Thailand's DSI Found Some Missing Saudi Gems

[webfact]

THAI-SAUDI TIES

Some missing Saudi gems found

By The Nation

The Department of Special Investigation "has found" five items from unspecified sources that appear to be part of the crown jewels heist that soured relations with Saudi Arabia.

Narat Sawettanant, deputy DSI director-general, yesterday quoted Saudi diplomat Nabil Ashri as saying, when he was shown the items, that they "are likely those stolen from the Saudi palace [in the 1989 theft]".

He added that those wishing to return the stolen goods should not worry about criminal liability, as the statute of limitations had already expired on the theft. But he did not say whether the statute also applied to the possession of stolen items, which comes under a different law.

Ashri said he welcomed the progress made in the long-running case.

"It is good to get the jewellery back to Saudi Arabia, and I am making no other demands. For more details, contact the DSI," he said.

Thai janitor Kriangkrai Techamong sneaked out with 200 kilograms of jewellery 21 years ago and resold the items back in Thailand. His crime led to a downgrade in bilateral ties and several murders and other crimes afterwards.

All five items are now stored in a bank safety deposit box, Narat said. The items include an 18-karat gold bracelet, a woven necklace with a pendant similar to Saudi Arabia's national insignia and an emerald ornament. He did not give details of the other two items.

-- The Nation 2011-01-05

[sharecropper]

That must have taken some negotiating.

I am sure that the rest of them are also "safely stored" in a secure downtown location in Bangkok, as everyone seems to know......

[jalansanitwong]

Most Thais know what happened to the stones.Why do these dopes from saudi arabia winge and complain all the time. Its not as if a saudi actually works for a living and earned them.

[Briggsy]

Most Thais know what happened to the stones.Why do these dopes from saudi arabia winge and complain all the time. Its not as if a saudi actually works for a living and earned them.

Because of the murder of the diplomats by the Thai police for a start.

[random]

Most Thais know what happened to the stones.Why do these dopes from saudi arabia winge and complain all the time. Its not as if a saudi actually works for a living and earned them.

So if I get something as a gift then it is ok for someone else to steal it?

[LaoPo]

Most Thais know what happened to the stones.Why do these dopes from saudi arabia winge and complain all the time. Its not as if a saudi actually works for a living and earned them.

Would YOU complain if someone stole something from you ?...a laptop perhaps?

Maybe you should study the case a little better since it has nothing to do with someone, working for the jewelry or not. It's not the point.

Apart from that: I didn't read anything about someone from Saudi Arabia, complaining "all the time" and I write that, not being a particular supporter of Saudi Arabia

LaoPo

[Thai at Heart]

Most Thais know what happened to the stones.Why do these dopes from saudi arabia winge and complain all the time. Its not as if a saudi actually works for a living and earned them.

I hope this is an effort at sarcasm. I could just imagine the Thai response if they had been on receiving end of such ridiculous deceit and wrongdoing.

[waza]

Apparently the were found between the couch pillows in a property last rented by Abu Ali,, which may or may not be hid real name(sic) an arab.

Edited January 5, 2011 by waza

[Credo]

I wonder where they 'found' them.  They might want to look for a big bluish-colored stone.  That shouldn't be too hard to find.  

[Carib]

These will turn out to be fake too??

[junglist]

These will turn out to be fake too??

i hope not.

This make the police in Thailand look bad. 555555

Ps… jalansanitwong – reading and history are not a strong point for you.

[RedNIvar]

Most Thais know what happened to the stones.Why do these dopes from saudi arabia winge and complain all the time. Its not as if a saudi actually works for a living and earned them.

I don't know what happend to the stones. Can you please help bring me up to speed.

[random]

Most Thais know what happened to the stones.Why do these dopes from saudi arabia winge and complain all the time. Its not as if a saudi actually works for a living and earned them.

I don't know what happend to the stones. Can you please help bring me up to speed.

[housepainter]

Twenty two years, several murders, the break off of international relations, the closing of embassies, the harbouring of Thaksin in Saudi and the loss of billions in trade but at last the Police, who stole the gems from the Janitor et al, finally succumb to the fourth successive Governments demands to finally hand back the gems. Well, some of them.

It may be a first. Righting wrongs batman style.

What next from the BiB? Crime solving? Working for a day's pay? Not getting drunk and killing either each other or innocent members of the public?

Who knows where this may all end? It may be safe to walk the streets once again.

Well I never thought I'd live to see the day. You know, there could be a sense of morality, public duty, social awareness coming to a Police Station near you any time now.

But don't hold your breath.

At this rate by 2033 we'll have found out what did happen to the human rights lawyer who 'disappeared'; the Kantika pub deaths may be brought to justice; Thaksin pays his taxes; Sanarajev faces LM charges and a certain Pai Police Sergeant who killed a Canadian man and half murdered a Canadian woman before he went home and beat to death his pregnant wife while on bail - may, just may, be asked to go to a Police station and give a statement.

Progress.

And there were some cynics who said it'd never happen.

[asiawatcher]

Most Thais know what happened to the stones.Why do these dopes from saudi arabia winge and complain all the time. Its not as if a saudi actually works for a living and earned them.

