Embassy Of Saudi Arabia In Bangkok Issues Another Angry Statement

[crusty]

sigh! This is the blue death Diamond

http://www.time.com/...1969920,00.html

http://en.wikipedia...._Diamond_Affair

Go Saudi Arabia ! Wonder why the Saudis just don' t name the Thai General whose wife was photographed wearing the Blue Diamond at that function in Hong Kong WE all know who it is and half the world does and it would not be difficult to copy the pic from

the newspaper's archives. Or are the Saudies bending over backwards with diplomacy ?

[Buchholz]

The big "Mai khao jai". This is like most government agencies. Everyone tells you something different. The more people you ask, the more confused you get. The ancient Thai art of "Cluster Fornication".

I would think the Foreign ministry should be the only department responsible for coming up with a story for the Saudi's. I do not understand why everyone is trying to explain the situation to them when they themselves can not get their stories straight.

I don't think the Foreign minister has the brains to be responsible with coming up with a story for this one. (And he is one of the "Terrorists" that held the Country to ransom at the airports, and still walks free). They will never get their stories straight as to do so will either expose the elite, or confirm their stupidity, which they are doing extremely well at in any case.

An earlier encounter with the same Mr. Ashri and a different Foreign Minister (criminal Noppadon Pattama):

Thai News Agency - March 5, 2008

Thai Foreign Minister to reopen Saudi gems scandal case

BANGKOK, March 5 (TNA) - Thailand hoped to restore the former warm relations enjoyed with Saudi Arabia by concluding the 1980s gems scandal case and other cases believed link to the saga, according to Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama.

Mr. Noppadon met Saudi charge d'affaires Nadil H. Ashri who made a courtesy call on him at the ministry.

The foreign minister later told reporters he affirmed Thailand wanted to normalise diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia with the aim of re-establishing the Saudi Arabia Embassy and again welcoming its ambassador to Thailand.

Mr. Noppadon added diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia could be restored after a conclusion of cases including the Saudi diamond theft and murder of four Saudi diplomats and the disappearance of one Saudi businessman in the 1980s.

Justice Minister Sompong Amornwiwat and acting director general of the Department of Special Investigation Pol. Col. Thawee Sodsong would be invited to coordinate the reopened investigation to resolve the cases and finding a solution which would satisfy Riyadh, he said.

The minister stressed that the government would seriously address the case and would find and punish the wrongdoers behind the cases.

http://enews.mcot.net/view.php?id=3135

[Lancelot]

The real problem is that the Saudis do not understand Thai culture and want make pom pen

Seriously though, PM Abisit is an intelligent man and I was taken back by his comments about the Saudi envoy. Like another poster commented, Thailand does import the bulk of its oil.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out; the Saudis seem just as determined to resolve the issue as the Thai desire to bury it and make it go away. Clash of cultures perhaps?

[random]

On another note, it is clear that the arabs are in the right on this matter, hopefully they will step up the pressure even more now and show how lame this government actually is, surely even now the Mark love in must be waning with some posters after seeing his handling of many matters, he talks the talk but is akin to one of the legless beggars on sukhumvit when it comes to walking the walk. Has any of his promise come to fruition yet? Now he has a chance to show us who runs the country, another diplomatic incident during his watch, first cambodia and now Saudi, I think he will find that saudi will have far more backing on the world stage than cambodia did, but i guess he doesn't care and he will spout more <deleted> in the press that will have the yellows beating their chests and threatening all and sundry not to mess with Thailand.

The place is a joke when it comes to the government.

I remember and old saying 'don't vote, the government will get in'

[mca]

Seriously though, PM Abisit is an intelligent man and I was taken back by his comments about the Saudi envoy.

I've come to the conclusion that he isn't particularly clever if indeed at all. It's just the stunning mediocrity surrounding him on all sides of politics, etc. makes it appear so. A bit like me being the only sighted player in a blind football team.

