Saudi Blue Diamond Case Cop To Stay In Jail, 4 Others Sent Up: Bangkok

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Blue Diamond case cop to stay in jail, 4 others sent up

Kesinee Tangkhieo

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Appeals Court yesterday upheld the 20-year prison sentence on Police Lt Gen Chalor Kerdthes, the former crimebuster who was at the centre of the infamous Saudi Blue Diamond case, for abusing authority, suspect extortion and embezzlement of jewellery evidence.

Chalor's four police subordinates, who had been acquitted by the lower court, were also given jail terms on the same charges.

The Appeals Court verdict was read at Bangkok's Ratchadapisek Criminal Court yesterday morning. It told how Chalor and others were investigating the jewellery theft by Thai worker Kriengkrai Techamong who stole the valuables worth Bt500 million while in Saudi Arabia and sold them to businessman Santi Srithanakhan.

The lawsuit said the defendants had extorted money from suspects in the case several times over -Bt3 million, Bt660,000, and Bt1.2 million - in exchange for not arresting them for having the stolen items in their possession. The defendants were accused of abusing their authority by also embezzling some of the jewellery while investigating the theft case.

The lower court gave Chalor a 20year jail term and Rittisart Kaewdej sevenyears' imprisonment -reduced to four years and eight months. Four others were acquitted because of insufficient evidence against them.

Yesterday the Appeals Court upheld the 20year jail term for Chalor and corrected the acquittal for four other men. Colonel Prasert Jantrapipat was given 10 years in jail, while Pol Sen Sgt Maj Teng Tippalawong, Pol Sgt Maj Sanit Kawicha and Pol Sgt Maj Sawek Kanthama were each given sevenyear jail terms. Since Teng and Sanit returned the Bt200,000 cash evidence, the court further reduced their sentences to four years and eight months.

The lower court trial for this case had taken 13 years, while the Appeals Court trial took another six years. Chalor and the others were also sued for the murder of Santi's wife and son, for which Chalor was sentenced to death. Santi was given a threeyear jail for taking stolen items into his possession.

-- The Nation 2012-02-10

[Briggsy]

Are they actually in prison or are body doubles there for them? I won't find the answer on Thai Visa.

[champken]

Because this was a high profile case in which the Saudi government became involved, some sort of justice was meted out to those bent cops, however this kind of extortion and corruption is so widespread within the Thai police and who in almost all other cases can act without any fear of prosecution

[EyesWideOpen]

Here is my idea. Whatever hiso has the blue diamond, just return it. Then thousands of Isan people can now go back to Saudi Arabia and have high paying jobs. Each person could then pay a small amount each month into a diamond fund. Then , pretty soon, there would be enough money for the hiso to buy another diamond. And the workers would still have jobs !!! Problem solved !!!!! This case is the ULTIMATE black eye for the Thai police. I am amazed they have not gone farther to bring closure to this case. But I suppose in the end they do not really care. Sigh....... They seem to be pretty good at beating confessions and information out of regular Thai people. They should use the same techniques on Chalor and find out what really happened..... :-)

[anterian]

Here is my idea. Whatever hiso has the blue diamond, just return it. Then thousands of Isan people can now go back to Saudi Arabia and have high paying jobs. Each person could then pay a small amount each month into a diamond fund. Then , pretty soon, there would be enough money for the hiso to buy another diamond. And the workers would still have jobs !!! Problem solved !!!!! This case is the ULTIMATE black eye for the Thai police. I am amazed they have not gone farther to bring closure to this case. But I suppose in the end they do not really care. Sigh....... They seem to be pretty good at beating confessions and information out of regular Thai people. They should use the same techniques on Chalor and find out what really happened..... :-)

You obviously don't know the full history of this case!!

[cloudhopper]

Here is my idea. Whatever hiso has the blue diamond, just return it. Then thousands of Isan people can now go back to Saudi Arabia and have high paying jobs. Each person could then pay a small amount each month into a diamond fund. Then , pretty soon, there would be enough money for the hiso to buy another diamond. And the workers would still have jobs !!! Problem solved !!!!! This case is the ULTIMATE black eye for the Thai police. I am amazed they have not gone farther to bring closure to this case. But I suppose in the end they do not really care. Sigh....... They seem to be pretty good at beating confessions and information out of regular Thai people. They should use the same techniques on Chalor and find out what really happened..... :-)

You obviously don't know the full history of this case!!

Yep.

"They" know what happened to it.

Chalor took one for the team. The team couldn't care less about 100,000 workers from Isaan.

edit spelling

Edited February 10, 2012 by cloudhopper

[ronniec]

so when is he to be executed???

[cloudhopper]

so when is he to be executed???

He already had his death sentence reduced to 20 years.

Look for further reductions...

