Corruption scandal: Police find Bt2-bn in cash, valuables in secret vaults in 11 of Pongpat's homes

[webfact]

CORRUPTION SCANDAL
Hidden treasures found
THE NATION



Police find Bt2-bn in cash, valuables in secret vaults in 11 of Pongpat's homes; other items in Kowit, Akkharawut's houses

BANGKOK: -- IN A SERIES of raids last week, police discovered secret underground vaults at the home of former crimebuster Pongpat Chayaphan containing assets worth more than Bt2 billion.

One of the photographs displayed at a police press conference yesterday showed a backhoe being used to demolish the wall of a vault at one of 11 houses owned by the former Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) commissioner. Many other shots showed a large number of ancient Buddha images and other belongings.

National police chief Pol General Somyot Poompanmoung said police were extending their probe into the corruption scandal and believed that more hidden items would be found.

Asked why former Royal Thai Police chiefs had not been aware of wrongdoing on such a huge scale, Somyot said he could not read the mind of the previous police leaders, but "with me at the helm now, I will make arrests regardless of how high-ranking the wrongdoers are".

Hiding assets by burying them or putting them in underground vaults is a practice considered unusual under the anti-money laundering law, which subjects violators to immediate seizure of assets, Anti-Money Laundering Office secretary-general Seehanart Prayoonrat said yesterday.

He added that those involved in the case are entitled to clarify which items seized were lawfully acquired, along with proof, before the assets are handed over to the agency.

As for the other two suspects - former Samut Sakhon immigration police chief Colonel Kowit Muangnual and wife Sudathip - Seeharat said both of them were also subject to seizure of assets, pending verification of their assets by AMLO officials.

Speaking at the press conference, acting Crime Suppression Division commander Pol Colonel Akkharadej Phimolsri said many of the vaults they discovered were built in order to distract people from noticing other, better hidden vaults in nearby areas.

"Several deposit boxes buried underground were found in the house, in addition to many wooden closets containing many items," he said.

Golden postage stamps, which the colonel said were rare and expensive, were among the items found, which included rare portraits and paintings, ivory and a large number of Thai and US banknotes. Experts from the Fine Arts Department have been helping the police identify the artefacts.

Apart from the 11 houses owned by Pongpat that where searched last week, raids were also conducted at four other locations - including the homes of former CIB deputy chief Kowit Wongrungroj and Pol Colonel Akkharawut Limrat, a former CSD officer. Akkharawut is believed to have committed suicide on November 20.

The huge cache of assets found at Kowit's penthouse including expensive cars and motorcycles, he said. Akkharadej said Kowit acted as the right-hand man of Pongpat in their quests for money.

The arraignment document seeking to detain Pongpat, Kowit, former Marine Police commander Pol Maj-General Bunseub Phraithuen and Akkharawut, said the officers had between October 1, 2010 and November 11, 2014, demanded money from fellow officers seeking higher positions. Each position allegedly cost between Bt3 million and Bt5 million.

Bunseub is also accused of getting up to Bt2 million per month from petrol smugglers since December 2001 up until July this year. Bunseub allegedly gave some Bt35 million to Kowit and Bt118 million to Pongpat.

Somyot said Pongpat, Kowit and Bunsueb were the subject of petitions lodged by many policemen who complained they had been transferred unfairly or faced demands for money from the three officers.

Speaking about the high-profile arrests for the first time, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the case would undergo normal processes in the justice system. He said the issue involved certain officers, but not the entire police force. He added that legal action taken against the high-profile officers was part of the much-awaited reform of the Royal Thai Police.

Pongpat and six others were taken into custody yesterday. Pongpat's sister and her husband, Piyaphan and Chob Chinnaprapha, were also taken into custody after police failed to get their arraignment order on Monday.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Hidden-treasures-found-30248573.html

-- The Nation 2014-11-26

[Mosha]

These policemen being accused of not doing their jobs will be really sad now.

[KhunMoo]

I would like to see, at drawing like this, of the whole RTP

[KhunMoo]

I would like to see, at drawing like this, of the whole RTP

And "sooooo sooory mistaaar" if it's rude, but i think there is an "arrow" missing from Pongpat's head, going upwards...

[ColdSingha]

"Speaking about the high-profile arrests for the first time, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the case would undergo normal processes in the justice system. He said the issue involved certain officers, but not the entire police force. He added that legal action taken against the high-profile officers was part of the much-awaited reform of the Royal Thai Police."

i hope there is more to come

Edited November 25, 2014 by ColdSingha

[NongKhaiKid]

Just how could corruption on such a massive scale go unnoticed ?

Simple answer is that it couldn't so those involved must have had quite an edge such as powerful allies and protection, maybe serious black on others etc.

Not a unique situation here and quite an indictment of Thainess. Nothing will change and when a new regime is in power the only thing that will change is in who have their snouts in the trough.

[aussieinthailand]

After finishing with the BIB then have a crack at the military, politicians, then local governments and the education sector the whole bloody lot of them, they're gonna have to build a hell of a lot of gaols if they're serious about the corruption issues in LOS.

[Mango Bob]

After you caught all the corrupt RTP go after all the unusually rich 4 star Generals. I wonder how much a promotion to General would cost here or a transfer to a staff position could cost someone.