[edgarfriendly]

thailand, number 1...

why u blame meeeeee???

ef

[Suradit]

I think the Saudis are entitled to fair justice. It also supports my view that Thailand is a very dangerous place to live and you can't expect fair justice.

Yes, why can't Thailand be a open, free democracy just like Saudi Arabia?

I suggest some of you try living there for awhile to see how fair things can be.

I agree that promoting someone indicted of a serious crime does beggar belief, but Saudi righteous indignation with regards to a free and fair judicial system is more than a little hypocritical. I wonder how many abused Thai or Filipina maids in Saudi have been protected by their legal system.

I thought the forum had rules about defaming a race of people or an individual,

I thought the forum existed to defame Thais and Thailand. I guess we see the proceedings from different perspectives.

Edited September 20, 2010 by Suradit

[Xonax]

The Saudi Royal family is suspected to be backing the Red Shirt leader Takki Shinegra. Could this be in order to hurt the current administration in Thailand due to this pending jewelery scam dispute? This may be the biggest jewelery scam in Thailand, but indeed not the only one! I think that most TV members know, or have heard of someone, who have bought jewelery that showed up to be fake.

For people like myself, who did not know the whole story, I would like to share some information about the background timeline, which I found on the Internet in a blog written by "Jotman" : http://jotman.blogsp...ond-affair.html

Jotman's Blue Diamond Affair Timeline

1989 (Jan 1) - Bangkok Post (here) incorrectly provides this date for murder of Maliki. Moreover, the article incorrectly identifies Maliki as a Saudi "businessman."

1989 (Jan. 4) - Saleh Abdullah al-Maliki, the third secretary at the Saudi embassy in Bangkok, was shot to death by an unknown gunman while walking to his residence on a Bangkok street. According to the NY Times, "Two factions, the Soldiers of Justice and the Holy War Organization in Hejaz [al-Hijaz Islamic Jihad], have claimed responsibility for the murder of Salah Abdullah al-Maliki." [FDI lists this event as a possible Iranian hit squad murder]

1989 (Feb 1) - Bangkok Post (here) provides this date for some of the murders. This appears to be incorrect.

1989 (Jun 20-Aug 8) - Kriangkrai Techamong, a Thai worker steals 200 lbs of jewels from Riyadh palace of Saudi Crown Prince Faisal ibn Abdul Aziz al Saud, the son of King Fahd. Among the stolen gems was a rare blue diamond. The theft amounted to US$20 million.

---- - Kriangkrai packed loot in boxes and sent it to relatives in Thailand by DHL parcel post.

----- - Kriangkrai returns to Thailand and stashes loot at his home in Lampang (in the north of Thailand). Kriangkrai buried some of his loot on the farm and started selling items individually for $30 apiece.

---- - owner of a large Thai jewelery business, Santi Sithanakan, thought to have purchased most of the gems from Kriangkrai.

----- - Al-Besri and the three others- two diplomats (Albahli & Alsaif) and a private citizen (al-Ruwaili) - are assigned by Saudi Arabia to look into the highly publicised Saudi diamond scandal.

1990 (Jan 10) - Kriangkrai arrested in Mae Sot. An investigation led by Police Lieutenant-General Chalor Kerdthes led both to the arrest of Kriangkrai and the recovery of many of the jewels.

1990 (Feb 1) - Saudi diplomat Adbullah A al-Besri, the consul, is killed in Bangkok. Ten minutes later, two more Saudi diplomats -- Fahad AZ Albahli, an attaché, and Ahmed A Alsaif, a telex operator -- are also assassinated in Bangkok. According to an Iranian dissidents group FDI, "The three Saudis are suspected intelligence agents." [FDI lists this event as a possible Iranian hit squad murder]

1990 (Feb 12) - Last sighting of Saudi businessman Mohammed al-Ruwaili, who is thought to have known who had stolen the jewelry. Mr. al-Ruwaili is seen in a car with Saudi consul Abdullah al-Besri (Note: either this date or this claim about al-Ruwaili "last" being seen in a car with al-Besri must be incorrect.) Clock begins ticking on 20-year "statute of limitations on investigations" into his murder.

