Thailand's DSI 'allowing itself to be manipulated'

[webfact]

DSI 'allowing itself to be manipulated'
OPAS BOONLOM,
PIYANUT TUMNUKASETCHAI
THE NATION



CRITICS FAULT THE CHOICE OF CASES BEING TAKEN UP BY TOP CRIME INVESTIGATION AGENCY

BANGKOK: -- FOUNDED 11 years ago as a civilian crime investigation agency, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has lately been questioned over its stance inconsistent with professional ethics and authoritative guidelines - following a number of its decisions seen as favouring the Pheu Thai-led government politically.

A former deputy director-general, Phinyo Thongchai, said he disagreed with a recent DSI decision, which had been ridiculed heavily on online media by opponents of the ruling party - after DSI director-general Tarit Pengdith announced that the DSI would take up what seemed to be a conventional defamation case between a Democrat MP and Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Deputy Democrat spokeswoman Mallika Boonmeetrakool allegedly slandered Yingluck, through a comment on her Facebook page, coupled with an allusion relying on a Photoshopped image mocking the government leader. "Does this case have an impact on national security, or personally on an individual? Then the DSI must take action over numerous comments slandering a government leader on social media," said Phinyo.

The DSI had taken little action over lese majeste cases posted on numerous websites, which Phinyo said was a crime affecting state security under the Criminal Code Article 112. It was a syndicated act, which Phinyo said had been carried out systematically by people with the same motive.

-- The Nation 2013-09-02
Phinyo, now retired, said the DSI authoritative guidelines should remain the same - based on the original objectives why this department was set up under the Justice Ministry to counterbalance the police - to handle complicated crimes, crimes with economic impact, syndicated crimes and crimes by influential figures.

He said the present DSI should especially look into cases involving money-laundering, smuggling of luxury cars and goods, tax and import tariff frauds, contraband trade and forgery of identity cards for illegal immigrants. "The DSI must not be under political influence, and stick only to cases considered special," he added.

Phinyo cited two high-profile cases the DSI should not have taken up in the first place - donations by Democrat MPs through deduction from their salaries to the party's bank account, and a Bt1-million donation by East Water Co to help people suffering from the massive flooding in 2011 through the opposition party.

Regarding the case of the death of billionaire businessman Akeyuth Anchanbutr, a critic of Pheu Thai's de facto leader Thaksin, Phinyo said it should be investigated by the police as it has been - not by the DSI like many people wanted. "It is a common murder case but the public prosecutors may want the police to further probe into it, and by then the case might be taken over by the DSI," he added.

Former interior and justice minister Purachai Piumsombun said he would put the blame on the DSI's special board, which was authorised to approve which criminal cases to take. "The board must not favour any political party but stick to the principle that it has to serve only the country. The board must not accept any case which does not fall under its authoritative guidelines," he added.

Purachai said the DSI was not founded to handle political cases and it would one day be reformed if its credibility dropped and the criticism against it was louder, if the board failed to follow the authoritative guidelines.


-- The Nation 2013-09-02

[NongKhaiKid]

DSI may be manipulated but they are most definitely complicit in how they are used.

Maybe I'm being too harsh as TIT and officials don't usually go against their lords and masters, well not if they want to keep their job that is but Tarit always shows undue haste to please when it comes to certain cases.

Independence is only a word here with no real meaning.

[noitom]

Of course every case in Thailand for any charge is rigged. The world knows that Thailand is a very corrupt and rigged culture and society. It's application of rule of law is especially troubling.

[Curt1591]

Thailand is one, big, manipulation machine.

It doesn't matter what party is in office, the bigger machine keeps on ticking.

[dominique355]

DSI is not only manipulated (passive) but also manipulates (active).

How would one rate DSI's objectivity and impartiality if DSI investigates and accuses Abhisit and Suthep but not Tarit, although Tarit was in the same committee, bearing the same responsibility?

Could it be because Tarit is the DSI boss? Na... impossible!

[Baerboxer]

Very good comments from the retired Deputy Director. Will anything be don about it.............................. don't hold your breath.

[chainarong]

Since the PTP settled into the arrangement at the house of the people, (Parliament), the PTP have tried to influence the operations of not only the DSI but other government and semi Gov agency's , in the name of Democracy , PTP haven't come to terms with what democracy really is yet, so they have a half hearted go at, Junta style ( They know that very well) and Democracy ending up with nothing, DSI stands out alongside the constitutional court as glaring examples of an administration that runs it's self for itself and stuff the people, the trouble with DSI is that it also has political ambition and will side with anyone to get ahead, this is generally called a!!se licking. This type of behaviour can cause state disappearances , further down the track, as reported end of last week in Thaivisa, one must be always careful in Thailand.

[Emdog]

Like most media massage parlors and manipulation, I guess they hope for "happy ending"

[tomross46]

The DSI is a bureaucracy, just like the large amount of three letter bureaucracy through the world. They follow the instructions of whom ever is in power. The IRS takes action against the people that are opposed the administration, NSA listenes to the people and the FBI investigates them. This is all part of politics

[giggles]

a whiff of a fat wad of purples will always have an effect

Edited September 2, 2013 by giggles

[jpeg]

Thais and expats alike have been banging on about how 'the DSI are now on Phuket to change things'. Poor deluded souls that they are, all that's happened is the harassing of a few 'potential' 'foreign overstayers', the upping of taxi 'meters' already flat rate charge, and sod all else.

The only time I saw the DSI actually doing anything, was going after a Norwegian (farang - wonder if they'd bothered if the culprit had been another Thai?), suspected of, literally, binning, his wife/girlfriend after the Thai family had failed to get the local police to inquire as to their missing daughter a few years back.

[khunken]

Interesting that Purachai - a Thaksin appointee who proved too honest - has criticised the DSI for not keeping out of political cases.

It has totally lost its way and shows every sign of manipulation by the PTP. I wonder who is Tarit's current boss. Before he was downgraded it was Chalerm. Is he still the manipulator?

[tingtongteesood]

Maybe if PM YS actually did her job instead of skiving off and showed that she wasn't a mere puppet of her criminal brother and the country had improved in some ways over the last 2 years, maybe people would have a smidgin of respect for her. But when she is doing the crappy job she is and the country is going to hell the way it is, she should be criticised. It is NOT slander to call a spade a spade. As they say 'The truth hurts'.