[meatboy]

"Speaking about the high-profile arrests for the first time, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the case would undergo normal processes in the justice system. He said the issue involved certain officers, but not the entire police force. He added that legal action taken against the high-profile officers was part of the much-awaited reform of the Royal Thai Police."

i hope there is more to come

the case would undergo normal process in the justice system

yes everyone knows what that means.

[clockman]

They got bail! Then they are going to flee the country. Thainess pesonified.

[EnzoRippo]

I don't understand why the word MAFIA had not been mentioned.

[rametindallas]

After you caught all the corrupt RTP go after all the unusually rich 4 star Generals. I wonder how much a promotion to General would cost here or a transfer to a staff position could cost someone.

A friend of mine paid more than $US one million for a promotion from Pol. Lt. Col. to Pol. General about three years ago. It makes me wonder why Pol. Capt. Chalerm stayed as a Captain.

[rametindallas]

I don't understand why the word MAFIA had not been mentioned.

In Thailand, that word is reserved for non-police, non-military organized crime. Mafia is civilian organized crime. It is a distinction without a difference. My first Thai girlfriend's uncle runs portable casinos in Bangkok and Nakhon Sri Thammarat. I asked her directly if her family was mafia and she nodded. It is part of the Thai lexicon.

[sscsamui]

I would like to know what they are gong to do with all that cash???????

[Tatsujin]

The graphic is incorrect, it most certainly does NOT stop with Pongpat at the top, there are much higher higher-ups involved that are being quietly ignored so far.

[ramrod711]

"Speaking about the high-profile arrests for the first time, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the case would undergo normal processes in the justice system. He said the issue involved certain officers, but not the entire police force. He added that legal action taken against the high-profile officers was part of the much-awaited reform of the Royal Thai Police."

i hope there is more to come

I agree completely, remember the story about the people paying 300,000 baht for help to pass the RTP entry exam. I wonder why someone would want to pay 300,000 for a job that requires them to pay for their own uniforms, guns and motorbikes, and pays 8,000 per month? Short story, a retired Australian police friend of mine was asked to speak to the son of his Thai lady friend. She asked him to talk the lad out of quitting university to join the RTP. When he asked the young man why he was considering such a move, he replied, "I'm tired of being poor".

[EyesWideOpen]

Great stuff... So let me get this straight. According to the graphic " They were

pretending to work as a representative of the King to seek benefits".

So these guys are running around extorting money from people,

and in order to make it go well, they invoke the name of the King ?

This place truly is Amazing Thailand......

[chainarong]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Just how could corruption on such a massive scale go unnoticed ?

Simple answer is that it couldn't so those involved must have had quite an edge such as powerful allies and protection, maybe serious black on others etc.

Not a unique situation here and quite an indictment of Thainess. Nothing will change and when a new regime is in power the only thing that will change is in who have their snouts in the trough.

Up till now if you knew anything you turned a blind eye and keep you mouth shut , otherwise NKK you wake up dead or even disappeared

[chainarong]

Only owned 11 houses and no one noticed , the life style audit should from now on be carried out yearly on this department and everybody is audited.

[scubascuba3]

Let's see arrests all the way down now

[daveAustin]

I bet you could draw up one of these trees at every station in the land.

[LuckyLew]

They out on bail yet?

[worgeordie]

I suppose there will be a flurry of suitcases leaving Thailand,the contents

to be deposited overseas.in HK,Switzerland,Singapore.

These people must have been very confident that they were untouchable

up to the very last minute,as they did not do very much to hide there ill gotten

gains,

Its going to be interesting to see what happens if/when they end up in court,

regards Worgeordie

[Jack Mountain]

I propose that they will print all new banknotes and that everybody who want to exchange his/her old notes has to explain where it came from ...

[bangkokheat]

pongpat could do the honourable thing now, they did in japan

[smedly]

Only owned 11 houses and no one noticed , the life style audit should from now on be carried out yearly on this department and everybody is audited.

an audit would be useless, these people are hiding their assets and they are good at it. anyone gets in the way commits suicide

Police MP's local authorities declaring assets is a complete waste of time, I wonder how much money is stashed in buried bags in various places around Thailand, I wonder how much property and land is owned abroad

Like I already said in another post - we have yet to see the trail to the major drug barrons, big hauls seem to stop right there and go no further - I wonder what or who is blocking them from digging deeper

[scorecard]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

"Speaking about the high-profile arrests for the first time, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the case would undergo normal processes in the justice system. He said the issue involved certain officers, but not the entire police force. He added that legal action taken against the high-profile officers was part of the much-awaited reform of the Royal Thai Police."

i hope there is more to come

I agree completely, remember the story about the people paying 300,000 baht for help to pass the RTP entry exam. I wonder why someone would want to pay 300,000 for a job that requires them to pay for their own uniforms, guns and motorbikes, and pays 8,000 per month? Short story, a retired Australian police friend of mine was asked to speak to the son of his Thai lady friend. She asked him to talk the lad out of quitting university to join the RTP. When he asked the young man why he was considering such a move, he replied, "I'm tired of being poor".

Agree, the scheme whereby candidates pay a 300,000Baht fee to get in must have been run by someone (a gang) within the RTP, simple logic, and not easy to totally hide within the force.

Pongpat and his mafia would have known about it for sure, question is what was their cut and who else got a cut?

No doubt there is a lot more to be revealed.

[meatboy]

I would like to know what they are gong to do with all that cash???????

what a silly question

[KIWIBATCH]

RTP...rotten to the core

[englishoak]

Ummm do any of you lot know who Pongpat is related to ?