1990 (Feb 14) - Saudi businessman, Mohammed al- Ruwaili, disappears.

1990 (March) - police handed over the jewels to Saudi Arabia in a public ceremony.

1990 - Saudis discover 80% of the returned jewels are fake. The Thai police are the prime suspects.

1990 - Saudis downgrade diplomatic relations with Thailand. They dispatch "a tough-talking, gun-toting" charge d'affairs, Mohammed Said Khoja, to Thailand to retrieve the family jewels. Khoja believes that the man responsible for the imitations is jeweler Santi. 'He is the one who changed the genuine stones for the fakes,' he says. 'He is the key.' Concerning the killings, "Khoja will not go into details, but says all four were in some way involved with the attempt to regain the jewels, and claims that they were killed because they had important information. A Thai policeman was also killed. The police denied that the murder was linked with the jewels but they promised to step up their investigations."

------ - "Saudis became convinced that the Thai police were involved in a huge cover-up, that the jewels had been distributed among some influential people at the top of Thai society."

----- - "At a gala dinner in Bangkok soon after the incident, wives of the Thai generals and leading politicians fiercely competed in showing off their jewelry. The Thai newspapers' photographers caught pictures showing diamond necklaces belonging to the Saudi royal family. The pictures were shown to Saudi officials who also confirmed its similarity. The Thai ladies, however, denied their authenticity." (Another?) sighting of the jewels is alleged to have occured at a Red Cross event (date unspecified).

1991 (Jun) - "after unrelenting pressure from Riyadh, the Thai police reopened the case, miraculously discovered some of the jewels - albeit a fraction of the total hoard - and charged four civilians with receiving stolen property. Jewels worth pounds 75,000 were returned."

----- - To protest inaction on the case, Saudi Arabia cuts off work permits to more than 250,000 Thai guest workers.

1994 (Aug) - Santi Sithanakan is kidnapped and tortured by police on orders of Chalor.

1994 (Aug) - Two weeks later, wife and 14-year-old son of Santi Sithanakan, now the government's principal witness found dead, bloodied and beaten, in their Mercedes outside Bangkok. Thai police forensic officers put the death down to a road accident, but they had clearly been murdered. "The forensic commander thinks we're stupid," Saudi diplomat Khoja tells reporters.

----- - The witness, Bangkok jeweler Santi Sithanakan, goes into hiding. He is believed to have tried to pay a randsom for his family, but obviously something went wrong.

---- (Sep) - two police generals (of the 18 police officers implicated in the gems case) are dismissed.

1994 - The thief, Kriangkrai Techamong, is free. "He was released after serving two years and seven months for handling stolen goods after receiving two royal pardons."

1995 - 13 year-long trial of Chalor Kerdthes begins. Initially he is convicted of ordering the murder of the wife and son of the gem dealer in Aug 1994. He is sentenced to death (but the sentence is not carried out). It is revealed that four men admitted committing the murders on police orders. They had demanded a ransom of $2.5 million from the jeweler.

2001 - Police Lieutenant-General Chalor Kerdthes, still in jail, has formed a rock group and produced his own version of Jailhouse Rock. He claims to be innocent.

2002 - "Police Lieutenant-General Chalor Kerdthes, 64, the man charged with investigating the theft by the migrant worker and with returning the jewels to their owner, Prince Faisal bin Abdul Raish, was jailed for seven years, the newspaper reported. Major Thanee Sridokaub, 45, received the same sentence. Both were found guilty of kidnapping a Thai jeweler who was handling the stolen gems.Chalor faces further charges of collaborating in the murder of the jeweler's wife and 14-year-old son after a ransom demand of $2.5 million was not met, the newspaper reported. Instead of attempting to solve the case, Thai police saw riches in it for themselves, the criminal court in Bangkok had been told."

