The Curious Tale Of Suphoth: Was He Bagman For A Bent Politician?: Thai Politics

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE

The curious tale of Suphoth: Was he bagman for a bent politician?

Avudh Panananda

The Nation

The story is worthy of a Hollywood movie - Bt18 million in cash stolen from the home of Transport permanent secretary Suphoth Sublom - but the ending might be a disappointment, after all is said and done.

Although many suspect the cash was kickbacks, which came to light following a double-cross, the case is mired by political overtones, which could lead to a whitewash.

A brief recap of what happened might shed light on whether Suphoth is the designated "fall guy".

The burglary took place in the evening of November 12 when Suphoth and family members were at the wedding party of his daughter at a five-star hotel on Wireless Road.

Based on the police report, some five to six men wearing masks and gloves broke into the home and tied up two maids before rushing to Suphoth's bedroom to pry open the closet to get to the cash.

The third maid hid herself in the bathroom and called to alert Suphoth about the crime in progress. He in turn called a police commander asking for a discreet check about the break-in. By the time police arrived at the scene, the burglar suspects had fled in a pick-up truck.

According to their statements, the maids said the burglars said they meant no harm but wanted the cash taken by Suphoth to return to their "boss". The break-in lasted less than 15 minutes.

Suphoth and his wife initially played down the incident as a misunderstanding. National police chief General Priewpan Damapong intervened by assigning his deputy General Panupong Singhara na Ayuthaya to oversee the case.

Within two days, Metropolitan Police Bureau commissioner Lt General Winai Thongsong confirmed Suphoth had given a statement to report Bt5 million in cash missing. The money was given to the bride's parents, a custom known in Thailand as sin sot.

But police sources started leaking a scenario about a double cross in which Suphoth allegedly failed to distribute the kickbacks.

Within four days, police had rounded up two of 11 suspects. In a week police recovered Bt18 million in cash and took a total of eight suspects in custody. One of the suspects is the son of Suphoth's former private secretary.

Winai estimated that the loot would amount to more than Bt100 million.

The burglar suspects curiously flaunted their ill-gotten gains, as if they wanted the police to catch them via a money trail.

And their statements became ready ammunition for Pheu Thai Party to attack their Bhum Jai Thai rivals.

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung has hinted that the kickbacks might be linked to the bidding for extension projects of the mass rapid transit network.

Bhum Jai Thai has rigorously denied any wrongdoing. And Suphoth said he did not have hundreds of millions baht lying around in his home. But no other witness has confirmed how much cash was stolen.

Despite the discovery of ill-gotten money, all parties still claim to be squeaky clean - even the burglar suspects have boasted about their great service in stealing money destined for kickbacks. This is truly amazing.

Suphoth will certainly have a lot of explaining to do about the cash. But graft busters will have a more daunting task to link the cash to any wrongdoing due to the lack of physical evidence and witnesses.

It is too early to write off Suphoth as the "fall guy" because his ties with Pheu Thai and Bhum Jai Thai politicians date back almost a decade. An out-of-turn move might see Suphoth dragging politicians down with him.

-- The Nation 2011-11-29

[geriatrickid]

How does a permanent secretary afford 3 maids on his salary?

Bagman for a bent politican? Not likely. Try for a political party. There is no way he would have been allowed such a fortune without the complicity of some key power brokers.

Thailand is a nation of loose lips aside from accomodating hips.

[hellodolly]

How does a permanent secretary afford 3 maids on his salary?

Bagman for a bent politican? Not likely. Try for a political party. There is no way he would have been allowed such a fortune without the complicity of some key power brokers.

Thailand is a nation of loose lips aside from accomodating hips.

Maybe he is not depended on his salary.

He may come from a money back ground or have married into it.

Perhaps he has made a fortune on the stock market.

Or maybe he got it in kick backs.

Who knows.

You don't

[Gers1873]

Doesnt everyone keep a few million in spare cash lying around

[tragickingdom]

As if Abhisit and his boss Suthep did not know about it.

Edited November 29, 2011 by Scott
formatting

[renaissanc]

This corruption just makes me want to pay my taxes in full every time!

Of course, nothing will happen to Supoj. He'll share around some money and the case will be dropped for lack of evidence and witnesses.

[aaacorp]

How does a permanent secretary afford 3 maids on his salary?

Bagman for a bent politican? Not likely. Try for a political party. There is no way he would have been allowed such a fortune without the complicity of some key power brokers.

Thailand is a nation of loose lips aside from accomodating hips.

Maybe he is not depended on his salary.

He may come from a money back ground or have married into it.

Perhaps he has made a fortune on the stock market.

Or maybe he got it in kick backs.

Who knows.

You don't

Strange comment from you...just replace the name of Suphoth by Thaksin an i am quite sure your comment would be much more suspicious.....

