Rape-Murder Suspect Exposes State Railway's Shortcomings

[Lite Beer]

Rape-Murder Suspect Exposes State Railway's Shortcomings

By Khaosod Eng.

BANGKOK — Fresh details about state railway employee who confessed to raping and murdering a girl on an overnight train have shed light on widespread nepotism and negligence within the State Railway of Thailand (SRT).

Wanchai Saengkhao, 22, confessed yesterday to raping a 13-year-old girl on the Surat Thani - Bangkok train in the early morning of 6 July and throwing her body overboard afterwards.

The girl was initially reported missing by her relatives, who were also on the train with her. After a large-scale search party was launched, the girl's body was found next to the train tracks in Prachuap Kiri Khan province.

The case has sparked an outrage in Thai society, with many people pointing the finger at the SRT for its lax security measures on board the train and failure to properly screen its employees.

Drug and alcohol abuse

According Mr Wanchai’s testimony, he took two amphetamine tablets at the train station in Nakhon Si Thammarat province before starting his shift, and took another tablet while was working onboard the train.

Mr Wanchai told police today that he first noticed the victim when he and three other employees were drinking beer together in car number 3. Mr. Wanchai said he was sexually aroused by the girl and plotted to rape her.

When the train entered Prachuap Kiri Khan, Mr. Wanchai shut down the lights in the car where the victim was sleeping. Shortly after midnight, he entered her sleeping cabin, knocked her unconscious, and sexually assaulted her, Mr. Wanchai told police. When the victim started to regain consciousness, Mr. Wanchai sexually assaulted her again and decided to throw her body out the window to hide the evidence, according to his testimony.

He said the victim was still alive when he threw her onto the rail track.

Mr. Wanchai's testimony has raised concerns about why SRT officials were able to freely drink alcoholic beverages and take narcotics while on the job.

Many also remain baffled at how a single train employee managed to turn off the lights in the sleeping car and rape a train passenger without raising the suspicions of other staff.

The SRT's screening procedure for new employees has also come under scrutiny after Mr. Wanchai confessed to police that he has previously raped two other women on trains. Mr. Wanchai said but the other two victims were too embarrassed to file charges with the police.

Rampant Nepotism

Prapat Chongsaguan, governor of the SRT, admitted in an interview today that Mr. Wanchai might have been able to secure his employment through a close relationship he had with another train official. The official, who Mr. Prapat did not identify by name, may have also helped erase Mr. Wanchai's criminal records from the SRT database.

Mr. Wanchai was one of 90 new employees who successfully passed a screening on 16 June, said Mr. Prapat, who took up the top job in November 2012. Mr. Prapat said the SRT plans to re-examine the backgrounds of the other new employees that were hired alongside Mr. Winchai and establish whether they passed the selection because of connections with senior officials.

"The problem with "favourite kids" who come to work in SRT is that they think they have the privilege over other people. They dare to do everything they please, like drinking alcohol during their shift, even though the rules say they will be fired," Mr. Prapat said. "The "favourite kids" have connection with all the troubles."

Mr. Prapat vowed to punish all officials involved in the incident without prejudice or undue protection, including the three staff who were reportedly drinking with Mr. Wanchai shortly before he allegedly committed the crime.

The SRT governor admitted that the SRT is plagued by a "strange allocation of power," which employees often exploit in matters of recruitment.

"There are many strange things in the SRT," Mr. Prapat said, citing how he was not informed about the rape of a woman onboard a train by an SRT official in 2003 until yesterday.

"No one gave me information about it at all. I just started working here for over a year, so I have no access to information about what happened 10 years ago."

Prasit Jindasi, director of SRT's recruitment unit, said he is currently evaluating the 90 employees who were hired in the same batch as Mr. Wanchai.

He claimed that none of the 90 new staff had criminal records, although he admitted that the SRT did not look into the criminal record of Mr. Wanchai before he was given the job. Mr. Prasit blamed the police for their delay in sending files to the SRT.

Mr. Prasit insisted that he has no personal connection with the suspect.

