'Billions' of Baht worth of assets found at Thai CIB chief's home

[Briggsy]

This guy, Lt - Gen Pongpat Chayapan even has his own Wikipedia page in Thai!

[hobz]

Gangsters & thieves !###

Lock them away for the rest of there lives.

I think this type of crime while being a public servant demands execution

[northernjohn]

The expensive Bhudda-amulets didn't help him this time around!!

Maybe they were copies??

Maybe like Jatuporn it was all gifts.

[hobz]

What is done to prevent the next chief to do the same thing?

[alanrchase]

Please note: "Central Investigation Bureau commander Lt-General Pongpat Chayaphan, who has been suspended from service after being charged with several crimes, including lese majeste, a police source said late yesterday."

Including Lese Majeste, aligning those who do not necessarily support the King against those who do. Remember, the Army traditionally supports his majesty, as has been shown in previous coups. Let's hope this clean-up or -out continues. Do you see a change? I do. Have you been worse-off under martial law? I have not. I like what's happening, including the immigration tightening, and hope it continues.

I believe the charge of Lese Majeste is often used here as it is easier to put someone in prison for that offence than for the actual crime committed.

[MauiSteveBKK]

An Anarchy often needs to set an example --- about every 18 mos or so.

I noticed "they were relieved of duty".

Not indicted. Not arrested. Just relieved of their official duties,

to be an "example". To the public. To let everyone think they're doing their jobs.

I have my doubts.

[MiKT]

Very sad tale this, unfortunately the money came in so fast he did not have enought time to stuff enough wonga into enough buff envelopes quickly enough

probably spent too much time checking to see if his amulets were fake.

The lessons we learn too late.

[jabis]

Looking at the picture with stacks of baht - couldn't help to think "did they actually use that calculator in the picture, to count the billion baht, and what is it's error margin?"

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I have no doubt that there's plenty of corruption to be found on both sides of the political color spectrum.

But for all those arguing here that this is just a political purge, you might take note that the two top police guys arrested in this were, according to the various Thai news reports, police academy classmates of the current national police chief, who obviously was chosen by the current government.

And, FWIW, there's been no mention in any of the news reports I've seen on this that the Army was directly involved in the arrests of these various officers. All the initial reporting seemed to say they were taken into custody by other police, although more details may come out with time.

[Strangebrew]

Drop in the bucket Wait till they hit the banks presidents here then you will see where all that cash from farangs that passed away here is.

[OmarZaidMD]

Hats of the the powers that be on this one.

Lets hope this case is pursued properly and appropriate custodial sentences dished out.

Its a tiny tip of a huge iceberg, but its a start.

I expect these guys have stepped on the wrong toes, or pinned their flags on the wrong ship.

Hopefully its a sign of things to come, not just a purge of a few wrongly aligned ones.

It's a purge of those that have the wrong political affiliations, friends or paymasters, nothing more, nothing less and it won't go any deeper than that.

I am sorry to say you may be correct. 'Purge' is probably the right term.

[Baerboxer]

Hats of the the powers that be on this one.

Lets hope this case is pursued properly and appropriate custodial sentences dished out.

Its a tiny tip of a huge iceberg, but its a start.

I expect these guys have stepped on the wrong toes, or pinned their flags on the wrong ship.

Hopefully its a sign of things to come, not just a purge of a few wrongly aligned ones.

I hope you are right.

It's is a good start - providing that they are punished appropriately not simple removed to yet more inactive posts. The LM charges may see to that.

I also hope it's more than simply clearing out the ones who support the other side. I bet a few are suddenly suffering loose bowels !

We shall see.

[sweatalot]

This looks like a declaration of war from the Army towards the Police, wonder where this ends.

Sorry I don't get it. What has the army to do with this?

And by the way the national police boss says everything regarding Koh Tao is clear and good police work done?

[gyrosman]

The PM is on the right track, Thailand will someday get the respect that the populaution should be in 21st century if this crackdown continues, he has done well Mr. PM.

[alanrchase]

Drop in the bucket Wait till they hit the banks presidents here then you will see where all that cash from farangs that passed away here is.

?? Please expand.

[Yann55]

Stem to stern, cradle to grave, kow tow driven corruption.

Is it really corruption when it is endemic to the entire culture?

Or is it corruption because important nations they do business with are aghast at it?

Backing off from corruption because of greater profit potential or reducing lose of greater profit?

Or trying to make a less than properly elected government show a form of functional legitimacy via action?

This is the new broom sweeping clean. That much is clear how deeply is a question.

Sure there are political repercussions and elements of revenge, or simply backatcha-ism.

But this IS something that needs to be cleaned up from the horrendous levels it is in now.

And ANY amount cleaning from ANY SOURCE,

whether tainted in other of the cleaners parts by it's own corruption,

is STILL progress, and a shot across the bows of the cultural exception that says;

Getting ahead and making face by ANY MEANS, is no longer tolerated.

Sure the army has it's own problems, but this also sends a message to those

below in the army to keep a cleaner profile. which in itself is progress.

Things are changing, one more baby step towards the light.

Someone said it is in the Police General's DNA to steal.

Not likely so, though someone can be genetically predisposed to immorality.