2004 - The Department of Special Investigations (DSI) which is under the Justice Ministry, takes over investigation into the Saudi murders from the Thai police.DIS

2006 (Jun) - Chalor Kerdthes sentenced to 20 years for stealing the recovered jewellery. Six other officers found guilty.

2007 (Sep) - new DSI team of investigators launched. It is under Army Colonel Piyawat Gingkaet. No former police have been appointed to the team.

2008 (Mar) - Foreign minister Noppadon declares Thailand's intention to normalize relations with Saudi Arabia, which will be possible once the Blue Diamond case is wrapped up.

---- (Mar) - "Two Muslim experts" who have a good relationship with Saudi Arabia appointed to serve as advisors to DSI investigators in charge of the cases.

---- (Apr) - Thai Justice minister Sompong Amornwiwat visits Chalor Kerdthes in jail. It was suspected that he could implicate some former police chiefs.

---- (May) - Kriangkrai -- the thief -- is now living in a small wooden house. It's not entirely clear where he got the money to buy a new tractor.

---- (fall?) - SDI Director Thawee reports that 90 percent of the investigation has been completed.

2009 (Jan) - Thai charge d'affaires to Saudi Arabia speaks of "renewed effort" by Abhisit government to "normalize diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia by resolving the Blue Diamond theft case, the murder of three Saudi diplomats in 1989 and the case of the disappearance of a Saudi businessman in 1990."

---- (Aug) - SDI decides there is enough evidence to charge Abu Ali who is suspected of shooting Abdullah AAl-Besri, the first of three Saudi diplomats shot to death on Feb 1, 1990.

2010 (Jan 10) - Office of the Attorney General (OAG) indictes Somkid Boonthanom, chief Police Region 5, plus 4 active and former police officers in connection with the disappearance of Mohammad al-Ruwaili, presumed dead since 1990.

2010 (Feb 12) - The statute of limitations expires on investigations into the killings.

2012 (Mar 29) - Scheduled first hearing in the trial of Somkid and 4 other officers charged on Jan 10, 2009.

Concerning the most recent report, if you thought the Saudi diplomats had been killed to prevent them from pursuing the investigation, you would be mistaken, according to the DSI investigators--

Edited September 20, 2010 by Xonax

[Suradit]

The Saudi Royal family is suspected to be backing the Red Shirt leader Khun Thaksin Shinawatra, among others by giving him a shelter i Dubai.

Since Dubai isn't in Saudia Arabia that would be a strange arrangement.

[Xonax]

The Saudi Royal family is suspected to be backing the Red Shirt leader Khun Thaksin Shinawatra, among others by giving him a shelter i Dubai.

Since Dubai isn't in Saudia Arabia that would be a strange arrangement.

Edited, though everybody knows, that the Saudi Royal family has a huge influence in Dubai and the whole region.

Edited September 20, 2010 by Xonax

[random]

The Saudi Royal family is suspected to be backing the Red Shirt leader Khun Thaksin Shinawatra, among others by giving him a shelter i Dubai.

Since Dubai isn't in Saudia Arabia that would be a strange arrangement.

Edited, though everybody knows, that the Saudi Royal family has an enormous influence in Dubai and the whole region.

Everybody? I didn't know that

[TCW]

The Saudi Royal family is suspected to be backing the Red Shirt leader Khun Thaksin Shinawatra, among others by giving him a shelter i Dubai.

Since Dubai isn't in Saudia Arabia that would be a strange arrangement.

Edited, though everybody knows, that the Saudi Royal family has an enormous influence in Dubai and the whole region.

Everybody? I didn't know that

Nor did I and I have worked in Dubai for a number of years. Many Arabs hate the Saudy royal family. I hope they crank this shameful dispute up with Thailand however. It is no way to run a country.

[geriatrickid]

Please keep in mind that the issue is not about the legitimacy of the Saudi Arabian government, nor should we allow our dislike of Saudi Arabia influence our position. It's all about a refusal by important Thai members of the ruling circle to address a crime.