"I don't know him. I have not even seen his face before," Mr. Prasit said in an interview. "He was under my responsibility, but I also have more than 250 staff under my watch, so I do not know him."

Source: http://en.khaosod.co.th/detail.php?newsid=1404910579

-- Khaosod English 2014-07-09

[Cuchulainn]

.............."No one gave me information about it at all. I just started working here for over a year, so I have no access to information about what happened 10 years ago."...............

No, you're only the governor of the Railways. You obviously know nothing.

[UbonRatch]

I'd really like to know how criminal records are filed in this country. It is obvious there is no database, and anybody connected gets no record. I was going to suggest the culprit had done this before, but I guess it was too obvious.

So he knows a daddy or uncle or aunt, who employed him, and he's probably been stealing items to pay off his little pay back debts since day one! Glad they'll check the 90 employees of the one supplier of staff, and not the whole of Thai state railway enterprises.. Typical Thainess.. we'll take a short-cut, and all will be ok. No loss of face for us lot.... he was acting solo. <deleted> to the lot.... it just gets worse every day, this lack of ability to do things in full!

[ClutchClark]

This is a more informative OP and removes much of the speculation on how the assault/murder was able to occur.

Now comes the arduous process of establishing what responsibility the RR had and might have possibly prevented.

If a relative has deleted or altered employment records that allowed the assailant to be hired then there should be some level of punishment for that action as well.

However, at this time, I have yet to see why Prapat should lose his position. Hopefully, details will continue to be forthcoming as the investigation continues.

[HooHaa]

rape-murder Suspect?

[louialive]

"Mr. Wanchai confessed to police that he has previously raped two other women on trains. Mr. Wanchai said but the other two victims were too embarrassed to file charges with the police"

So according to the article this guy was employed 16th June and in less than a month he raped 3 females killing that poor 13 year old (doesn't say say the age of the other two). Unbelievable.

[Thai at Heart]

Well of course if you allow employees to get drunk on trains on the job, bad stuff happens.

[ClutchClark]

Well of course if you allow employees to get drunk on trains on the job, bad stuff happens.

He was off duty so its like saying if you let anyone get drunk then bad stuff happens.

[Richan]

Well of course if you allow employees to get drunk on trains on the job, bad stuff happens.

He was off duty so its like saying if you let anyone get drunk then bad stuff happens.

Read the OP, please!

[ClutchClark]

Well of course if you allow employees to get drunk on trains on the job, bad stuff happens.

He was off duty so its like saying if you let anyone get drunk then bad stuff happens.

Read the OP, please!

I read the OP. It does not specifically state he was working his shift.

Other reports stated he had specifically finished his shift.

Perhaps the reports were incorrect; however, this report does not clearly indicate his status at the time he was drinking.

What was his job title?

What was his job description?

Perhaps you could enlighten me on all these things and why it is you know he was on duty.

As for the post I had responded to--it is a big leap to say that drinking on duty would lead to bad things like rape & murder.

Edited July 9, 2014 by ClutchClark

[surangw]

.............."No one gave me information about it at all. I just started working here for over a year, so I have no access to information about what happened 10 years ago."...............

No, you're only the governor of the Railways. You obviously know nothing.

and which one of his relatives got him his job ?

[surangw]

I'd really like to know how criminal records are filed in this country. It is obvious there is no database, and anybody connected gets no record. I was going to suggest the culprit had done this before, but I guess it was too obvious.

So he knows a daddy or uncle or aunt, who employed him, and he's probably been stealing items to pay off his little pay back debts since day one! Glad they'll check the 90 employees of the one supplier of staff, and not the whole of Thai state railway enterprises.. Typical Thainess.. we'll take a short-cut, and all will be ok. No loss of face for us lot.... he was acting solo. <deleted> to the lot.... it just gets worse every day, this lack of ability to do things in full!

" Glad they'll check the 90 employees of the one supplier of staff" which probably amounts to asking them if they have a criminal record.

[IMA_FARANG]

rape-murder Suspect?

------------------------

Yes, suspect.

Like it our not he has not yet been proven guilty and therefore until he is he must be a "suspect".

That's what it means to be, "presumed innocent until proven guilty".