This endemic problem is really in the cultural DNA, the fundamental Kow Tow derived,

building blocks of the basis foundation of the entire culture.

So we see the new broom sweep clean, digging in crevices for reasons to nail

Police Corruption from the top down. And really with feudal suzerainty, it DOES

start at the top. A cut of every-bodies work below, filters to the top.

That is how the whole underpaid police regime functions. The public has never paid

the BiB enough to survive and have transport, uniforms, and basic tools of the trade,

without the top to bottom leveraging of the smallest rookie officers motivations to

earn using the job, and pay a cut to his immediate superior.

So feeding the cynical pervasions and perversions

of those who intone; 'This is NEVER stopping',

not withstanding their cynicism, this was not a small hit on

the Status Quo of Kow Tow within the Police Hierarchy.

This is a pretty big change.

Dude, you need to stop smoking that thing, whatever it is.

[iReason]

]Here's what it looks like:

2.jpg

3.jpg

1.jpg

Is this for real?

Two Dollar notes?

[Baerboxer]

Ta. Strange old world most of the time. Noriega, Sadam good allies one day perpetrators of war crimes the next. Gen. Pinochet was a good egg at one time unless you were a local. Corruption exists wherever there is power, the West is a bit more adept at hiding it. Thai worse than the West? Possibly.

Just poorly planned, using cash in plain sight stashed away in the home- a little less sophisticated is all. Guess they didnt hear of isle of man, tax havens, offshore....or a even a drivers/maids name....

He should have invested it in the SET. Fortunes to be made there apparently.

[Yann55]

Gangsters & thieves !###

Lock them away for the rest of there lives.

I think this type of crime while being a public servant demands execution

That would most probably be the sentence in China.

[northernjohn]

Hats of the the powers that be on this one.

Lets hope this case is pursued properly and appropriate custodial sentences dished out.

Its a tiny tip of a huge iceberg, but its a start.

I expect these guys have stepped on the wrong toes, or pinned their flags on the wrong ship.

Hopefully its a sign of things to come, not just a purge of a few wrongly aligned ones.

It's a purge of those that have the wrong political affiliations, friends or paymasters, nothing more, nothing less and it won't go any deeper than that.

Well got to admit it won't go any deeper than that.

Pretty hard to go deeper when you are on the bottom. Yes indeed it is a purge of those with the wrong political affiliation. To be affiliated with corrupt political affiliations is fatal.Now they are just going to widen the hole.

I see some of the donators to the illegal money are unhappy. This is not the start it is just a continuation. It all started when the PTP told the Army they would do nothing to help ease the situation in Thailand. The Army took over and proceeded to start a cleanup. the first thing they did was paid the rice farmers the money that was owed them but had never materialized and things have just got better and better.

Name me one other Nation that is under martial law for 6 months and happy about the difference and improvement it has brought to the nation. It has been so successful that other countries with supposed democracies are seeing the success and fearing that their Army's might get the same idea to clean them up.

[maidee]

thailand could finally start to clean up, if they dismantle the RTP and start from 0

background checks, wealth, assets, political backgrounds, ...

nahhhhhhhhhh, tooo mutt work

tooo mutt face

but if all the bad guys would deceide to jump some high building, that might be a good start

[RickvanHeijningen]

Nobody followed the money right to the top, because the top, are the wealthiest soldiers of the country, who will investigate his own wealth? all ministers are multi-millionaires, who will investigate how they get all that money?

Edited November 24, 2014 by RickvanHeijningen

[garrya]

The Pm is doing some awesome job. However, I don't think he will ever get to the end of the line of millions of corrupt people in here.

[Emster23]

I would applaud this greatly if I did not having nagging feeling this was not about corruption as much as a political purge. Allay my fears and make some raids on similar level officers homes etc who happen to support the current power brokers. Anyone who thinks only red side has this kind of looted money lying about is naive in the extreme, or just got here.

[kkup]

When is Chief Wiggum going to be arrested? Is is filthy rich and should be brought to justice... But I guess they can't arrest themselves.

[Colabamumbai]

Corruption starts at the top. While the Thai government tell the citizens not to be corrupt.

[alanrchase]

I would applaud this greatly if I did not having nagging feeling this was not about corruption as much as a political purge. Allay my fears and make some raids on similar level officers homes etc who happen to support the current power brokers. Anyone who thinks only red side has this kind of looted money lying about is naive in the extreme, or just got here.

Is that not politics the world over? Ask Oliver North.

[exalll]

]Here's what it looks like:

2.jpg

3.jpg

1.jpg

Is this for real?

Two Dollar notes?

Why are $2 notes so hilarious?

[sweatalot]

Well well well - i guess most of us was wrong, looks like there are going to be some cleanup after all, good!

It will set a good example down the ranks. About time some of the big boys got named....

Let's hope the boys in green have the courage to clean up a bit in their own camp, as well

Yes, but is it a coincidence that (unless I'm mistaken) so far ALL of these transfers arrests etc are for pro-Thaksin/PTP supporters/lackeys?

If so that would explain some of their wealth as well as their knowledge how to aquire great wealth as a policeman with a mediocre income

Hopefully they are not SIBs (Scapegoats in Brown)

[DaffyDuck]

It's nice to see the doubters start to eat their words.