Unprecedented crisis for the Thai Police as Srettha baulks despite lawyer’s damning claims

[webfact]

On Thursday, crusading lawyer Sittra Biebangkerd (centre left) met with Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) deputy chief Police Major General Charoonkiat Pankaew (centre right). He handed him damning information relating to illegal online gambling corruption linked with senior police officers. Mr Sittra gave the police 30 days to act on the information. In turn, he promised there is a lot more to come. In the meantime, he has threatened to take the matter to the opposition parties if Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin continues in his refusal to act on what he claims is genuine evidence of widespread corruption within the police force.

Terrifying police corruption scandal unveiled. Lawyer’s shocking claims rock Thailand. Well-known lawyer Sittra Biabungkerd has alleged rampant corruption within the Royal Thai Police, implicating high-ranking officers. Allegations suggest an alternative police network generating hundreds of millions monthly from crime. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin is now facing mounting pressure for decisive action as public alarm grows but declines to act.

Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin refuses to take further decisive action after groundbreaking revelations emerged from crusading lawyer Sittra Biebangkerd. The claims by the lawyer, if substantiated, would mean a need for a root and branch cleanout of the Royal Thai Police. In short, the disturbing claims suggest an alternative police network within the force dedicated to generating monthly income from corruption.

 

Mr Sittra claims that the network generates ฿100 million a month from criminal activities across the kingdom ranging from sex drugs to illegal cigarettes and of course, illegal gambling. Indeed, the disturbing nature of the allegations by Mr Sittra has, according to reports, already led to National Police Chief General Torsak Sukwimol moving to institute defamation proceedings. 

 

Revelations by an activist lawyer this week of wholesale corruption within the Royal Thai Police is putting pressure on Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.

 

On Tuesday, another groundbreaking press conference exposed a vast corruption network. In brief, this is alleged to be operating in parallel with the operations of the Royal Thai Police nationwide.

 

by James Morris and Son Nguyen

 

Full story: Thai Examiner.com 2024-03-29

 

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[Henk Langeweg]

... and the beat goes on .... and the beat goes on ....

Nothing new to see here, it will pass  . ..

[proton]

I wonder how much immigration rakes in when it comes to bribes?

[jackinthebox]

Mr Sittra claims that the network generates ฿100 million a month from criminal activities across the kingdom
much more for sure. I would guess 100 million USD a month

[Rampant Rabbit]

17 minutes ago, proton said:

I wonder how much immigration rakes in when it comes to bribes?

and the land  dept

[nikmar]

30 minutes ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

and the land  dept

and pretty much every other Government body or organisation 

[bamnutsak]

The most amazing thing about this latest intra-RTP dust-up is that it is so public.

 

The corruption, and fights over the proceeds, are nothing new. But in the past, while widely privately acknowledged, it was rarely discussed in public.

 

A few senior officers, from both sides, will have to take the fall. And then all will proclaim everything is fine and it was a few bad apples.

 

 

 

 

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Indeed, the disturbing nature of the allegations by Mr Sittra has, according to reports, already led to National Police Chief General Torsak Sukwimol moving to institute defamation proceedings. 

 

Thai defamation law, the last redoubt of the hopelessly indefensible.

[seajae]

all govt departments are on the take in some form, this is just a part of Thailands graft and corruption mentality and why thais want to get govt jobs, they know that a govt job guarantees them extras through graft, the police are only a part of it all.

[samtam]

 

[Tropicalevo]

2 hours ago, bamnutsak said:

The most amazing thing about this latest intra-RTP dust-up is that it is so public.

 

Chuwit started on the outing of the police but suddenly he had cancer and has had to go to the UK for treatment.

Perhaps he is feeding the information to the lawyer?

 

https://time.com/6320229/chuwit-kamolvisit-corruption-interview/

[Guderian]

Reminds me of when I had a small Gogo bar in Soi Diamond. The first Gogo bar in the street at that time (about 17 years ago), on the corner with second road, was owned by a senior cop. It was annoying having to fork out thousands of Baht every month to the cops to leave your bar alone, or give you warning when there'd be a raid, and I don't suppose the cop was ever bothered by such matters. Then when there was a Buddha holiday and alcohol sales were banned, the only Gogo bar open in that area was the cop one, as nobody was going to raid it. Hard to compete against that, I can tell you.

[daveAustin]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Lawyer’s shocking claims rock Thailand.

Lol As if this claim of illegal activities by the Thai police would be news to anyone here. 

