December 28, 2022 by Tarteso

[Enzian]

But what things exactly was he accepting bribes to approve, construction on park land, or what else?

[Denim]

13 hours ago, sidjameson said:

Am I being overly optimistic to think this arrest happening and being reported is a sign things are improving?

Yes. It's all about pass the parcel. He forgot to pass it on a little lighter as is the unwritten law.

[anchadian]

13 hours ago, anchadian said:

We're waiting for the request for bail to be approved

 

Now where did I put that <deleted> ticket?

(1/2) Charged chief of the Department of National Park, Wildlife & Plant Conservation Ratcha Suriyakul na Ayutthaya was temporarily released by anti-corruption police after posting 400K baht bail Tues. He was charged with accepting bribe in exchanged for promoting subordinates.

 

(2/2) The police said he's not a flight risk as he's a high-ranking official.Ratcha was arrested by anti-corruption officers while receiving hampers from well wishers at the department. Officers discovered and later displayed 5 million baht cash found inside envelope.

 

https://twitter.com/KhaosodEnglish/status/1607927051683786752

 

[Emdog]

1 hour ago, lujanit said:

In addition to corruption hopefully he gets charged with zenophobia.  Charging foreigners far more than Thais to enter National Parks.

Is zenophobia the fear of "one hand clapping"? Or looking into your bank account and "realizing  the void"?

Maybe you meant "xenophobia"? ????

[Artisi]

3 hours ago, lujanit said:

In addition to corruption hopefully he gets charged with zenophobia.  Charging foreigners far more than Thais to enter National Parks.

Not his call even though he is probably very happy with the arrangement. 

[phetphet]

13 hours ago, worgeordie said:

That will be the petty cash ...... 

 

regards worgeordie

5 million will buy a lot of Tea.

[brianthainess]

2 hours ago, anchadian said:

The police said he's not a flight risk as he's a high-ranking official.

I'm lost for words.......

[Lee65]

Wait, what?!  From the linked article:

 

Chaiwat (the whistle blower) and his three former subordinates at Kaeng Krachan national park are facing murder charges for the enforced disappearance of Karen activist Porlajee Rakchongcharoen, aka “Billy”, about eight years ago.

[Artisi]

14 minutes ago, Lee65 said:

Wait, what?!  From the linked article:

 

Chaiwat (the whistle blower) and his three former subordinates at Kaeng Krachan national park are facing murder charges for the enforced disappearance of Karen activist Porlajee Rakchongcharoen, aka “Billy”, about eight years ago.

Not important, he was only a Karen, so doesn't really rate in the eyes of the authorities. 

[Photoguy21]

4 hours ago, Enzian said:

But what things exactly was he accepting bribes to approve, construction on park land, or what else?

Maybe hunting?

[bkk6060]

No more double pricing?

[ThailandRyan]

Can I get a cut of the money seized, I am sure it's part of my foreigner entry fees to the National parks.....I need it to pay for my entry fees a second time......

[bristolgeoff]

Its is probadly all the trees that get cut down,land being used by other people over the years and so many other issues.Why is he being charged now 

[tomacht8]

Hardly a day now goes by without a new corruption report. So many officials - sadly rotten to the core.

[nahkit]

7 hours ago, Enzian said:

But what things exactly was he accepting bribes to approve, construction on park land, or what else?

Click on the link in the OP.

[kwilco]

  

The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation is a political backwater - politicians hate this post and it has been run incompetently (and corruptly?) for decades.

There has been a lot written about this previously so it comes as no surprise.

however what happened behind the headlines to start this particular purge will probably never be revealed. 

Will it improve the state of National Parks in Thailand? I wold suggest a resounding “NO!”

The fact that the DNP has for decades been clinging to the archaic policy of duel pricing just shows what an out of date and mis-functioning institution it is

[Bangkok Barry]

Just part of the culture Thais are so proud of. And who see nothing wrong with the corruption at all levels.