Arrest Warrant Issued Over Saudi Murder

[sriracha john]

Warrant issued over Saudi murder

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) issued an arrest warrant yesterday for a suspect behind the murder of a Saudi diplomat 19 years ago.

Police Colonel Thawee Sodsong, Director of the DSI, said his department had gathered enough evidence to charge Abu Ali for the murder of one of four Saudis, Abdullah A. al-Besri, who was gunned down in Bangkok in January 1990.

Al-Besri and the three others- two diplomats and a private citizen - were assigned to look into the highly publicised Saudi diamond scandal that shattered diplomatic ties between Thailand and Saudi Arabia. One diplomat was killed in 1989, two others Saudis died with al-Besri the following year.

Thawee did not say why it has taken nearly two decades to file charges against the suspect, whose whereabouts are unknown.

The original theft was committed by Thai labourer Kriangkrai Techamong, who was working at Prince Faisal's palace in Saudi Arabia in 1989.

Observers said the case, if fully exposed, could bring down a number of senior Thai government and police officials responsible for substituting the retrieved jewelery with crude fakes, including an imitation of the "priceless" Blue Diamond.

Police Lt-General Chalor Kerdthes, the former crime-buster at the centre of the scandal, is currently serving a life sentence for masterminding the killing of the wife and son of a jewelery dealer, Santi Srithanakhan, who was linked to the case.

Bilateral ties between the two countries took a nosedive following the murder of the three diplomats and another Saudi citizen in Bangkok.

Efforts have been made to upgrade relations, but the Saudis have said full diplomatic ties will only return if the murder cases are resolved and the real Blue Diamond taken during the theft is found and returned.

-- The Nation 2009-08-06

[sriracha john]

Arab man wanted for 1990 murder of Saudi diplomat

The Department of Special Investigation has issued an arrest warrant for an Arab man suspected of gunning down a Saudi Arabian diplomat in Bangkok in 1990. Abu Ali is suspected of shooting Saudi diplomat Abdullah AAl-Besri to death, DSI Director-General Police Colonel Tawee Sodsong said yesterday.

The Criminal Court has approved a warrant for the arrest of Abu Ali, Police Colonel Tawee said. The murder took place in front of Sriwattana Apartment on Yen Akat Road in Sathon district on Feb. 1, 1990. About 10 minutes earlier, two other Saudi diplomats were fatally shot. They were Fahad AZAlbahli and Ahmed AAlsaif. Investigators believe the same gang was involved in the killings.

Abdullah Al-Maliki, 35, another Saudi diplomat, was shot dead on Jan 4, 1989 in front of his home on Soi Pipat 1 off Sathon Road. The DSI took over the investigation into the Saudi murders from police in 2004. The statute of limitations on investigations into the killings falls due early next year.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2152...-saudi-diplomat

-- Bangkok Post 2009-08-06

[parryhandy]

Cant believe a film/book has never been made of this incredible story.You would struggle to make up a better script.

[Richard W]

Cant believe a film/book has never been made of this incredible story.You would struggle to make up a better script.

The story would lack credibility.

[slapout]

Top rated films seem to have bad man or two in the script. I think any book/film about this caper would have more bad men than extras. Wonder how many charges which could have been filed have a statue of limitation? Murder, theft, obstruction, aiding/abetting, receiving stolen goods, money laundering, perjury, tampering with evidence, etc, etc. Another idea would be a looooooong running tv series on the history of the BIB, over the past 2 decades.

[LomSak27]

The police listed three possible motives for the killings: a conflict of interest over sending Thai workers to Saudi Arabia, the illegal export of marijuana, sandalwood and oil to Saudi Arabia through the abuse of diplomatic immunity privileges, and a conflict among mafia-type gangs in Pattaya.

Staff at the Saudi embassy and some outsiders were suspects but the court dropped all charges against them.

As I recall, and premature senility is a distinct problem here, one of the murders (the first?) was quiet possibly related to the procurement of labor for SA, 200,000 to 380,000 Thai’s were employed in the Kingdom back then. The others related to the gem heist, and trying to track down where the real stones had gone to after the return by the Thai police of the fake stones.

Good to see in the plice quote above, nothing is mentioned about the jewel heist, police returning fakes which combined with the murders, was the cause of the Saudis severing relations and getting rid of the Thai labor force.

.

[owengeary]

so, the police are looking for a man called Abu Ali.

If you know any arabic that means son of Ali.

how many son of ali are in the world??????

Everyone know where to look for the murder but he is protected by lese ....

just another spin, this spin has turned into a vacuum.

[dale8]

Hello, it looks like the BIB are trying to save face as this man is long gone from the Thailand by now. It is good for the governments of other countries to see Thailand does have some investigation skills, but 19 years is a long time. Cheers.

