Two politicians, two officials surrender over Phuket taxi crimes

[webfact]

Two politicians, two officials surrender over Phuket taxi crimes
Tanyaluk Sakoot

PHUKET: -- Four men – two local politicians and two officials – this morning (June 25) surrendered at Phuket Provincial Police HQ to answer charges of supporting the alleged illegal activities of their boss, the Karon Mayor Thawee Thongchan.

Thawee himself surrendered on June 4 to answer charges of supporting mafia taxi activities in the Karon area, abusing his position to allow the taxi drivers to use a public sala as a taxi station, and allowing them to use, free, electricity and water that are paid for from national coffers.

The four who surrendered today are the two deputy mayors, Aithipon Sangkeaw and Sompong Kapphet, the town clerk (palad), Veerasak Anek-andsawat, and the head of the town’s planning department.

Following up on information from the 108 taxi and tuk-tuk drivers arrested at the beginning of June, police have spent the intervening time investigating the influential four, believed to be behind much of the extortion, threats and other misbehavior of the taxi drivers.

Maj Gen Paween Pongsirin, Commander of the General Staff Division, Provincial Police Region 8, who has been working on the Phuket taxi crackdown for months, told The Phuket News, “We have all the necessary evidence to arrest [the four]. We are sure of every piece of evidence that points to them.”

At least one of the four is unusually rich. It was confirmed that Veerasak alone had B128 million in his bank account.

As the four were taken away to be booked and to give statements, Gen Paween, along with his boss, Lt Gen Panya Mamen and the caretaker police chief of Phuket, Maj Gen Krajang Suwannarat, filed into the room where the taxi crimes investigation is being coordinated, and discussed the 21 files on the table, each one containing evidence against a politician or government official.

They questioned investigators on progress and then gave approval for follow-up steps the investigators plan to take.

Gen Panya expressed his satisfaction with progress. He added, “We are collecting evidence concerning [taxi crimes] at Phuket International Airport and in Patong area.

Noting that there had been no serious cases of witnesses being threatened, he urged anyone with evidence to come forward.

This afternoon, while the two mayors and two bureaucrats remain in custody, their homes are to be searched for more evidence.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/two-politicians-two-officials-surrender-over-phuket-taxi-crimes-47045.php

-- Phuket News 2014-06-25

[clockman]

Good job.

[CWMcMurray]

So 21 files and 4 arrested.. So seems like the word is out that 17 more arrests to come shortly

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[steelepulse]

>>Veerasak alone had B128 million in his bank account

That's some pretty nice remuneration for being a gov't public servant!

Nice to see they are going after some of the bigger fish that has led to all the ugliness involved in the local transport business. Follow the money!

[Just1Voice]

Overheard in Phuket police station:

Suspect: "Do you know who my father is!"

Police: "Yeah, and we got a warrant for his ass as well."

[NamKangMan]

>>Veerasak alone had B128 million in his bank account

That's some pretty nice remuneration for being a gov't public servant!

Nice to see they are going after some of the bigger fish that has led to all the ugliness involved in the local transport business. Follow the money!

Similar to when Thaksin fled the country, the 128 million baht is only the money he wanted to be discovered.

How much more is offshore, for a rainy day?

[Misterwhisper]

Bravo!

It appears in merely one month of military rule there have been more arrests of previously untouchable criminal bigwigs than in all those many years of Shinawatra "democracy".

Now the crooks are even starting to surrender themselves voluntarily.

I hope this all is going to continue. Thailand really needs a very very thorough clean-up.

[soalbundy]

128 million ? i wish i could be bribed,i'm sure i'd be good at it.

[Rykbanlor]

Its the Second coming of Serpico!

Thai truck drivers have been predicting this for years:

[soalbundy]

Its the Second coming of Serpico!

Thai truck drivers have been predicting this for years:

Who's Serpico ?

[monkeycountry]

If they really want people in jail, it would be quite easy.

Check how much money they have, and ask them to prove source of income. If they cannot, go to jail.

If they can, then ask them to show tax payments on this income, if they cannot, go to jail.

Some may pass the first test, but none will pass the second, hence all go to jail.

[soalbundy]

If they really want people in jail, it would be quite easy.

Check how much money they have, and ask them to prove source of income. If they cannot, go to jail.

If they can, then ask them to show tax payments on this income, if they cannot, go to jail.

Some may pass the first test, but none will pass the second, hence all go to jail.

Spoilsport

[Thaddeus]

Its the Second coming of Serpico!

Thai truck drivers have been predicting this for years:

Who's Serpico ?

An above average movie with a great actor.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070666/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_45

[vogie]

Its the Second coming of Serpico!

Thai truck drivers have been predicting this for years:

Who's Serpico ?

The president of Chile

[Tatsujin]

They need to implement "monitoring" of Government/Police/Military officials banking accounts as standard practice . . . "unusually rich" is a <deleted> understatement . . .

[BanTamo]

@soalbundy - Google is faster...

[ZigZagMan]

Just a bit curious if the officials being targeted are affiliated with the red shirt movement or is the Army being even handed, investigating both red and yellow scammers?

[steelepulse]

Just a bit curious if the officials being targeted are affiliated with the red shirt movement or is the Army being even handed, investigating both red and yellow scammers?

Phuket is a yellow province not a red province, hence why we never get enough funds from BKK. Officials are being targeted because they took in huge amounts of bribes and let the local thugs do what they want at the expense of everyone else. Local officials are just plain corrupt.