[EyesWideOpen]

Here is my idea. Whatever hiso has the blue diamond, just return it. Then thousands of Isan people can now go back to Saudi Arabia and have high paying jobs. Each person could then pay a small amount each month into a diamond fund. Then , pretty soon, there would be enough money for the hiso to buy another diamond. And the workers would still have jobs !!! Problem solved !!!!! This case is the ULTIMATE black eye for the Thai police. I am amazed they have not gone farther to bring closure to this case. But I suppose in the end they do not really care. Sigh....... They seem to be pretty good at beating confessions and information out of regular Thai people. They should use the same techniques on Chalor and find out what really happened..... :-)

You obviously don't know the full history of this case!!

I actually do know the history of this case , and have in fact researched it extensively. Using sources outside of Thailand....... :-)

[GentlemanJim]

Here is my idea. Whatever hiso has the blue diamond, just return it. Then thousands of Isan people can now go back to Saudi Arabia and have high paying jobs. Each person could then pay a small amount each month into a diamond fund. Then , pretty soon, there would be enough money for the hiso to buy another diamond. And the workers would still have jobs !!! Problem solved !!!!! This case is the ULTIMATE black eye for the Thai police. I am amazed they have not gone farther to bring closure to this case. But I suppose in the end they do not really care. Sigh....... They seem to be pretty good at beating confessions and information out of regular Thai people. They should use the same techniques on Chalor and find out what really happened..... :-)

You obviously don't know the full history of this case!!

I actually do know the history of this case , and have in fact researched it extensively. Using sources outside of Thailand....... :-)

Well if you really knew what has gone on you would not have written your first 13 words.

[anterian]

Here is my idea. Whatever hiso has the blue diamond, just return it. Then thousands of Isan people can now go back to Saudi Arabia and have high paying jobs. Each person could then pay a small amount each month into a diamond fund. Then , pretty soon, there would be enough money for the hiso to buy another diamond. And the workers would still have jobs !!! Problem solved !!!!! This case is the ULTIMATE black eye for the Thai police. I am amazed they have not gone farther to bring closure to this case. But I suppose in the end they do not really care. Sigh....... They seem to be pretty good at beating confessions and information out of regular Thai people. They should use the same techniques on Chalor and find out what really happened..... :-)

You obviously don't know the full history of this case!!

I actually do know the history of this case , and have in fact researched it extensively. Using sources outside of Thailand....... :-)

Well if you really knew what has gone on you would not have written your first 13 words.

It would seem that your research did not mention the last sighting of the blue diamond

[cloudhopper]

I actually do know the history of this case , and have in fact researched it extensively.

Term paper? I know, it's none of my business anyway but just curious what justified all that effort. I'm usually too impaired to do extensive research myself so when something like this comes up I just do a google image search for 'saudi blue diamond' or something like that.

[EyesWideOpen]

Here is my idea. Whatever hiso has the blue diamond, just return it. Then thousands of Isan people can now go back to Saudi Arabia and have high paying jobs. Each person could then pay a small amount each month into a diamond fund. Then , pretty soon, there would be enough money for the hiso to buy another diamond. And the workers would still have jobs !!! Problem solved !!!!! This case is the ULTIMATE black eye for the Thai police. I am amazed they have not gone farther to bring closure to this case. But I suppose in the end they do not really care. Sigh....... They seem to be pretty good at beating confessions and information out of regular Thai people. They should use the same techniques on Chalor and find out what really happened..... :-)

You obviously don't know the full history of this case!!

I actually do know the history of this case , and have in fact researched it extensively. Using sources outside of Thailand....... :-)

Well if you really knew what has gone on you would not have written your first 13 words.

Tongue in cheek humor...

[marquess]

I think that before that Blue Diamond is given up, half the country would have to be in ruins! Sia Na doesn't go down well here!

[Scott]

This case started when I first moved to Thailand. I followed it for years. A very fascinating case.

[wxyz]

A prime example of Thainess.

Edited February 10, 2012 by wxyz

[EyesWideOpen]

I have often thought it would make a terrific movie. But I suspect if you wrote the screen play, you would not be allowed back in Thailand.......... :-)

[HerbalEd]

Are they actually in prison or are body doubles there for them? I won't find the answer on Thai Visa.

Maybe you'll find the answer in your common sense.

[HerbalEd]

A prime example of Thainess.

A prime example of another TV cynic. Do things like this only happen in Thailand?

[EyesWideOpen]

A prime example of Thainess.

A prime example of another TV cynic. Do things like this only happen in Thailand?

You mean things like the head of police for an entire country being involved in murder and extortion ?? Yeah I would guess only in Thailand.....

[z12]

Very interesting story. To see a pic of the blue diamond, google saudi blue diamond.

The Saudis quickly discovered that as many as three-quarters of the returned pieces were fakes, some very crude.

http://cominganarchy...thai-relations/

Edited February 11, 2012 by z12

[Scott]

I have often thought it would make a terrific movie. But I suspect if you wrote the screen play, you would not be allowed back in Thailand.......... :-)

I bet a lot of people simply would not believe it.

Life is stranger than fiction sometimes.