Murder of Thai girl: SRT admits to nepotism, corruption in hiring of Wanchai

[webfact]

SRT admits to nepotism, corruption in hiring of Wanchai
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- Someone pulled the strings at the State Railway of Thailand, an institution with a long history of controversy and corruption, to get a job for the man police say raped and murdered a teen passenger on Sunday.

Despite having a criminal record, Wanchai Saengkao, 22, used his connections to a relative who works for SRT to land a job cleaning trains, where he routinely got drunk and high.

"The problem with employees who were hired through connections is that they think they're more privileged than others,” SRT Gov. Prapat Chongsanguan said. “They are not afraid to break the rules such as drinking on duty when the punishment is expulsion."

That relative even went so far as to conceal Wanchai’s criminal records, which included two drug-related prosecutions, according to Prapat.

As is the norm in the accountability-averse halls of power, the identity of that relative is being kept secret.

Wanchai reportedly submitted a forged, version of his criminal record scrubbed of any blemishes to the organization himself while a background check was supposed to be conducted by SRT staff. [read more...]

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co//2014/07/10/srt-admits-nepotism-corruption-hiring-wanchai

-- Coconuts Bangkok 2014-07-10

[96tehtarp]

Message to General Prayuth:

Please reform SRT. Re form it please.

[ClutchClark]

Message to General Prayuth:

Please reform SRT. Re form it please.

I travel by rail frequently and aside from this horrible crime, I don't see any issue with the rail service.

Its an inexpensive means of transport serving many locations throughout the country.

It is popular amongst Thai and farang alike. It offers an economical means of transport.

This was a horrible incident. The entire country is rightfully in shock; however, the outlet for that anger should be directed at the assailant and not the SRT.

Edited July 10, 2014 by ClutchClark

[lostsoul49]

I travel by rail frequently and aside from this horrible crime, I don't see any issue with the rail service.

Its an inexpensive means of transport serving many locations throughout the country.

It is popular amongst Thai and farang alike. It offers an economical means of transport.

This was a horrible incident. The entire country is rightfully in shock; however, the outlet for that anger should be directed at the assailant and not the SRT.

I am sure if you make your comments directly to the families of the victims, they will understand and probably agree that SRT is the best ever.

So the point of the OP that explains exactly how this monster got through the net (one of many) is absolute rubbish in your opinion??

Have you never considered the possibility that YOU as an individual is not appealing as a rape victim????

Edited July 10, 2014 by lostsoul49

[khwaibah]

"Despite having a criminal record, Wanchai Saengkao, 22, used his connections to a relative who works for SRT to land a job cleaning trains, where he routinely got drunk and high."

"That relative even went so far as to conceal Wanchai’s criminal records, which included two drug-related prosecutions, according to Prapat."

Is this relative going to be fired and prosecuted ?

[apetley]

I travel by rail frequently and aside from this horrible crime, I don't see any issue with the rail service.

Its an inexpensive means of transport serving many locations throughout the country.

It is popular amongst Thai and farang alike. It offers an economical means of transport.

This was a horrible incident. The entire country is rightfully in shock; however, the outlet for that anger should be directed at the assailant and not the SRT.

Sure some of the anger should be directed at SRT. If there had been a proper checking of this scums credentials and if corruption had not been allowed then this whole tragic incident, in all likelyhood would not have happened.

[Kalbo]

I travel by rail frequently and aside from this horrible crime, I don't see any issue with the rail service.

Its an inexpensive means of transport serving many locations throughout the country.

It is popular amongst Thai and farang alike. It offers an economical means of transport.

This was a horrible incident. The entire country is rightfully in shock; however, the outlet for that anger should be directed at the assailant and not the SRT.

It was the SRT's policies and lax management that resulted in the hiring of this hideous individual, which ultimately led to a youngster's untimely end.

While I may agree with you that the responsibility for one's actions lies with one's self, the SRT is an organisation that did not enforce not drinking alcohol during work hours, allowed questionable people to get hired through 'contacts', allowed a long history of corruption, all of which contributed significantly to the death of an innocent young girl.

Tell me one thing. If an airline lost an airplane full of passengers because the pilot was drunk, who should be held responsible, the said airline or the pilot ?

