A few bad apples or rotten to the core? Six cops jailed for life in police flats scandal

[webfact]

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Thai Rath reported that six police defendants in a police flats corruption scandal had been jailed for life by the Central Court for Corruption and Misconduct cases.

 

Two others received lesser jail terms.

 

The court has been very busy recently with bent cops and other officials.

 

With the public wondering if the Royal Thai Police are rotten to the core, as some suggest, or maybe it's just a few bad apples.

 

This case decided yesterday was brought by the NACC, the office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

 

It comes on the same day that details of a gun stealing cop who was jailed for life came to light.

 

The bent officers in this case creamed 90 million baht off the top in a project to build 167 five story buildings for dozens of police families each.

 

The total budget was 3.7 billion baht but it was discovered that money had gone missing.

 

Six defendants after various considerations were decided on by the court, got 33 years and 4 months and were fined 260,000 baht each.

 

Two others were handed jail terms of 3 years four months and 12 years 6 months.

 

The convicted officers included many very senior policemen.

 

One was of the rank of lieutenant general - a man called Theerayuth (the same as a deputy commander of the RTP), two major generals (police that would be provincial commanders) two police colonels (usually station chiefs) as well as several lesser ranked police.

 

The construction company involved was defendant #9 in the case.

 

This case is the latest headache for RTP chief Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittipraphat who's brief tenure at the helm has been riddled with corruption charges both proven and under investigation against his men.

 

Critics of the RTP say they are a state mafia in brown uniforms, nothing more nothing less.

 

Others say there are some good police but they are few and far between.

 

What is certain is that the swathe of bad press for the RTP is further eroding the Thai public's confidence in their police.

 

If indeed they had much to begin with.

 

Further reporting and detail provided by ASEAN NOW's news team.

 

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[proton]

Rotten to the core is the answer, nobody was wondering about it.

[Denim]

Just hope they actually end up behind bars, not out on indefinite bail awaiting appeal.

[kingkenny]

All the inactive posts must be full.

[ezzra]

According to widely accepted publications, the 10 Most Corrupt Police Force in the World are:

Kenya.

Burma. 

Iraq.

Somalia. ...

Afghanistan. ...

Sudan. ...

Russia. ...

Pakistan.

Thanks god Thailand is not there yest but making big strides and efforts to be included in that list.

[brianthainess]

15 minutes ago, webfact said:

The court has been very busy recently with bent cops and other officials.

 

17 minutes ago, webfact said:

The convicted officers included many very senior policemen.

The rot starts at the (very) top, driven by greed.

[ThailandRyan]

Wasn't Suthep involved in the building of police stations and then acquitted or am I mistaken

 

Oh wait I did remember correctly....

 

https://www.thaienquirer.com/44402/pdrc-leader-suthep-found-not-guilty-of-corruption-for-awarding-the-multi-billion-baht-police-station-and-residences-project/

[spidermike007]

Rotten to the core. No doubt. And we all know this is a pyramid scheme. So, while top cop Joke pretends to be nabbing bad cops, and one does get convicted now and then, he no doubt collects millions per month in bribes that have filtered to the top of the pyramid scheme. 

 

Rotten to the core. The RTP. 

[Phuketshrew]

Only 90 million from 3.7 billion? ..... bloody amateurs ....

[sammieuk1]

A few rotten apples more like the entire orchard ????

[dinsdale]

This is just a snapshot of Thailand as a whole. Corrupt top to bottom. Before anyone accuses me of Thai bashing Thais well know this to be the case.

[2baht]

2 hours ago, brianthainess said:

 

The rot starts at the (very) top, driven by greed.

...........and culture!

[Pedrogaz]

My vote would be rotten to the core.

[metisdead]

A post with a trolling music video has been removed.

[zzaa09]

5 hours ago, Denim said:

Just hope they actually end up behind bars, not out on indefinite bail awaiting appeal.

Better chance that they'll allow a short time to pass, all the while forgotten by most everyone, and be secretly released. 

 

We tend to forget where the rot emanates. 

The systems, in general, are of this nature. 

[steven100]

A few bad apples or rotten to the core?

The headline is misleading  ......   it's not a few ,  it's most  !!  if not all  

there is corruption in many countries,  however it's absolutely prevalent in Thailand.

Will it ever be weeded out?    of course not ,   it pays the rent, food , drinks, whatever and has done for decades .....  

 

 

 

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

A few bad apples or rotten to the core?

 

The headline is misleading  ......   it's not a few ,  it's most  !!!  if not all   !!!!    

Your Hero said he would eliminate corruption, or am I wrong again....oh wait nope that's what he said. So who is to blame as he has had almost 9 years to root it out, more time than any other Thai PM while in office.

 

https://www.chiangraitimes.com/thailand-politics-thailand-national-news/thailands-prime-minister-gen-prayut-chan-o-cha-vows-to-eliminate-corruption/

 

Thailand’s Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha today vowed like every other past Thai PM to eliminate  corruption in the country and to promote more integrity and responsibility within the society.

 

He condemned all cheats and corrupt individuals to an unfavorable fate while also asserting that more intensive checks will be made and any wrongdoing will be severely penalized irrespective of rank or standing.

 

Gen Prayut affirmed his administration’s intention to tackle corruption at a ceremony that was transmitted via video-conference to provincial government offices and local administrative departments throughout the country.