[MHM]

Expect an arrest by 2054

[animatic]

~That would be exhumation followed by arrest.

In place of a Perp Walk they display the urn.

Edited August 6, 2009 by animatic

[caf]

Expect an arrest by 2054

This and the post by animatic are the best on the thread

And ironically and sadly the truest.

Talk not action.

[webfact]

The Murder Soap continues.

Stay tuned. Next update will be 2030....

Edited August 6, 2009 by webfact

[EyesWideOpen]

A fairly interesting conclusion after 19 years of investigation......Son of Ali ??? Made all the more amusing because anyone who has spent a long time in LOS knows that with virtually all the serious contract killings here, the BIB have a finger in it somewhere.... The Sondhi case is simply yet another example.

Edited August 6, 2009 by rhiekel

[TAWP]

Cant believe a film/book has never been made of this incredible story.You would struggle to make up a better script.

The story would lack credibility.

'Difference between fiction and reality is that fiction has to make sense'.

[hammered]

Cant see the whole Saudi case going to full conclusion

[jackdanielsesq]

Hollyweird doesnt do cred

BR>Jack

The story would lack credibility.

[astral]

Cant believe a film/book has never been made of this incredible story.You would struggle to make up a better script.

The story would lack credibility.

Truth is stranger than fiction!!

[oevna]

Expect an arrest by 2054

I expect an arrest much sooner. I just have no expectation that it will actually be the real culprits.

[oevna]

I wonder if there is anything to the timing of this. Like perhaps the top people involved have already died, or are somehow out of the picture already and are no longer influential.

[otherstuff1957]

Too many highly placed people have been seen wearing the Saudi Jewelry for the Thai Police to allow this case to be followed to it's conclusion.

In another 20 years or so, when all of the players are safely dead, the case might really be solved!

[oevna]

Too many highly placed people have been seen wearing the Saudi Jewelry for the Thai Police to allow this case to be followed to it's conclusion.

In another 20 years or so, when all of the players are safely dead, the case might really be solved!

Well, now that is an interesting piece of information. Really? Like whom, if you don't mind me asking?

[Artisi]

Too many highly placed people have been seen wearing the Saudi Jewelry for the Thai Police to allow this case to be followed to it's conclusion.

In another 20 years or so, when all of the players are safely dead, the case might really be solved!

Well, now that is an interesting piece of information. Really? Like whom, if you don't mind me asking?

Unfortunately the matter which is hearsay can not be discussed - need anymore be said.

[Scott]

This case was in it's infancy when I first arrived in Thailand. I followed it for a long time. To be honest, I thought it was some kind of made up story, simply because it was so surreal. Since I was new to Thailand, I didn't know the main players very well, but I vaguely remember some Khunying on the front page of the BKK Post with her politician (?) husband and wearing a beautiful necklace that was later fingered as one of the stolen items.

When she was asked about, she said she a friend had lent her the necklace, but she suddenly couldn't remember the friends name!!!!

Can you imagine wearing a million dollars worth of jewelry and not knowing who gave it to you? This is all quite vague now, but it went on and on and on.

Wives of influential people wearing earring, bracelets, necklaces etc.

Only in Thailand.

[Oberkommando]

Further to the original story for those that haven't been aware of it.

Under Saudi pressure, Thailand reopened the case in June 1991 and later charged four civilians with receiving stolen property. Authorities recovered about $120,000 worth of the missing jewelry and filed embezzlement charges against a senior police officer who had initially headed an investigation of the theft.

One of the four civilians, Santi Srithanakan, is widely considered the key to the affair. A prominent jewelry merchant with high-level police connections, he received much of the stolen jewelry and can incriminate top police officials in the scandal, investigators believe. Authorities want to use him as a state witness.

Santi was recently kidnapped and held for three days in northern Thailand by unknown assailants, who reportedly warned him to keep his mouth shut. He currently is said to be under military protection.

His wife, Darawadee, 34, and son, Seri, 14, however, were found dead in a sedan on a highway north of Bangkok on Aug. 1. They had been abducted and released earlier this year and reportedly disappeared from their home again on July 29.

An autopsy showed injuries to their heads and necks that suggested they had been hit with a heavy blunt object. Initial Thai press reports, quoting police, said Darawadee and Seri apparently had been murdered and left in the car, which was positioned where it was likely to be hit by traffic, to make the deaths look accidental.

A subsequent report by the police department's Institute of Forensic Medicine was therefore greeted with widespread incredulity when it asserted that the wife and son were killed in a road accident.

