Former police commissioner linked to Saudi jewel theft dies

[webfact]

 

Chalor Kerdthes, the former police commissioner implicated in the infamous Saudi royal jewellery theft case, passed away at the age of 85. He succumbed to heart failure at Maharaj Hospital in Nakhon Ratchasima on November 24.

Chalor was born to Lieutenant Colonel Chaem and Thongkum Kedthes on August 28, 1938, in Bangkok.

 

Chalor, an alumnus of the 15th class of the Royal Police Cadet Academy, had an illustrious career, ascending from deputy commander of the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) to commander of Phitsanulok provincial police, and ultimately, the chief of the Royal Thai Police Department. His roles extended beyond the police force as he served as the national football team manager and the chairman of the National Football Association.

However, the former police officer’s reputation took a turn when he got embroiled in the Blue Diamond Affair, a mysterious case of stolen Saudi jewellery that occurred in 1989. In 1993, he, along with seven others, faced charges of malfeasance, conspiracy to steal the missing Saudi royal jewels, and abuse of authority.

 

by Mitch Connor

Photo courtesy of Bangkok Post

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2023-11-27

 

- 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.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Chalor, an alumnus of the 15th class of the Royal Police Cadet Academy, had an illustrious career, ascending from deputy commander of the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) to commander of Phitsanulok provincial police, and ultimately, the chief of the Royal Thai Police Department. His roles extended beyond the police force

Jewelry thief?

[Watchit]

And you can only imagine what other crimes he commited and got away with in his police career. And there will be hundereds of others like him still in the job.

[PETERTHEEATER]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Jewelry thief?

Indirectly. The recovered jewelry stuck to his fingers and those of many others. Murders, disappearances all great stuff for a movie but it was real life.

[rocketboy2]

Diamond Geezer. 

[Dcheech]

Tough times in the Big House timeline
 

1989 - 93, alleged incidents occur
2006 - First 20 years then a life sentence, then death penalty added. That for Killings not mentioned, specifically, in this news release. 
2010 Royal pardon, back to a life sentence.
2011 Reduced to 50 years..
2013 released from Jail, health reasons   Ten years later those health reasons finally strike him down. During time spent in jail, he formed a band, recorded 'Jail House Rock'. Tough times in the big house. 

 

 

[klauskunkel]

Thai police display some of the jewels they chose to be recovered:

What cracks me up is the body language of the couple on the left.

The BiB's finest hour to date, with many more to come...

[hotchilli]

Thailands finest keeping the image alive.

[herfiehandbag]

15 minutes ago, klauskunkel said:

Thai police display some of the jewels they chose to be recovered:

What cracks me up is the body language of the couple on the left.

The BiB's finest hour to date, with many more to come...

Possibly one of the funniest "BIB" photos I have seen. Certainly up there with with the "Suckers" group photo!

[Bangkok Barry]

They returned some of the gems fake copies of some of the gems. I remember the wife of one police chief - probably this one - wore the largest gem to a function. The arrogance was breathtaking but hardly surprising.

[Sydebolle]

Blue Diamond Affair - knock on the top floor for that issue. Never solved, left lots of collateral damage behind apart from the fact, that the Saudis banned Thai workers for an entire generation which has cost Thailand billions of dollars for the pleasure of the Blue Diamond and other heisted jewelry for the selected very few! 

Has anything changed since? Go figure ........... every intersection is your testing ground for what other places would call "highway robbery"! Albeit in much smaller denomination but evidently very fatty returns ;-) 

 

[Kenchamp]

And i wonder how many innocent people did or are still doing time thanks to him and his crooked pals.

There are probably some who have disappeared/lost their lives because they got in his way