Civil court lifts DSI's bank account freeze Dr Seri Wongmontha

[webfact]

Civil court lifts DSI's bank account freeze

BANGKOK: -- The Civil court today temporarily lifted the order of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) that freezes the bank accounts of Dr Seri Wongmontha, one of the active anti-government protest leaders, accused of insurrection charge.

A total of seven bank accounts of Dr Seri, well-known as a media personality, academic, and royalist, was frozen by DSI after he was accused of being among the core leaders of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC).

The court ruled that the DSI has overacted in ordering the bank account freeze as the suspect has done nothing that was a threat to national security.

It then temporarily lifted the freeze order and required the DSI to come up with more evidence to support the charge and need to freeze the bank accounts within one week.

The court’s order raised hope for other protest leaders and businessmen whose bank accounts are frozen by the DSI to file same complaint with the Civil Court, and also to bring the DSI chief Mr Tarrit Phengdit to court to demand compensation for damages to their business from his power abuse.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/civil-court-lifts-dsis-bank-account-freeze/

-- Thai PBS 2014-02-13

[zydeco]

Ah, damages are going to come out of his own wallet. Tarit will definitely sit up and think twice again, now that he is literally paying for it.

[ShannonT]

Ah, damages are going to come out of his own wallet. Tarit will definitely sit up and think twice again, now that he is literally paying for it.

Where does it say that Tarit has to pay for it?

[Crushdepth]

Maybe DSI should start enforcing the law based on actual evidence, instead of acting as a government goon squad.

[seajae]

"and also to bring the DSI chief Mr Tarrit Phengdit to court to demand compensation for damages to their business from his power abuse."

for those that cannot get the general gist of it all, this means tarit has to pay for the abuse of his position

[zydeco]

Ah, damages are going to come out of his own wallet. Tarit will definitely sit up and think twice again, now that he is literally paying for it.

Where does it say that Tarit has to pay for it?

Just how dim are you? Read the OP.

[Katipo]

The government have dug themselves into this huge hole. It’s obvious they can’t dig themselves out. Now it seems no one they ask is willing to dig them out either, or even give them a spade for that matter.

The current administration is a sinking ship, and those with any sense have well and truly abandoned her.

[zydeco]

The government have dug themselves into this huge hole. Its obvious they cant dig themselves out. Now it seems no one they ask is willing to dig them out either, or even give them a spade for that matter.

The current administration is a sinking ship, and those with any sense have well and truly abandoned her.

Unfortunately for Tarit, he came to the casino and placed all his chips on red.

[webfact]

Seri wins war to unfreeze his accounts
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Civil Court on Thursday revoked the freezing of bank accounts belonging to former Thammasat University lecturer; Seri Wongmontha, one of core anti-government rally leaders.

The ruling was announced Thursday after Seri Wongmontha sought an injunction from the court against the Department of Special Investigation’s freezing of his seven bank accounts.

DSI director Tarit Pengdith ordered the bank accounts of many rally leaders to be frozen in an attempt to crack down on the protests.

The Court said that an investigation into his accounts had revealed no movement in the accounts and added that these contained only negligible sums of a few hundred or few thousand Baht.

The Court thus ruled that the DSI' order to freeze the accounts was not justified and ordered the agency to put a halt to the freeze within seven days.

Seree, however, was instructed to put in writing a promise that should a future investigation reveal movement of money, he must return the money withdrawn from the bank.


-- The Nation 2014-02-13

[trogers]

Ah, damages are going to come out of his own wallet. Tarit will definitely sit up and think twice again, now that he is literally paying for it.

And whose bank accounts will be frozen by such damages?

[bigbamboo]

Ah, damages are going to come out of his own wallet. Tarit will definitely sit up and think twice again, now that he is literally paying for it.

Where does it say that Tarit has to pay for it?

Just how dim are you? Read the OP.

Maybe he's thinking PT government officials don't usually pay for their mistakes...... they leave that for the Thai people to do.

[chainarong]

In a democracy police officers / DSI need to get a court order to freeze a bank account , Thailand's version of democracy seems to conveniently circumvent this small little matter, thereby giving ultimate power to DSI , which I claim is the junta by another name , in short , officers of the law are there to uphold the law not determine who is guilty, not guilty or who is right or who is wrong.

[mightyatom]

Civil court has set a precedent so all protest accounts should be unfrozen now.

Also, the Cons court also set a precedent today saying protests are legal, so all warrants should now be invalid.

What a great day for the protests.

What a bad day for Thaksin, Chalerm, Tarit, Yingluck and the PTP.... oh, and the red corruption supporting farang of TVF.

Tough look again boys. It's so nice to be on the winning side. You must be sooooooo frustrated.

[LeamchabangLarry]

Ah, damages are going to come out of his own wallet. Tarit will definitely sit up and think twice again, now that he is literally paying for it.

Where does it say that Tarit has to pay for it?

who else is going to pay? The taxpayers?

[JRSoul]

Tarit seems to have forgotten that the function of the supposedly independent agency he heads is to collect evidence. It is the function of the courts to decide innocence or guilt and the punishment of the guilty.

None of the protesters have yet been found guilty of any crime, yet Tarit feels he has the right to intimidate donors and businesses having dealings with them, and to freeze bank accounts which seriously affects their business dealings and reputations. He needs to be forcefully reminded that he heads the DSI, not the Gestapo.

[ggold]

Ah, damages are going to come out of his own wallet. Tarit will definitely sit up and think twice again, now that he is literally paying for it.