[ClutchClark]

I travel by rail frequently and aside from this horrible crime, I don't see any issue with the rail service.

Its an inexpensive means of transport serving many locations throughout the country.

It is popular amongst Thai and farang alike. It offers an economical means of transport.

This was a horrible incident. The entire country is rightfully in shock; however, the outlet for that anger should be directed at the assailant and not the SRT.

Of course the guy is the cause... but nepotism and bad background checks are part of the problem too.

Get rid of the governor of the SRT as a show of force then reform top down.

If Thailand is going to start firing department heads and business leaders for every instance of nepotism and cronyism within their organization then replacements won't even hold the job through lunchtime on their first day.

As a poster above suggested, fire the employee who deleted the criminal record of his relative so he could get this job. Firing the Governor isn't going to stop people from hiring their relatives, but risk of them getting fired themselves will.

[ClutchClark]

I travel by rail frequently and aside from this horrible crime, I don't see any issue with the rail service.

Its an inexpensive means of transport serving many locations throughout the country.

It is popular amongst Thai and farang alike. It offers an economical means of transport.

This was a horrible incident. The entire country is rightfully in shock; however, the outlet for that anger should be directed at the assailant and not the SRT.

Sure some of the anger should be directed at SRT. If there had been a proper checking of this scums credentials and if corruption had not been allowed then this whole tragic incident, in all likelyhood would not have happened.

Absolutely, there was an intentional action on someones part to sneak their relative through the system and had that relative not acted in that manner then this horrible tragedy would not have occurred. The SRT had hiring requirements in place. The relative subverted those policies--not the SRT. There was no conspiracy at the SRT.

If you want to stop nepotism and cronyism then punish those who commit the act directly.

Thats how you get results.

Its going to be a big undertaking. I am told its how the whole of Thai society functions.

[webfact]

Woman arrested for allegedly selling drug to alleged rapist

BANGKOK: -- Nakhon Si Thammarat - Police Thursday arrested a woman for having allegedly sold methamphetamine to a railway employee who allegedly raped and killed a 13-year-old girl on a train.

Jinda Phntharak, 52, was arrested at her house behind the Nakhon Si Thammarat railway station.

Jinda admitted that she had sold two methamphetamine pills to Wanchai Saengkhao, a bed attendant before the train left for Bangkok.

Wanchai had admitted that he took the drug and raped and killed a teenage girl at her sleeping compartment early Sunday.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Woman-arrested-for-allegedly-selling-drug-to-alleg-30238177.html


-- The Nation 2014-07-10

[siampolee]

ClutchClark post # 3

I travel by rail frequently and aside from this horrible crime, I don't see any issue with the rail service.
Its an inexpensive means of transport serving many locations throughout the country.
It is popular amongst Thai and farang alike. It offers an economical means of transport.

This was a horrible incident. The entire country is rightfully in shock; however, the outlet for that anger should be directed at the assailant and not the SRT.

One presumes of course that you would let your daughter(s) ( if you have any ) travel without any thought at all concerning their safety based upon your somewhat naive comments.

The supplier of the service has a duty to its clients i.e passengers personal safety.

They (S.R.T) failed to carry out their obligations with tragic results

[Basil B]

Apart from poor judgement in engaging this individualise in the first place, obviously there is poor employee and contractor supervision at SRT.

Edited July 10, 2014 by Basil B

[ClutchClark]

I travel by rail frequently and aside from this horrible crime, I don't see any issue with the rail service.

Its an inexpensive means of transport serving many locations throughout the country.

It is popular amongst Thai and farang alike. It offers an economical means of transport.

This was a horrible incident. The entire country is rightfully in shock; however, the outlet for that anger should be directed at the assailant and not the SRT.

I am sure if you make your comments directly to the families of the victims, they will understand and probably agree that SRT is the best ever.

So the point of the OP that explains exactly how this monster got through the net (one of many) is absolute rubbish in your opinion??

Have you never considered the possibility that YOU as an individual is not appealing as a rape victim????

What an ugly thing to say.

You can't argue a position on your own merits so you stoop to using the poor girl's distraught family as your tool.