[moonbarman]

How does a permanent secretary afford 3 maids on his salary?

Bagman for a bent politican? Not likely. Try for a political party. There is no way he would have been allowed such a fortune without the complicity of some key power brokers.

Thailand is a nation of loose lips aside from accomodating hips.

Maybe he is not depended on his salary.

He may come from a money back ground or have married into it.

Perhaps he has made a fortune on the stock market.

Or maybe he got it in kick backs.

Who knows.

You don't

Strange comment from you...just replace the name of Suphoth by Thaksin an i am quite sure your comment would be much more suspicious.....

Most of them are bent as 9bob notes and until this gr8 country sorts out the rampant corruption from the top to the bottom it will forever remain in the third world i'm afraid , (just an example, i used to buy the odd cake or fruit say every 3 or 4 weeks for my daughter to take to school for her teacher, but recently she has been asking me to buy more often, she then showed me a card with some stars on and said she needs to take more goodies to school so she can get more stars for her card, needless to say i told her that she does'nt need to take gifts all the time to school and i am stopping buying stuff), i feel like talking to the school about this as i think it is a start to encouraging children to bribe (bit strong word that) give favours for praise in return. talk about start them young my babs only 5yrs old.

[Sydebolle]

What do you know? Sin Sot is the answer; that statement of 5 millions should actually read 500 millions; the police clerk taking the statement mixed up numbers .... happens all the time. Close the case fast without asking WHERE the Sin Sot came from because that is a completely different question all together.

[MaiChai]

Sin sot

[ratcatcher]

Sin sot

Seems as if all these silly sots are sinners.

[janverbeem]

How does a permanent secretary afford 3 maids on his salary?

Bagman for a bent politican? Not likely. Try for a political party. There is no way he would have been allowed such a fortune without the complicity of some key power brokers.

Thailand is a nation of loose lips aside from accomodating hips.

Maybe he is not depended on his salary.

He may come from a money back ground or have married into it.

Perhaps he has made a fortune on the stock market.

Or maybe he got it in kick backs.

Who knows.

You don't

You mean not depended on his salary , same as about every police man in Thailand isn't depended on their salary ?

[swerver]

How does a permanent secretary afford 3 maids on his salary?

Bagman for a bent politican? Not likely. Try for a political party. There is no way he would have been allowed such a fortune without the complicity of some key power brokers.

Thailand is a nation of loose lips aside from accomodating hips.

Maybe he is not depended on his salary.

He may come from a money back ground or have married into it.

Perhaps he has made a fortune on the stock market.

Or maybe he got it in kick backs.

Who knows.

You don't

Strange comment from you...just replace the name of Suphoth by Thaksin an i am quite sure your comment would be much more suspicious.....

Most of them are bent as 9bob notes and until this gr8 country sorts out the rampant corruption from the top to the bottom it will forever remain in the third world i'm afraid , (just an example, i used to buy the odd cake or fruit say every 3 or 4 weeks for my daughter to take to school for her teacher, but recently she has been asking me to buy more often, she then showed me a card with some stars on and said she needs to take more goodies to school so she can get more stars for her card, needless to say i told her that she does'nt need to take gifts all the time to school and i am stopping buying stuff), i feel like talking to the school about this as i think it is a start to encouraging children to bribe (bit strong word that) give favours for praise in return. talk about start them young my babs only 5yrs old.

I have an even more extensive Thai education corruption for you.

This lady has 2-daughters over a year apart which results in being one education level behind each other. The second daughter shows an absolute “Einstein” intelligence.

Students with “Einstein” intelligence in that school sit in air-conditioned classroom.

When “camping” for a weekend travel in air-conditioned bus, stay in air-conditioned hotel; eat in air-conditioned restaurant, served by waiter/waitress.

You got it, all this requires higher tuition.

Having been involved in training in my working life and having been on the Deans List once or twice in my life it comes immediate to my attention that it is an absolute impossibility for a student to be on the Deans List year-after-year without fail. This “Einstein” is on the Deans List year-after-year.

I have never had trainees one year older than the other from the same family, but in this day-and-age of computers it comes immediate to my attention that this so called “Einstein” is picking everything up from the computer what her 1-year older sister left on the computer with all incorrections, corrected.

Don’t teachers pick this up? Doesn’t school administration pick this up? I will not put them down as “sleeping on the job”. I put it down as typical Thai ingrained corruption, in this case, making more money by higher tuition charges. And the chaperones having a nice “camping” weekend, compliments of the parents. Marvelous isn’t it how Thailand works, often with the assistance of Farangs.