"The forensic commander thinks we're stupid," Saudi diplomat Khoja told reporters recently. "This was not an accident. They want to cover it up."

http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com...mp;slug=1927824

[monoli87]

does Saudi and Thai are lost longer diplomatic relation between 1989 until this day..???

[Chunkton]

Further to the original story for those that haven't been aware of it.

Under Saudi pressure, Thailand reopened the case in June 1991 and later charged four civilians with receiving stolen property. Authorities recovered about $120,000 worth of the missing jewelry and filed embezzlement charges against a senior police officer who had initially headed an investigation of the theft.

One of the four civilians, Santi Srithanakan, is widely considered the key to the affair. A prominent jewelry merchant with high-level police connections, he received much of the stolen jewelry and can incriminate top police officials in the scandal, investigators believe. Authorities want to use him as a state witness.

Santi was recently kidnapped and held for three days in northern Thailand by unknown assailants, who reportedly warned him to keep his mouth shut. He currently is said to be under military protection.

His wife, Darawadee, 34, and son, Seri, 14, however, were found dead in a sedan on a highway north of Bangkok on Aug. 1. They had been abducted and released earlier this year and reportedly disappeared from their home again on July 29.

An autopsy showed injuries to their heads and necks that suggested they had been hit with a heavy blunt object. Initial Thai press reports, quoting police, said Darawadee and Seri apparently had been murdered and left in the car, which was positioned where it was likely to be hit by traffic, to make the deaths look accidental.

A subsequent report by the police department's Institute of Forensic Medicine was therefore greeted with widespread incredulity when it asserted that the wife and son were killed in a road accident.

"The forensic commander thinks we're stupid," Saudi diplomat Khoja told reporters recently. "This was not an accident. They want to cover it up."

http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com...mp;slug=1927824

This reminds us that despite the keystone cops analogy there is an ugly side to the whole thing.

[sunholidaysun1]

[santi was recently kidnapped and held for three days in northern Thailand by unknown assailants, who reportedly warned him to keep his mouth shut. He currently is said to be under military protection.

His wife, Darawadee, 34, and son, Seri, 14, however, were found dead in a sedan on a highway north of Bangkok on Aug. 1. They had been abducted and released earlier this year and reportedly disappeared from their home again on July 29.

Very Sad. Thai's do have the revenge syndrome in built I think . Like Elephants , they never forget , regardless of Mai Pen Rai , never spoken but never forgotten either.

[ferd54]

The fact that the top police special investigations officer was convicted in the murder of the jeweler's wife and son and remains in prison serving a life sentence -- if he is still there -- means this case goes very high indeed. This happened right before I arrived in Thailand and was front-page news for years.

Amazing -- a barely-educated worker from central Thailand manages to steal a hundred kilos worth of priceless jewelry from the Royal Household in Saudi Arabia, take it back to Thailand and through customs and not get caught at the time! This guy is a genius and should be prime minister.

OR there's a a whole, whole lot more to the story (which is what most people believe).

At any rate, it remains a fascinating tale.

Edited August 7, 2009 by ferd54

[zaza]

There was and still ;a strong effort going on the behalf of the Thai government to make up -and- fix the diplomatic rift between the two kingdoms.

Thailand's economist/politicians believe, they can give the country's a big kick, which would boost their economy and their bank deposits ;same as it was in the peak economic era of Thailand during the years 1985-1993 , the years when KSA had strong bilateral relations with Thailand.That's why they are trying their best; using many countries' as middlemen as Bahrain, to bring this case an end by arresting a ghost/escape goat criminal

This headline news is only; to implement the KSA condition on handing the responsible criminals ,in oreder to kick start the diplomatic relations off . KSA embassy is waiting for the green light to function back again since 8 months now. An ambassador, consul and large staff are stationed back in Bangkok since January, in the City bank building at Sathorn Street, they are waiting to officially operate again after Thailands' full compliance to the demands of the KSA rulers,then the floods of oil, tourists,labor procurement's contracts would flow back again.

[lomatopo]

...but I vaguely remember some Khunying on the front page of the BKK Post with her politician (?) husband and wearing a beautiful necklace that was later fingered as one of the stolen items.

When she was asked about, she said she a friend had lent her the necklace, but she suddenly couldn't remember the friends name!!!!

That would have been Khunying Phankrua Yongchaiyudh, wife of General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, the 22nd Prime Minister of Thailand.

The famed “Blue Diamond” , part of the Saudi gem haul, has also been spotted but that matter cannot be discussed.

I think it might make a better black comedy, a bit like "RocknRolla" with the "lucky painting" being the blue diamond or "Snatch", with Mum in the Brad Pitt role as a wacky Muay Thai fighter and the poltice replacing the organized crime figures.

Edited August 7, 2009 by lomatopo