[dinsdale]

52 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

 

Chuwit started on the outing of the police but suddenly he had cancer and has had to go to the UK for treatment.

Perhaps he is feeding the information to the lawyer?

 

https://time.com/6320229/chuwit-kamolvisit-corruption-interview/

A very good point. 

[dinsdale]

This will be very interesting. Hopefully someone has the goods on the military too. That would be a whole lot bigger than the top BIB. Clean out the senate and parliament of the corrupt and then possibly Thailand could start to move forward. The corrupt elites must be thinking very hard about all this. I said yesterday the police thing is only a very small portion of the tip of a very large iceberg.

[n00dle]

and one wonders why the focus has shifted to misbehaving farangs and nominee companies. 

misdirection at it finest.

[n00dle]

22 minutes ago, Guderian said:

Hard to compete against that, I can tell you.

stupid to try really

[Pouatchee]

he'll just wait till it goes away... that is what they always do... and hell, it seems to work

just like when i teach and i catch a kid doing something bad and i confront them. they just sit/stand not answering till it wears me out...

[spidermike007]

This isn't the first time that Sretta has refused to take action, he's refused to take action on virtually every issue since he's taken office. The man has proven himself to be the very definition of a do-nothing PM. He is an empty suit. 

[dinsdale]

10 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

This isn't the first time that Sretta has refused to take action, he's refused to take action on virtually every issue since he's taken office. The man has proven himself to be the very definition of a do-nothing PM. He is an empty suit. 

but the suit pockets are absolutely stuffed full of money. 

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, Guderian said:

I had a small Gogo bar in Soi Diamond. The first Gogo bar in the street at that time (about 17 years ago)

 

Soi Diamond had gogo bars as far back as the early 1980's (about 40 years ago). Caligvla, Baby Gogo and Green Light to name a few.

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Terrifying police corruption scandal unveiled. Lawyer’s shocking claims rock Thailand. Well-known lawyer Sittra Biabungkerd has alleged rampant corruption within the Royal Thai Police, implicating high-ranking officers. Allegations suggest an alternative police network generating hundreds of millions monthly from crime. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin is now facing mounting pressure for decisive action as public alarm grows but declines to act.

The lid is well and truly off the can of worms now.... 

[soalbundy]

10 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

This isn't the first time that Sretta has refused to take action, he's refused to take action on virtually every issue since he's taken office. The man has proven himself to be the very definition of a do-nothing PM. He is an empty suit. 

If you don't act you can't make mistakes. Srettha has to first check how many influential toes he would tread on if he acted (assuming of course that one of those toes isn't his own). It's a legal mine field out there, as brave as this lawyer is it could be his financial ruin, it isn't only bullets that can silence a man. This is Thailand and it doesn't like the light of truth.

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

 

Mr Sittra claims that the network generates ฿100 million a month from criminal activities across the kingdom ranging from sex drugs to illegal cigarettes and of course, illegal gambling. Indeed,

Ever wondered what happens to those drugs captured by police.... back out on the streets for sure

[ThaiFelix]

Its all a bit silly really.  I mean who is going to do anything?  We already have two major well known criminals with evidence against them, even convictions but they will not pay any price for their criminality except via paper bags under the desk.  Everybody, and I mean everybody, knows it but they walk free.  How is the police force going to be treated any different?  A few heads may roll, a few names changed to protect the guilty and the revenue stream but nothing will change.  It will all be lost among stories of viscious farang overstayers,  nasty graffiti artists, and life threatening peanut sellers without work permits.  They are the real threat to Thailand.

[Khyron]

The lawyer is a dead man walking...

[paul1804]

6 hours ago, proton said:

I wonder how much immigration rakes in when it comes to bribes?

 

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

This isn't the first time that Sretta has refused to take action, he's refused to take action on virtually every issue since he's taken office. The man has proven himself to be the very definition of a do-nothing PM. He is an empty suit. 

Not true that he is a "do-nothing" PM Spidermike, he talks and travels a lot!!!

[Guderian]

1 hour ago, NanLaew said:

 

Soi Diamond had gogo bars as far back as the early 1980's (about 40 years ago). Caligvla, Baby Gogo and Green Light to name a few.

 

The first as in it was the first bar you came to when you entered Soi Diamond from Second Road. <rolleyes>

[PETERTHEEATER]

Looking at the OP photograph, the expression on the the face of the recipient as he realises his name is on Page 1....😀

[Gknrd]

He cannot do anything, he would have to fire the whole police dept.  It has to be swept under the rug.