Five more arrests in expanding Thai police graft probe

[webfact]

Five more arrests in expanding Thai police graft probe
Bangkok, Thailand | AFP |

Five more civilians have been arrested as part of a major corruption probe into a network of senior Thai police officers, authorities said Wednesday, bringing the total number of those caught up in the scandal to 17.

The investigation -- a rare move against the kingdom's top brass -- has already led to the public downfall of three senior officers who have been charged under Thailand's strict royal defamation law.

Pongpat Chayapun, the head of Thailand's elite Central Investigation Bureau, his deputy Kowit Vongrongrot and marine police chief Boonsueb Praithuen have all been accused by Thai authorities of running a corrupt patronage network that allegedly netted them a fortune.

As well as facing a slew of bribery and corruption allegations, the trio have been charged under the kingdom's lese majeste law in which anyone convicted of insulting the king, queen, heir or regent faces up to 15 years in prison on each count.

Investigators accuse the three senior officers, who have been dismissed from their posts, of making "false claims" about the monarchy in order to demand bribes.

National police spokesman Lieutenant General Prawut Thavornsiri said a further five civilians were arrested Wednesday as part of the widening probe.


"Based on our investigations we have found that there are more people making false claims about the monarchy to demand bribes, illegally detain people and extort them," he said.

None of the five people have yet been charged under Thailand's royal defamation law.

"They are under interrogation and if we find clear evidence we will add lese majeste charges later," Prawut said.

A total of seven police officers and 10 civilians have now been arrested in the probe, which analysts say is an attempt by the military junta to strengthen their hold over police. Twelve have been charged.

Generals took control of Thailand in a May coup after months of street protests.

The kingdom's police have since come under intense scrutiny with the military purging dozens of top officers seen as cosy with the elected former government of Yingluck Shinawatra, whose billionaire brother and former premier Thaksin is an ex-policeman.

The police are unpopular with Thais who bemoan routine bribe-taking.

May's coup was the latest chapter in Thailand's long-running political conflict, which broadly pits a Bangkok-based middle class and royalist elite, backed by parts of the military and judiciary, against rural and working-class voters loyal to Thaksin.

Both Thai and international media must heavily self-censor when covering the country's lese majeste rules. Even repeating details of the charges could mean breaking the law under section 112 of Thailand's criminal code.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-11-26

[slygeeza]

wonder if the public will be allowed to know what the false claims they were making were?

rereading it I dont think so

Edited November 26, 2014 by slygeeza

[Orac]

No names? The BP has named three of Pongpats family members who were arrested as Nathapol, Sitthisak and Narong Akharaphongpreecha. Wonder who is next.....

[Costas2008]

One of Sutherp's demands and aims, when he was fighting to topple the Siwanatra clan was to reform the police.

This administration is following his footsteps.

I would like to congratulate them and wish them to keep up the good work.

History will remember you and your good deeds.

[JOC]

One of Sutherp's demands and aims, when he was fighting to topple the Siwanatra clan was to reform the police.

This administration is following his footsteps.

I would like to congratulate them and wish them to keep up the good work.

History will remember you and your good deeds.

Yeah sure, fighting corruption with corruption!!

btw. A google-search of your hero, Suthep+corruption, gave 167.000 results!!

[scorecard]

And AFP strikes again:

"May's coup was the latest chapter in Thailand's long-running political conflict, which broadly pits a Bangkok-based middle class and royalist elite, backed by parts of the military and judiciary, against rural and working-class voters loyal to Thaksin."

Way less then balanced comment.

[JOC]

One of Sutherp's demands and aims, when he was fighting to topple the Siwanatra clan was to reform the police.

This administration is following his footsteps.

I would like to congratulate them and wish them to keep up the good work.

History will remember you and your good deeds.

Suthep's aim to reform the police, didn't prevent him from bestowing one of RTP's finest with a medal!!

Since the officer in question was from Surat Thani, under which Koh Tao is a subdistrict, I wonder if the medal was for framing scapegoats, screwing up the investigation or contaminating the DNA-"evidence"?

[JOC]

And AFP strikes again:

"May's coup was the latest chapter in Thailand's long-running political conflict, which broadly pits a Bangkok-based middle class and royalist elite, backed by parts of the military and judiciary, against rural and working-class voters loyal to Thaksin."

Way less then balanced comment.

No my friend, this time AFP is actually spot on!!

[monty1412]

Maybe a silly question but all this money and chattels being recovered... where does it go to ?? The artefacts and items of historic significance should be given to Thai museums etc.,... that one is easy but a few billion in cash and gold/ luxury cars/ multiple houses etc.. we could be talking in realm of 7-10 B Baht if not more when it all said and done ... so where does maybe USD 150M dollar equivalent go.... from whence it came is the easy bit......

[tingtong]

This probe is getting worrisome.

Afraid if they poke around too much, Thailand will be left without a police force!!

[JOC]

Maybe a silly question but all this money and chattels being recovered... where does it go to ?? The artefacts and items of historic significance should be given to Thai museums etc.,... that one is easy but a few billion in cash and gold/ luxury cars/ multiple houses etc.. we could be talking in realm of 7-10 B Baht if not more when it all said and done ... so where does maybe USD 150M dollar equivalent go.... from whence it came is the easy bit......