Keep in mind that had the stolen items not been paraded about in public, the Saudis would not be in the strong position they are in now. There is a way out. Someone needs to surrender the stones "anonymously" so that they can be returned.

If the stones are returned, there is a chance that the Saudis might back down. Just as there is a "face" aspect in Thailand, the arab culture also has "face" and it relates to public displays of weakness. It's time to accept that the jig is up and call it a day.

[elcent]

Please keep in mind that the issue is not about the legitimacy of the Saudi Arabian government, nor should we allow our dislike of Saudi Arabia influence our position. It's all about a refusal by important Thai members of the ruling circle to address a crime.

Keep in mind that had the stolen items not been paraded about in public, the Saudis would not be in the strong position they are in now. There is a way out. Someone needs to surrender the stones "anonymously" so that they can be returned.

If the stones are returned, there is a chance that the Saudis might back down. Just as there is a "face" aspect in Thailand, the arab culture also has "face" and it relates to public displays of weakness. It's time to accept that the jig is up and call it a day.

I think after the murder of diplomatic staffs and an Arab business man close to the Royal Family in Saudi they'll go for total exposure mode now.

I also expect an increase of terror attacks in the South or maybe elsewhere in the country now which is not necessarily by order of the Royal Family or the Saudi Gov.

Radical Islam just picks it up as a reason to strike.

Edited September 20, 2010 by elcent

[Gers1873]

Mark did not loose face. The Saudi loose face and this press release is just the start of the face salvage of the camel riding Saudi.

The big losers in this whole debacle - once again the Thai people. In 1980's there were hundreds of thousands of Thai workers in KSA all sending remittances back home. Now there are relatively few.

Why? All because of a lack of transparency on the part of the Thai government and legal system.

Camel riding Saudi? Un called for especially when the current Thai ambassador in Riyadh is working very hard at rebuilding bridges between the two countries.

[SamritT]

Thaksin is behind all this. I am quite sure.

[steveromagnino]

Geriatric Kid - thanks for the powerpoint presso on oil reserves; very interesting to see especially the big wind up in consumption up until the diesel subsidy got cut off. If you have a newer version, would love to see it.

As for solving the case, this is a major issue. For Democrats, they would dearly love to solve it because in doing so I can think of one very powerful PT former Army man that will suffer a lot, and another family dynasty that was a part of TRT and also now PT and former chief of police I think or 'something like that' who will be called out; there are some who say this family's star has waned already as a result of the whole fiasco. Those are 2 heavyweights worth going after; to date all the people suffering in jail etc on the Thai side are underlings. Masterminds go free.

For PT they would dearly love to figure out some way to solve it, because the lack of action is 250,000 jobs in Isaan some of which involves a skim back to the provincial leaders who run each province, but also more importantly is a nice vote winner; everyone likes having cash and it would help make PT/TRT seem like a party who can get things done (despite doing nothing about this from 2001 - 2006). The problem for PT is how to solve it without revealing anything - hence why they say they will do something, then basically let the clock run out on 20 years, maybe they planned to offer some compensation or gestures, and sweep it under the rug.

The current govt seem to have some desire to solve things, but this desire has recently waned, and now one questions why they would attempt to antagonise the Saudis now.

We can look for Thaksin at every step, but while there is certainly a lot of middle eastern money he and his businesses have brought in or attempted to bring in to Thailand, I am fairly sure given who is involved with PT that he'd rather let the Dems mistep and then speak about that than risk stirring up things in the toilet bowl and having a floater come to the surface that was previously hidden under some toilet paper. So I find it hard to believe that he would be behind this, especially given that the Saudis have been focused on this for 20 years now; it isn't like it is new.

[BlackJack]

I think Saudi charge d'affaires Nadil H. Ashri is as we say drawing a long bow by joining a few things together to support his arguement

1st is that the law is innocent until proved guilty and although charged it does not mean the policeman will be found guilty.