Would you rather have it the other way?

As in "presumed guilty until proven innocent"?

Edited July 9, 2014 by IMA_FARANG

[jaltsc]

"Mr. Wanchai was one of 90 new employees who successfully passed a screening on 16 June,"

"Screening" which probably consisted of who they knew/were related to, or "Is that thousand baht note for me?"

[Thai at Heart]

Well of course if you allow employees to get drunk on trains on the job, bad stuff happens.

He was off duty so its like saying if you let anyone get drunk then bad stuff happens.

According Mr Wanchais testimony, he took two amphetamine tablets at the train station in Nakhon Si Thammarat province before starting his shift, and took another tablet while was working onboard the train.

Mr Wanchai told police today that he first noticed the victim when he and three other employees were drinking beer together in car number 3. Mr. Wanchai said he was sexually aroused by the girl and plotted to rape her.

Where on earth do you get that conclusion that he was off duty?

[tartempion]

According Mr Wanchai’s testimony, he took two amphetamine tablets at the train station in Nakhon Si Thammarat province before starting his shift, and took another tablet while was working onboard the train.

Mr Wanchai told police today that he first noticed the victim when he and three other employees were drinking beer together in car number 3. Mr. Wanchai said he was sexually aroused by the girl and plotted to rape her.

Taking amphetamine tablets whilst working and drinking beer with 3 other employees, does the SRT think that is acceptable work behavior? Have these 3 other drinking partners been fired already???

Will they immediately clean up that mess??? Have they?

[kurnell]

I see Thai boys drunk at work on a daily basis.So much for the joy of just being Thai

[ClutchClark]

Well of course if you allow employees to get drunk on trains on the job, bad stuff happens.

He was off duty so its like saying if you let anyone get drunk then bad stuff happens.

According Mr Wanchais testimony, he took two amphetamine tablets at the train station in Nakhon Si Thammarat province before starting his shift, and took another tablet while was working onboard the train.

Mr Wanchai told police today that he first noticed the victim when he and three other employees were drinking beer together in car number 3. Mr. Wanchai said he was sexually aroused by the girl and plotted to rape her.

Where on earth do you get that conclusion that he was off duty?

From another article which indicated his shift had ended and he was drinking after his shift.

I was hopeful you could shed light on the nature of his job but I now see you are quite hung up on this.

[Thai at Heart]

Well of course if you allow employees to get drunk on trains on the job, bad stuff happens.

He was off duty so its like saying if you let anyone get drunk then bad stuff happens.

According Mr Wanchais testimony, he took two amphetamine tablets at the train station in Nakhon Si Thammarat province before starting his shift, and took another tablet while was working onboard the train.

Mr Wanchai told police today that he first noticed the victim when he and three other employees were drinking beer together in car number 3. Mr. Wanchai said he was sexually aroused by the girl and plotted to rape her.

Where on earth do you get that conclusion that he was off duty?

From another article which indicated his shift had ended and he was drinking after his shift.

I was hopeful you could shed light on the nature of his job but I now see you are quite hung up on this.

He was the bloke who put out the bedding . either way he's an SRT employee on a train, drunk and high. I don't see much relevance to whether he's on duty or not.

If the SRT rules allow him to get drunk on a train "between" shifts I suggest they revisit this idea. Wouldn't he be expected to have a role during an accident? Or does that type of thing not extend to all employees?

[thesetat2013]

"I don't know him. I have not even seen his face before," Mr. Prasit said in an interview. "He was under my responsibility, but I also have more than 250 staff under my watch, so I do not know him."

Maybe he didn't know him personally however there is more than a good chance that he was asked to approve the hire by someone he did know that knew him. Also, How is it that this man is the only person out of 90 new hires that escaped a background check unless he had connections that deliberately overlooked that part of the process?

It would seem that someone pulled the strings to stop a check on him. Maybe Mr. Prasit should look into his upper level staff to see who was supposed to do this job and didn't as well as who recommended he be chosen for this job. Typical Thai behavior is shown in this OP. I don't know! It was not my fault. It's the police's fault for not supplying information in time. Not mine!! How pathetic! This man should be quitting his job in shame as well as all who were part if this mans position in SRT. I hope the Junta gets involved other than ordering a fast hearing for the rapist/murderer.

