District head's decision biased, unfair: park chief

The Nation

PHETCHABURI: -- The chief of Kaeng Krachan national park in Phetchaburi lodged a complaint with provincial authorities yesterday, accusing the district chief of being biased, unfair and unprofessional in his decision to not indict a senior policeman for illegal poaching.

In his statement, Chaiwat Limlikhit-aksorn said Suthiphong Tanbunyasiridej, who indicted the other three suspects caught on camera grilling and eating a hunted animal, had not yet investigated the case thoroughly, collected any evidence or even contacted any park officials for additional information.

There were eight men involved in the matter, including the four not captured in the infamous photograph. However, Suthiphong indicted only seven suspects and let the eighth member of the hunting party, Pol Lt-Colonel Theerayuth Katemangmee, off, citing "lack of clarity" of the officer's role.

Theerayuth, a senior officer at Pran Buri police station in neighbouring Prachuap Khiri Khan province, now faces a severe disciplinary probe at the order of deputy national police chief Pol General Pansiri Praphawat. The police chief has also ordered another investigation into Theerayuth not getting indicted, as well as a parallel probe into the poaching and Suthiphong's handling of the case.

Meanwhile Chaiwat said Suthiphong possibly had a bias against Kaeng Krachan park officials because he had made several previous decisions that were in favour of poachers and encroachers.

"In cases where village heads or other officials were arrested for illegal logging or for not taking action against illegal loggers, Suthiphong's decisions were still made in favour of them," Chaiwat said in his complaint.

Upon presenting his statement to Phetchaburi governor Monthian Thongnit, Chaiwat said Suthiphong's claim that the undated photograph was not sufficient evidence against Theerawat was not acceptable.

"If the photo file [given to Suthiphong by forestry officials] is opened on a computer, the date will appear," he said.

The forest chief added that other photographic evidence also submitted to Suthiphong showed the officer grilling and eating a hunted animal with three other suspects was indeed taken in the Kaeng Krachan national park.

-- The Nation 2013-01-26

Pol Lt-Colonel Theerayuth Katemangmee is completely within his rights to break the law and flout his position.

I simple don't understand what all the fuss is about.

Rather than spending his time upholding the law, investigating crime and representing the people who he had previously promised to serve and protect, he has every right go about his own unlawful and illegal business without any sense of accountability, rectitude or professional integrity.

It's really about time that people realised that the kind of attitude and behaviour exhibited by the good officer is perfectly acceptable and, indeed, to be expected.

Edited January 26, 201313 yr by arthurboy

Nothing will ever change unless they start locking up these so called cops and officials that break the law ,it's like if you have a badge you do what you like.jail the pricks

Thing is as long as Thais accept corruption and vote for corrupt people nothing is ever going to change. Thais accept corruption when its good for them, now this is the other side of it. Nothing will ever change until you got a good anti corruption unit not something that is used as a toy by the government.

Removing all those things from the charter that keep the government in check does not help either, there need to be independent organisations to also keep a check on the government. So what YL is doing is real bad and it can only get worse.

Now there is one official with balls, one who is willing to stand up against the cops and others and do his job of protecting the National Park.

Good on you Chaiwat Limlikhit-aksorn if there were more like you the country would be a better place.

Me, I will now go to the Kaeng Krachan national park web site and see if I can post in his support.

One can only hope that Pol Lt-Colonel Theerayuth Katemangmee will one day be grilled and eaten himself and see how he likes it.

Caught eating an animal in a National Forest? What about stealing the National Forests land to build golf courses? Thai's just never seem to get their priorities right.