You cannot join this with the mechanism that gives him his promotion.

If he is entitiled to his promotion so be it and then if found guilty he will be demoted.

THe Mr Ashri draws the bow further by issuing a statement of veiled threats regarding Thailand as a whole.

If you join all these together its a good read but if you follow the law you will see the flaws in Mr Ashri's document

[hanuman1]

Thaksin is behind all this. I am quite sure.

Yay! Samrit's back! I agree. Taksin is behind everything. Make sure to check under your bed tonight.

In fact - and this may come as a shock to you so please try to stay calm - I actually think he has already gained control of your brain remotely in yet another dastardly plot, this time to make it look like his accusers are a bunch of half-witted losers.

[elcent]

Dr. S. who retired 2 decades ago due to a stroke and who was once in a very high position, somehow higher than Mr. P., since he was a highly educated civilian with no military background told me once.

We all want to help to progress this country but we must consider

Khun Thai (central Thailand) Khamoi keng (great thieves), Khun Isan (north-easterners) Khigong keng (great cheaters) Khun Nuai (Northern people) Khee giat (lazy) and Khun Tai (Southern people) Gohok keng (great liers).

I was a bit baffled by his statement but ...

[hanuman1]

The current govt seem to have some desire to solve things, but this desire has recently waned, and now one questions why they would attempt to antagonise the Saudis now.

Antagonising the Saudis may be one interperatation of the Thai government's current approach, but there are several others which may be applicable. Sadly, 'a reasonable solution in accordance with either international or Thai law' is not among them.

[SamritT]

Mark say "Innocent until proven guilty". Why can't thin Saudi understand this. Mark stick to his word. Just like the Mongkol Surasajja nomination. . . . Nation today "Interior Minister Chaovarat Chanweerakul yesterday insisted on the nomination of Mongkol Surasajja for the job although Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has ordered a review."

[junglist]

were can we find the pic of the diamond in hk?

[SamritT]

Where can we find the pic of the diamond in hk?

If I show you the link, or the google key words to lead you to the said image. My government will jail me for 15 years. please rest the case before you get into trouble.

[elcent]

that one sold for $ 6 million in HK

[junglist]

sigh! This is the blue death Diamond

http://www.time.com/...1969920,00.html

http://en.wikipedia...._Diamond_Affair

Go Saudi Arabia ! Wonder why the Saudis just don' t name the Thai General whose wife was photographed wearing the Blue Diamond at that function in Hong Kong WE all know who it is and half the world does and it would not be difficult to copy the pic from

the newspaper's archives. Or are the Saudies bending over backwards with diplomacy ?

were can this pic be found?

[junglist]

sorry, dam_n 15 years. truth hurts...

[elcent]

sigh! This is the blue death Diamond

http://www.time.com/...1969920,00.html

http://en.wikipedia...._Diamond_Affair

Go Saudi Arabia ! Wonder why the Saudis just don' t name the Thai General whose wife was photographed wearing the Blue Diamond at that function in Hong Kong WE all know who it is and half the world does and it would not be difficult to copy the pic from

the newspaper's archives. Or are the Saudies bending over backwards with diplomacy ?

were can this pic be found?

http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2010/1001/bluediamond_0122.jpg

[Seanextra]

were can we find the pic of the diamond in hk?

Bump! Link anyone ?

[seri thai]

So all the @#$%&$# high society people have to do is open their safes, return the jewels, and all will be well again.

If you do some google searching you will see someone wearing a very similar blue diamond, i wouldnt have thought itd be possible to ask for it back.

No luck with googling, could you elaborate?

If you google images for blue diamond+thailand you will see some crudely photo-shopped images that have been doing the rounds of Cambodian web-boards for some years.

One of the pastimes of the little khmen cybermen is to bait thais with references to embarrassing gossip about the supposed location of the missing jewellery. (It's pernicious, unfounded gossip and best ignored, believe me)