[h90]

According Mr Wanchai’s testimony, he took two amphetamine tablets at the train station in Nakhon Si Thammarat province before starting his shift, and took another tablet while was working onboard the train.

Mr Wanchai told police today that he first noticed the victim when he and three other employees were drinking beer together in car number 3. Mr. Wanchai said he was sexually aroused by the girl and plotted to rape her.

Taking amphetamine tablets whilst working and drinking beer with 3 other employees, does the SRT think that is acceptable work behavior? Have these 3 other drinking partners been fired already???

Will they immediately clean up that mess??? Have they?

They should be all fired right.

But the discussion is off topic. The drinking and 2 amphetamine tables don't make you rape anyone.

While I was often drunk in my life I never thought of raping someone. There are a lot parties where everyone takes ecstasy and no one rapes someone.

It is a rapist who without drugs might have been too afraid of the consequences. But neither the alc nor the amphetamines are the cause.

As well he raped other women before and he had a drug history....no one can tell me that noone of his workmates knew it.

[doremifasol]

"No one gave me information about it at all. I just started working here for over a year, so I have no access to information about what happened 10 years ago."

And that has to be the passenger's f@king problem because?????

Mr. Prapat, since no body tells you what's going on with your staff,

you might want to check the officials working on the night train to Nong Kai

at the restaurant including the women.

TOTALLY WASTED!!!!!!!!!

Edited July 10, 2014 by doremifasol

[blacksuitdandruff]

sounds more like a gang rape and he bit the bullet for his friends/co-workers.

RIP

truly horrible.

[tomyummer]

A ferry sinks in South Korea and the Prime Minister resigns as it was under his watch. In Thailand they distance themselves from the incident and make all the excuses they can come up with. Now there's a ban on selling alcohol on the trains. Perfect reasoning.

[klauskunkel]

"No one gave me information about it at all. I just started working here for over a year, so I have no access to information about what happened 10 years ago."

sniff...,"this was supposed to be an easy position, nobody said anything to me about difficulties...how could I know...what would I have done if I knew...this is very complicated and it makes my brain hurt...I want to go home and play Facebook..." sniff, sniff, whine, whine

[Richan]

Well of course if you allow employees to get drunk on trains on the job, bad stuff happens.

He was off duty so its like saying if you let anyone get drunk then bad stuff happens.

According Mr Wanchais testimony, he took two amphetamine tablets at the train station in Nakhon Si Thammarat province before starting his shift, and took another tablet while was working onboard the train.

Mr Wanchai told police today that he first noticed the victim when he and three other employees were drinking beer together in car number 3. Mr. Wanchai said he was sexually aroused by the girl and plotted to rape her.

Where on earth do you get that conclusion that he was off duty?

From another article which indicated his shift had ended and he was drinking after his shift.

I was hopeful you could shed light on the nature of his job but I now see you are quite hung up on this.

Which "another article". Please enlighten me.

[belg]

first step would be: drug test for all personell and those positive, fired on the spot

rip the poor girl

[techboy]

I'd really like to know how criminal records are filed in this country. It is obvious there is no database, and anybody connected gets no record. I was going to suggest the culprit had done this before, but I guess it was too obvious.

So he knows a daddy or uncle or aunt, who employed him, and he's probably been stealing items to pay off his little pay back debts since day one! Glad they'll check the 90 employees of the one supplier of staff, and not the whole of Thai state railway enterprises.. Typical Thainess.. we'll take a short-cut, and all will be ok. No loss of face for us lot.... he was acting solo. to the lot.... it just gets worse every day, this lack of ability to do things in full!

You really seem to be into the details on this one fellow. Would you care to relate one item that is not your own personal speculation in that little dissertation?

[Nemesis7]

No short coming in SRT justifies this rape and murder.

[surangw]

first step would be: drug test for all personell and those positive, fired on the spot

that would free up lots of jobs for more incompetent relatives to fill