I have nothing but profound sympathy for the victim and her family.

Your post should be removed for breach of forum rules.

[kingalfred]

Message to General Prayuth:

Please reform SRT. Re form it please.

reform it ? Needs to be given to the private sector for new investment. The whole structure and stock is 50 years out of date

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[ClutchClark]

ClutchClark post # 3

I travel by rail frequently and aside from this horrible crime, I don't see any issue with the rail service.

Its an inexpensive means of transport serving many locations throughout the country.

It is popular amongst Thai and farang alike. It offers an economical means of transport.

This was a horrible incident. The entire country is rightfully in shock; however, the outlet for that anger should be directed at the assailant and not the SRT.

One presumes of course that you would let your daughter(s) ( if you have any ) travel without any thought at all concerning their safety based upon your somewhat naive comments.

The supplier of the service has a duty to its clients i.e passengers personal safety.

They (S.R.T) failed to carry out their obligations with tragic results

How dare you bring my family into this argument.

[ClutchClark]

Message to General Prayuth:

Please reform SRT. Re form it please.

reform it ? Needs to be given to the private sector for new investment. The whole structure and stock is 50 years out of date

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

And this will price its service right out of existence.

[retell]

So now there is one that they found

Could be wise to run the backgroundchecks on all staff

Maybe a few more creeps can be found

[jaidam]

Staff in the catering car routinely drink or are drunk, with no supervision. On my last night train journey about 2 years ago from Surat Thani up to Bkk the staff in the catering car were very drunk and high and charged me 150B for a bottle of chang. I politely said it was usually 6o or 80 baht or whatever it usually was at the time. They were very agressive and stuck to this 150B price and were clearly enjoying my situation, making sure I could see that they were putting my overcharge in their pocket. Well, I spent at least 1,500B for beer on that trip and was the last time I used the night train, and quit drinking not long after that. Horrible having scrotes like the drunk SRT staff holding power over you like that.

[Just1Voice]

They arrested the woman who sold him the meth pills, now they should charge her as an accessory to rape and murder.

[ClutchClark]

ClutchClark post # 3

I travel by rail frequently and aside from this horrible crime, I don't see any issue with the rail service.

Its an inexpensive means of transport serving many locations throughout the country.

It is popular amongst Thai and farang alike. It offers an economical means of transport.

This was a horrible incident. The entire country is rightfully in shock; however, the outlet for that anger should be directed at the assailant and not the SRT.

One presumes of course that you would let your daughter(s) ( if you have any ) travel without any thought at all concerning their safety based upon your somewhat naive comments.

The supplier of the service has a duty to its clients i.e passengers personal safety.

They (S.R.T) failed to carry out their obligations with tragic results

Can you name one "supplier of a service" that fulfills its duty of personal safety to its clients in Thailand?

Is there even a Thai phrase that expresses that concept? Its been my experience in Thailand that the only person looking out for my personal safety is myself. Apparently you have a different experience.

This tragedy occurred because a sick and deranged human being did a sick and unspeakable act to a poor child. I truly hope the full force of the law comes down on that assailant. I wish one of his previous victims had spoken up. I wish his relative did not sneak him through the hiring process and alter his arrest record so his hiring would not have been prevented by SRT. I wish the girl would have been accompanied by a responsible adult. I wish the SRT actually enforced their no alcohol policy. I wish all of you very concerned members had voiced your complaints to the SRT before this tragedy took place.

But the fact is this tragedy occurred because a sick human being made the decision to commit a horrendous act. He did it twice before on the train. He probably did it before he was ever hired to work on the train.

A poster suggested the entire SRT needs to be overhauled. I expressed my opinion that no one was complaining about the train system the day before this happened and now today everyone wants to burn it to the ground.

A week ago no one could care a less that employees drank on the train and today they act like they are in shock at the very idea it could happen.

I have simply given my opinion that the SRT is an essential part of the Thai transport system offering economical means to travel throughout this wonderful country. Take your anger out on where it belongs--On the animal that committed the act.

Edited July 10, 2014 by ClutchClark

[bigbamboo]

I travel by rail frequently and aside from this horrible crime, I don't see any issue with the rail service.