What a stupid post!

[Bagwan]

If the jewellery was stolen in Saudi what has the statute of limitation in Thailand got to do with anything?

[waza]

If the jewellery was stolen in Saudi what has the statute of limitation in Thailand got to do with anything?

The statute of limitation refers to the murders of the 4 Saudi nationals, among them a diplomat. It expired in Feb 2010..........

[HerbalEd]

Most Thais know what happened to the stones.Why do these dopes from saudi arabia winge and complain all the time. Its not as if a saudi actually works for a living and earned them.

Most Thais know? Really? None of my Thai friends know. Do you?

[swillowbee]

... anyone speculating on the very touchy subject of who has the jewels would be quickly imprisoned, never again to see the light of day ... if you've close Thai friends, very close Thai friends, ask them to offer-up the commonly held belief ... but, you won't read it here.

Edited January 6, 2011 by swillowbee

[JetsetBkk]

Most Thais know what happened to the stones.Why do these dopes from saudi arabia winge and complain all the time. Its not as if a saudi actually works for a living and earned them.

I hope this is an effort at sarcasm. <snip>

[rgs2001uk]

... anyone speculating on the very touchy subject of who has the jewels would be quickly imprisoned, never again to see the light of day ... if you've close Thai friends, very close Thai friends, ask them to offer-up the commonly held belief ... but, you won't read it here.

Most of my Thai friends tell it exactly as you have just said.

[EyesWideOpen]

" Found the gems" ??  Man this is the best story ever, and it just keeps getting better each year.

Am mulling over writing a screen play, as this would make a great story. Although I am sure movie goers would leave  the theater thinking what great piece of fiction.... 

[apetley]

Most Thais know what happened to the stones.Why do these dopes from saudi arabia winge and complain all the time. Its not as if a saudi actually works for a living and earned them.

Most Thais know? Really? None of my Thai friends know. Do you?

Alot of my Thai friends know, or at least know the story but to tell it invites a long stretch locked up somewhere.

[rak sa_ngop]

"Thai janitor Kriangkrai Techamong sneaked out with 200 kilograms of jewellery 21 years ago and resold the items back in Thailand£"

I love the image of a janitor "sneaking out 200 kg" and then getting 200kg back Thailand.

[waza]

"Thai janitor Kriangkrai Techamong sneaked out with 200 kilograms of jewellery 21 years ago and resold the items back in Thailand£"

I love the image of a janitor "sneaking out 200 kg" and then getting 200kg back Thailand.

He broke into the safe with a screwdriver, snuck them out in a vacuum cleeaner bag and fed-exed them to himself in Thailand. Then sold them for $30us each. The crime is rated as one of the top 10 thefts of all time, but sounds more like a Pink Panther movie to me lol.

[JetsetBkk]

"Thai janitor Kriangkrai Techamong sneaked out with 200 kilograms of jewellery 21 years ago and resold the items back in Thailand£"

I love the image of a janitor "sneaking out 200 kg" and then getting 200kg back Thailand.

He broke into the safe with a screwdriver, snuck them out in a vacuum cleeaner bag and fed-exed them to himself in Thailand. Then sold them for $30us each. The crime is rated as one of the top 10 thefts of all time, but sounds more like a Pink Panther movie to me lol.

I think he flushed them down the sink, then went into the sewer to pick them up...

Hang on <flashback> that was a movie, wasn't it?

Edit: Yes, it was: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flawless_%282007_film%29

Edited January 15, 2011 by JetsetBkk

[Ping]

Background: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Diamond_Affair

[rak sa_ngop]

"Thai janitor Kriangkrai Techamong sneaked out with 200 kilograms of jewellery 21 years ago and resold the items back in Thailand£"

I love the image of a janitor "sneaking out 200 kg" and then getting 200kg back Thailand.

He broke into the safe with a screwdriver, snuck them out in a vacuum cleeaner bag and fed-exed them to himself in Thailand. Then sold them for $30us each. The crime is rated as one of the top 10 thefts of all time, but sounds more like a Pink Panther movie to me lol.

It must have been a big vacuum cleaner to suck out 200 kg!!!!!

[waza]

Two decades ago, a Thai gardener climbed into the palace of a Saudi prince through a second-story window, busted open a safe with a screwdriver and stole some 200 pounds of jewelry. The former Saudi chargé d'affaires in Bangkok told the Washington Post that the gardener stuffed "rubies the size of chicken eggs" in his vacuum-cleaner bag, along with a huge, nearly flawless blue diamond, which at 50 carats would be one of the largest blue diamonds in the world.

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1969920,00.html

Kriangkrai Taechamong, whose job included cleaning the room where the Prince and his famhttp://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1969920,00.htmlily stored their jewels. Well, those jewels went missing and soon it turned out that they had been distributed among some influential people at the top of Thai society. At parties and receptions some of those missing jewels were seen in Thai cleavages.

http://absolutelybangkok.com/blue-diamond-affair-re-revisited

http://jotman.blogspot.com/2009/08/timeline-of-blue-diamond-affair.html