Where does it say that Tarit has to pay for it?

If a government official (Tarit) has abused his powers in order to freeze bank accounts, then it is only fair, right and democratic that he should be sued for damages, I think you'll find this happens in the US and EU as well!

Any more dumb questions?

[ggold]

Ah, damages are going to come out of his own wallet. Tarit will definitely sit up and think twice again, now that he is literally paying for it.

I'm waiting to see what happens with the false charges against Abhisit and Suthep! Tarit's chickens are coming home to roost.

[tingtongteesood]

Maybe DSI should start enforcing the law based on actual evidence, instead of acting as a government goon squad.

But....but....but....but....Tarit and Taksin are bestest buddies in the whole wide world and Taksin thinks since he was PM a long time ago, and since he is the real ( caretaker ) PM now, that means that he was and still is above the law and just like when he was PM he thinks he can do whatever he wants as the law doesn't apply to him and he can give that same magic power to anyone he chooses as long as they are trying to make life difficult for his enemies.

Glad the courts don't feel the same way. Enough with the DSI witch hunts, evidence and warrants first please.

[rickirs]

Note to Dr Seri: you have a week to clear out your account!

[wolfmanjack]

In a democracy police officers / DSI need to get a court order to freeze a bank account , Thailand's version of democracy seems to conveniently circumvent this small little matter, thereby giving ultimate power to DSI , which I claim is the junta by another name , in short , officers of the law are there to uphold the law not determine who is guilty, not guilty or who is right or who is wrong.

The regular police freeze accounts without court orders also. They froze my wife's account and she could not even find out who signed the order to freeze it. All the bank would tell her is that it was a police general.

When the police decided she did not do anything wrong they wanted 20% of what was in the account to unfreeze it. She ended up getting a lawyer that made a deal with the police. It ended up costing her a little over 3% to get her account unfroze.

[renaissanc]

When this government is got rid of, Tarit is going to be fired from his position and sued by many people for abuse of power. He will regret selling his soul to Thaksin.

[JRSoul]

For the above and other reasons, I continue to bank with a CU in Oz. They don't charge for overseas withdrawals, which are debited in AU$, though if I use an ATM I pay a THB150 (local) fee.

BUT if I take my VISA debit card and passport into the Thai bank, no fees are charged despite the ream of paperwork generated. Very strange.

Edited February 13, 2014 by JRSoul

[renaissanc]

I look forward to Tarit receiving his Karma. I think that quite a few people will be moving to Dubai soon. He should now go and get a passport made, if he doesn't have one.

[15Peter20]

Is this the camp guy that had the face-off with the guy from Channel 4 news (England) on a stage a few weeks ago? If so, I think he's a <deleted>. If not, i apologize for posting.

Edited February 13, 2014 by 15Peter20

[Ricardo]

Tarit seems to have forgotten that the function of the supposedly independent agency he heads is to collect evidence. It is the function of the courts to decide innocence or guilt and the punishment of the guilty.

None of the protesters have yet been found guilty of any crime, yet Tarit feels he has the right to intimidate donors and businesses having dealings with them, and to freeze bank accounts which seriously affects their business dealings and reputations. He needs to be forcefully reminded that he heads the DSI, not the Gestapo.

But ... but ... he will surely plead, that he was only following orders ?

And the question is ... whose orders ?

[h90]

In a democracy police officers / DSI need to get a court order to freeze a bank account , Thailand's version of democracy seems to conveniently circumvent this small little matter, thereby giving ultimate power to DSI , which I claim is the junta by another name , in short , officers of the law are there to uphold the law not determine who is guilty, not guilty or who is right or who is wrong.

No in case of emergency law or martial law the authorities have extreme powers in every country.

Just in no other country they would invoke emergency law for some relative peaceful demonstrations.

Funny is also that the emergency law is just for a small part of Bangkok...if you leave that area, will they unfreeze your account as you aren't under the emergency law anymore?

[ChrisY1]

Ah, damages are going to come out of his own wallet. Tarit will definitely sit up and think twice again, now that he is literally paying for it.

Where does it say that Tarit has to pay for it?

Agree....Tarit will not pay for anything.....maybe if his PTP pals get the boot....then he may have some reservations about his future.

[BlueNoseCodger]

If you need reminding who Seri Wongmontha is, he's this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lqyyraxBJQ

I think he organizes the Miss International Queen award for Tiffany ladyboy show, and is a media celeb.

He has a PhD in "Journalism and Political Communications" from SIU Carbondale and appears to be a director of NFC Fertlizer.

Edited February 13, 2014 by BlueNoseCodger

[tomacht8]

It looks like that Tarrit Phengdit and the hole DSI do not understand, that they must be a neutral, independent executive body.
Completely regardless of who is sitting in the government.

They must see by themselfs, where the largest organized crime is.

Determine, secure evidence and then pass the cases to the courts / prosecutors.
In this context, it is very bad, that a member of the government like Chalem has here a chairmanseat in the DSI. This must be abolished.

Correct me, if i am wrong, but in the past the DSI also made problems to Taksins partys.
They must stop to cover the goverment.
The DSI as an independent investigative authority would be good.

Why they do not support other independent authorities in the investigation of the rice scheme?
That is also there job!

[fstarbkk]

I look forward to Tarit receiving his Karma. I think that quite a few people will be moving to Dubai soon. He should now go and get a passport made, if he doesn't have one.

Considering how many enemies he's made, he should probably get several passports... under different names!