Its an inexpensive means of transport serving many locations throughout the country.

It is popular amongst Thai and farang alike. It offers an economical means of transport.

This was a horrible incident. The entire country is rightfully in shock; however, the outlet for that anger should be directed at the assailant and not the SRT.

Of course the guy is the cause... but nepotism and bad background checks are part of the problem too.

Get rid of the governor of the SRT as a show of force then reform top down.

If Thailand is going to start firing department heads and business leaders for every instance of nepotism and cronyism within their organization then replacements won't even hold the job through lunchtime on their first day.

As a poster above suggested, fire the employee who deleted the criminal record of his relative so he could get this job. Firing the Governor isn't going to stop people from hiring their relatives, but risk of them getting fired themselves will.

Hardly surprising in Thailand. The last Thai government was almost entirely based on nepotism and cronyism.

[Beetlejuice]

ClutchClark post # 3

I travel by rail frequently and aside from this horrible crime, I don't see any issue with the rail service.

Its an inexpensive means of transport serving many locations throughout the country.

It is popular amongst Thai and farang alike. It offers an economical means of transport.

This was a horrible incident. The entire country is rightfully in shock; however, the outlet for that anger should be directed at the assailant and not the SRT.

One presumes of course that you would let your daughter(s) ( if you have any ) travel without any thought at all concerning their safety based upon your somewhat naive comments.

The supplier of the service has a duty to its clients i.e passengers personal safety.

They (S.R.T) failed to carry out their obligations with tragic results

Absolutely right.

The guy was on duty at the railway company and therefore whatever he does while on his duties he does on behalf of the company and is the responsibility of the company.

Those in charge should also be hurled up in court to face criminal liabilities to pay compensation to the tragic girl`s family, heavily fined, sacked and possibly face custodial sentences for acute negligence.

The best deterrent to help deter something like this does not happen again is to publicly shame those in charge and hit the company in the pocket as a warning and an example to others.

[ClutchClark]

They arrested the woman who sold him the meth pills, now they should charge her as an accessory to rape and murder.

It is impossible to prove that the meth pills caused this tragic event any more than you can say the alcohol was responsible and charge whomever gave or sold him the alcohol.

The only reason this tragedy occurred was because the attacker was a depraved human being.

The woman who sold the meth pills should be tried and convicted of selling meth pills and be sentenced for that crime.

[MikeOboe57]

Dear ClutchClark,

So there were apparently two ways of getting hired by the SRT. The official one where you would have to jump through various hoops like background checks on character and criminal record, and the second one, where someone up the SRT food chain would "recommend" someone for a job. And to avoid the embarrassing loss of face if that candidate turned out to be a meth addicted sexual pervert they skipped any checks that could possibly have revealed that.

Of course this is in no way connected to that horrible crime, so there is no need to turn this [fill in suitable expletive] upside down and clean it out. Or as you put it:

[...] I don't see any issue with the rail service.
Its an inexpensive means of transport serving many locations throughout the country.
It is popular amongst Thai and farang alike. It offers an economical means of transport.

Well that makes it ok then.

[Eliot Rosewater]

"Despite having a criminal record, Wanchai Saengkao, 22, used his connections to a relative who works for SRT to land a job cleaning trains, where he routinely got drunk and high."

"That relative even went so far as to conceal Wanchai’s criminal records, which included two drug-related prosecutions, according to Prapat."

Is this relative going to be fired and prosecuted ?

now thats funny; no of course not; they won't even mention his name

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[harrry]

I travel by rail frequently and aside from this horrible crime, I don't see any issue with the rail service.

Its an inexpensive means of transport serving many locations throughout the country.

It is popular amongst Thai and farang alike. It offers an economical means of transport.

This was a horrible incident. The entire country is rightfully in shock; however, the outlet for that anger should be directed at the assailant and not the SRT.

It was the SRT's policies and lax management that resulted in the hiring of this hideous individual, which ultimately led to a youngster's untimely end.

While I may agree with you that the responsibility for one's actions lies with one's self, the SRT is an organisation that did not enforce not drinking alcohol during work hours, allowed questionable people to get hired through 'contacts', allowed a long history of corruption, all of which contributed significantly to the death of an innocent young girl.