The mother is aware of the shenanigan going on; I base that on her – for a while – pulling a fast one on me. She works in an office I have from time-to-time dealings with giving her the opportunity to talk with me, during some of these talks she asked me about areas, places, encounters, etc. during my working life and asked me to run it off on my computer because it is so interesting and her to have it for later reference. What caused an abrupt halt to this, I happen to be in the office and noticed a photo about Holland on her computer with information I had given her. I asked her what she was working on and she said, “……..” needs it for school. I told her, all this information is on the computer I gave her 3-children. She said, “I know but it is difficult for them to do research, this way it is easier.

Remember the teacher’s home work assignment was to do RESEARCH on the computer. Not for me to supply from my own personal experiences.

Anyhow ever since then she and the kids are pissed off. She even told me, “I do not see anything wrong with you giving information, which is very easy for you”.

Easier for me, I guess so, with sixty years working all over the world. TIT.

LOL in LOS.

[Payboy]

3 maids

One to clean the house, one to wash those luxury cars and one to sweep the helipad in his garden.

Edited November 30, 2011 by Payboy

[Acharn]

How does a permanent secretary afford 3 maids on his salary?

Bagman for a bent politican? Not likely. Try for a political party. There is no way he would have been allowed such a fortune without the complicity of some key power brokers.

Thailand is a nation of loose lips aside from accomodating hips.

Maybe he is not depended on his salary.

He may come from a money back ground or have married into it.

Perhaps he has made a fortune on the stock market.

Or maybe he got it in kick backs.

Who knows.

You don't

Good points. Many farangs in Thailand don't realize that there are Thai families/clans that have been devoted to "public service" for centuries. Very rich people, what Americans would call "old money." Even Thaksin was wealthy before he started his political career. I recommend the books of Dr. Pasuk Pongphaichit. She's an economist, but writes great history.

That said, the perception is that the model is Field Marshall Sarit. Born into an impoverished Northeastern farming family, when he died his estate was worth hundreds of millions of dollars (and there were nearly a hundred "minor wives" fighting over it).

[Macmundi]

Just give me the money, kick Chalerm in the nuts, stop bugging Supoj, and everyone return to their daily routines.

[airconsult]

How does a permanent secretary afford 3 maids on his salary?

Bagman for a bent politican? Not likely. Try for a political party. There is no way he would have been allowed such a fortune without the complicity of some key power brokers.

Thailand is a nation of loose lips aside from accomodating hips.

Maybe he is not depended on his salary.

He may come from a money back ground or have married into it.

Perhaps he has made a fortune on the stock market.

Or maybe he got it in kick backs.

Who knows.

You don't

Good points. Many farangs in Thailand don't realize that there are Thai families/clans that have been devoted to "public service" for centuries. Very rich people, what Americans would call "old money." Even Thaksin was wealthy before he started his political career. I recommend the books of Dr. Pasuk Pongphaichit. She's an economist, but writes great history.

That said, the perception is that the model is Field Marshall Sarit. Born into an impoverished Northeastern farming family, when he died his estate was worth hundreds of millions of dollars (and there were nearly a hundred "minor wives" fighting over it).

Of course - this is Thailand - pardon me while I phrase this thought process carefully, as I don't wish to be the next to be accused of libel, but some of this is public record.

Last year the concession from BMA to operate the red and green lines was awarded to SRT-ET - this seemed unusual at the time, and had the result of making BTS shares reduce to almost half their value.

After that, in July a certain executive in BTS began purchasing shares - close to 340m thb worth. But then he is most definitely not top-of-the-chain. (just most obvious)

That's public record - now I speculate a bit - probably valueless, but an interesting idea.

As SRT-ET is wholly-owned by SRT, they requested a budget (assisted by their Chairman Suphoth, appointed in 2009, just after he became Permanent secretary for Transport) - that budget needed to be supported by his boss the minister (BJT party - part of the coalition with the democrat government). In an unusual move, part of that budget included a component (if you believe Chalerm - no comment) for "interest" payments on the commercial loan component of the funding.

This year JBIC jumps to the rescue and offers SRT-ET an interest-free loan - so, with that component not needed (in Chalerm's story) it is quietly distributed to some parties.

Now it gets even more interesting - on Aug22 a certain former politician has a widely reported meeting with Shozobura Jimi, the Japanese Financial Services Minister, in September the JBIC withdraws their loan offer and the sh*t hits the fan at SRT-ET as they no longer have the budget for interest payments. If SRT-ET cannot demonstrate financial ability to carry the project through to completion, then BMA will have to withdraw the concession, and possibly award it to BTS.

What will happen to BTS's share price? If anyone cares to look up which families control BTS Group Holdings Plc (formerly Tanayong Public Company Limited), let me know.

If all this possibly paranoid/rubbish speculation is true, in a way it's fascinating - expose your political opponents to graft/corruption charges, and at the same time make yourself richer.