 

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210922-joe-ferrari-case-lifts-lid-on-thai-police-corruption

 

After taking power as army chief in a 2014 coup, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha vowed to eradicate corruption.

[itsari]

Rotten to the core in my opinion .

Take more than big joke to turn things around .

[steven100]

1 hour ago, ThailandRyan said:

Your Hero said he would eliminate corruption, or am I wrong again....oh wait nope that's what he said. So who is to blame as he has had almost 9 years to root it out, more time than any other Thai PM while in office.

 

https://www.chiangraitimes.com/thailand-politics-thailand-national-news/thailands-prime-minister-gen-prayut-chan-o-cha-vows-to-eliminate-corruption/

 

Thailand’s Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha today vowed like every other past Thai PM to eliminate  corruption in the country and to promote more integrity and responsibility within the society.

 

He condemned all cheats and corrupt individuals to an unfavorable fate while also asserting that more intensive checks will be made and any wrongdoing will be severely penalized irrespective of rank or standing.

 

Gen Prayut affirmed his administration’s intention to tackle corruption at a ceremony that was transmitted via video-conference to provincial government offices and local administrative departments throughout the country.

it will never ever be stamped out .....   it pays for the cops food and drink .... he's only on 15,000 - 20,000 a month so the extra 10,000- to who know what  ... makes it worthwhile.

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

With the public wondering if the Royal Thai Police are rotten to the core, as some suggest, or maybe it's just a few bad apples.

A majority of bad apples with a sprinkling of good ones.

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Critics of the RTP say they are a state mafia in brown uniforms, nothing more nothing less.

Quite correct.

[ikke1959]

Rotten to the core and a big reform is needed for this organization.... They need people who know the laws, enforce them, work,  and are not corrupt, although the latter is another issue..

[brianthainess]

RTP Rotten To Pips.

[RichardColeman]

In honesty the lower police see the middle police doing it and follow suit. The middle police see the higher police doing it and follow suit, the higher police see the government officials doing it and follow suit, the government officials see the MP's doing it and follow suit. The military just steal the country.

[zzaa09]

59 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

In honesty the lower police see the middle police doing it and follow suit. The middle police see the higher police doing it and follow suit, the higher police see the government officials doing it and follow suit, the government officials see the MP's doing it and follow suit. The military just steal the country.

Long standing tradition.

[klauskunkel]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

With the public wondering if the Royal Thai Police are rotten to the core, as some suggest, or maybe it's just a few bad apples.

 

This case decided yesterday was brought by the NACC, the office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

Aww, don't make the police feel all alone, include the NACC as well into this "public wondering"

[tomacht8]

Apparently no state budget is safe. Unbelievable how easy it is for criminals to siphon 90 million baht in to private pockets from a state budget, and no one asks questions. Thailand has a real problem controlling the use of taxpayers' money. Like a self-service store. Just reach into the state coffers. The cases that are coming to light are most likely just the tip of the iceberg. Those responsible in the state are not

trustworthy to take proper care of taxpayers' money.

[Adumbration]

All of these corruption brought to justice propaganda stories will come to an abrupt halt as soon as the election results are in.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

With the public wondering if the Royal Thai Police are rotten to the core, as some suggest, or maybe it's just a few bad apples.

 

I think the ONLY person who likely says "it's just a few bad apples" is probably the national police chief and his spokespeople.  Not that he or they actually believe it, but that's what they're gonna say.

 

Everyone else knows better.

 

PS - Each of the convicted should have been fully named in the forum news article.

 

No mention in the forum article of if any of the defendants have been, or will be, actually in custody or jailed as yet, as a result of the verdicts.

 

NONE of these guys are likely to serve actual LIFE prison sentences.... Based on past history, either their sentences will eventually be either overturned or reduced on appeal and/or they'll end up being released early due to purported medical problems and/or as a result of Dept of Corrections or royal commuting of their sentences.  That's the way such things typically go here.

 

And actually, the Thai Rath original article seems to make clear that the primary 6 defendants originally were given life sentences, but then had those knocked down by the same court to the 33 year, 4 month terms mentioned in the article.

 

Also from the original Thai Rath article via Google Translate:

 

"At 9:00 a.m. on March 30, 2023 at the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct. The court read the black criminal verdict No. 96, 131/2564 between the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) as the plaintiff. Pol. Lt. Gen. Teerayut Kitiwat, Pol. Maj. Gen. Sajja Khahiran, Pol. Maj. Gen. Saman Sudchai, Pol. Pol. Lt. Col. Jirawut Chanpeng, Pol. Lt. Col. Sitthiphaiboon Khamnil, Pol. Lt. Col. and Construction Co., Ltd. is the 1-9 defendant."

 

Also:

 

"After the verdict, all 8 defendants filed a petition with securities for temporary release pending appeal. The court considered and allowed the temporary release of the 7th, 8th defendants, while the 1st and 6th defendants were pending consideration by the Court of Appeal.

After the expiration of the period, the correctional officers took the accused 1-6 to the Bangkok Remand Prison. to wait for the Court of Appeal's insurance consideration order."

 

 

[Bundooman]

10 hours ago, kingkenny said:

All the inactive posts must be full.

What we really don't know is:

Are all official posts in the police force for all of the RTP - 'Inactive' posts?

Now there's a question that needs investigation .............