Tell me one thing. If an airline lost an airplane full of passengers because the pilot was drunk, who should be held responsible, the said airline or the pilot ?

the Airline. Because if it appropriately controlled its employees by random drug and alcohol testing on a very regular basis and the consequences for failing were instant dismissal rather than counselling there would be no one willing to risk their jobs doing so. It should also be that his co-pilot is suspended too for not reporting his work mate though in this case for a first instance the puncishment may not necessarily be dismissal.

[Eliot Rosewater]

They arrested the woman who sold him the meth pills, now they should charge her as an accessory to rape and murder.

And both of their parents too; if it had not been for them this would not have happened

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[ClutchClark]

Dear ClutchClark,

So there were apparently two ways of getting hired by the SRT. The official one where you would have to jump through various hoops like background checks on character and criminal record, and the second one, where someone up the SRT food chain would "recommend" someone for a job. And to avoid the embarrassing loss of face if that candidate turned out to be a meth addicted sexual pervert they skipped any checks that could possibly have revealed that.

Of course this is in no way connected to that horrible crime, so there is no need to turn this [fill in suitable expletive] upside down and clean it out. Or as you put it:

[...] I don't see any issue with the rail service.

Its an inexpensive means of transport serving many locations throughout the country.

It is popular amongst Thai and farang alike. It offers an economical means of transport.

Well that makes it ok then.

You are obviously very shaken up by this tragedy.

Please help me understand one thing. You are attacking me because I said the train service is an economical means of transport but why are you not yelling and shouting for the name of the relative that altered arrest records to sneak his relative into a position with the SRT?

Why are you not insisting that that relative be fired? Or atleast that the relatives name be made public?

Help me to understand that. Why aren't any of you insisting on justice for the person responsible for getting him the job on the SRT?

[96tehtarp]

Message to General Prayuth:

Please reform SRT. Re form it please.

I travel by rail frequently and aside from this horrible crime, I don't see any issue with the rail service.

Its an inexpensive means of transport serving many locations throughout the country.

It is popular amongst Thai and farang alike. It offers an economical means of transport.

This was a horrible incident. The entire country is rightfully in shock; however, the outlet for that anger should be directed at the assailant and not the SRT.

I too travel by trains frequently. I see SRT staff who are often drunk while on duty. The majority of SRT staffers are really great people doing a really fine job. I still ride the rails whenever it's convenient and will continue to do so.

The OP was about nepotism within SRT and that is not an easy problem to see. This horrific incident has again brought nepotism into plain view.

I agree with many of your sentiments, however with this past years' fiascoes; the derailment on the newly refurbished Chiang Mai route after a long closure for repairs with the top boss on board etc. etc.

SRT is an absolute shambles. They cannot even get their act together enough to replace windshield wipers on thier French-manufactured Alstom locomotives. I can't post a link here to another forum. Google for it.

Also the YouTube video of a uniformed SRT employee smoking a thin glass pipe and exhaling clouds of white smoke.

Now we have the OP with confirmation that the alleged murderer, (yes he is still innocent until found guilty in court), obtained his job with SRT through nepotism and forgery.

I point you to Bangkok's famous "Stone Henge". It will remain for thousands of years as a landmark to the mismanagement of Thailand's State Railway.

Thailand deserves to have the region's safest, best, most affordable, and most advanced domestic passenger railway. It is currently a mess.

I'll still ride them when ever I can, however I doubt it will be anywhere south of Hat Yai as those trains often get sprayed with AK47 fire from separatist insurgents. Google for it.

I do agree with your sentiments. I love SRT. The problem I have is I do see issues with the rail service. So do all SRT employees.

Hopefully it will be re-formed.

All SRT employees have my deepest sympathies, as this must be a very difficult time for them. RIP to the poor dead raped girl, and the other reported victims, at least two, who survived their raping but were too embarrassed to report it.

Edited July 10, 2014 by 96tehtarp

[SeaVisionBurma]

Nonsense post removed, and kindly refrain from bickering matches please. Keep the posts civil and relevant.