All the seized assets are sold at a public auction. But sadly the authorities "forgot" to inform the public about the time and the place of the auction, so the only bidders are the new topdogs in the RTP, who probably will get the whole loot for a couple of million!!

[iReason]

Maybe a silly question but all this money and chattels being recovered... where does it go to ?? The artefacts and items of historic significance should be given to Thai museums etc.,... that one is easy but a few billion in cash and gold/ luxury cars/ multiple houses etc.. we could be talking in realm of 7-10 B Baht if not more when it all said and done ... so where does maybe USD 150M dollar equivalent go.... from whence it came is the easy bit......

"... where does it go ... ?"

I posed that question on a BP forum re: this story.

And asked them, could they follow up on it.

They deleted my comment.

[JOC]

This probe is getting worrisome.

Afraid if they poke around too much, Thailand will be left without a police force!!

Who would notice the difference??

[Cuchulainn]

One of Sutherp's demands and aims, when he was fighting to topple the Siwanatra clan was to reform the police.

This administration is following his footsteps.

I would like to congratulate them and wish them to keep up the good work.

History will remember you and your good deeds.

Yeah sure, fighting corruption with corruption!!

btw. A google-search of your hero, Suthep+corruption, gave 167.000 results!!

btw. A google-search of your hero, Thaksin+corruption, gave 366,000 results!!

[Robby nz]

And AFP strikes again:

"May's coup was the latest chapter in Thailand's long-running political conflict, which broadly pits a Bangkok-based middle class and royalist elite, backed by parts of the military and judiciary, against rural and working-class voters loyal to Thaksin."

Way less then balanced comment.

It is an AFP standard statement that they add to everything they publish regarding politics, just to make sure everyone understands their bias.

The really stupid statement is : "which analysts say is an attempt by the military junta to strengthen their hold over police"

Of course there is no need to detail which (if any) analysts.

If getting down on police corruption is strengthening their hold then the sooner they get a good solid grip round the throat (and other sensitive parts) and shake vigorously the better.

[longtom]

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

One of Sutherp's demands and aims, when he was fighting to topple the Siwanatra clan was to reform the police.

This administration is following his footsteps.

I would like to congratulate them and wish them to keep up the good work.

History will remember you and your good deeds.

Yeah sure, fighting corruption with corruption!!

btw. A google-search of your hero, Suthep+corruption, gave 167.000 results!!

btw a google-search of JOC + corruption gives 332.000 results.

Just to point out that the number of hits you get on a google search is not really a reliable indicator of anything.

(Doesn´t mean at all that I agree with Costas!)

Edited November 26, 2014 by longtom

[dru2]

One of Sutherp's demands and aims, when he was fighting to topple the Siwanatra clan was to reform the police.

This administration is following his footsteps.

I would like to congratulate them and wish them to keep up the good work.

History will remember you and your good deeds.

Yeah sure, fighting corruption with corruption!!

btw. A google-search of your hero, Suthep+corruption, gave 167.000 results!!

By the same token, a google-search of Thaksin+corruption gives 363,000. Thaksin may or may not be your hero, but This Is Thailand.

[SoFarAndNear]

Does someone know why exactly the "les majeste" charges? What are the accusations?

[Chang_paarp]

Does someone know why exactly the "les majeste" charges? What are the accusations?

Unfortunately you can prosecuted for LM if you repeat the reasons for the charges. (This applies to most LM cases.)

[Lite Beer]

Arrest warrants issued for five more Pongpat’s gang members

BANGKOK: -- Arrest warrants have been issued today by the Criminal Court for five more suspects involved in the gang of former commissioner of Central Investigation Bureau, Pol Lt-Gen Pongpat Chayapan.

Pol Lt-Gen Prawuth Thavornsiri, spokesman of the National Police Office, named the five suspects as Mr Natthapol Akarapongpreecha, Mr Sitthisak Akarapongpreecha, Mr Narong Akarapongpreecha, Mr Sutthisak Sutthichit and Mr Chakarn Parkpoom.

He said the five were connected with Pongpat’s gang.

The chief warden of Bangkok Special Prison, MrAryutSinthoppan, said that five police officers and one civilian involved with the gang have been detained at the prison.

He said that one of the officers, Pol Acting Sb-Lt Chattarin Laothong, suffered high blood pressure and had to be treated at the prison’s hospital whereas Pol Col Wutthichart Loensukhan suffered from stress and has to be treated at a health care unit.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/arrest-warrants-issued-five-pongpats-gang-members

-- Thai PBS 2014-11-26

[Tatsujin]

17 and counting ... and still barely scratched the surface ...

[Artisi]

One of Sutherp's demands and aims, when he was fighting to topple the Siwanatra clan was to reform the police.

This administration is following his footsteps.

I would like to congratulate them and wish them to keep up the good work.

History will remember you and your good deeds.

Yeah sure, fighting corruption with corruption!!

btw. A google-search of your hero, Suthep+corruption, gave 167.000 results!!

and about 363,000 for Thaksin and 358,000 for YL, so who's the biggest villain, would that be your hero's.

[Artisi]

This probe is getting worrisome.

Afraid if they poke around too much, Thailand will be left without a police force!!

Well, that is probably a big plus as they do very little policing re crime anyway so nothing would change with exception of no more tea-money collections.

[Cuchulainn]

...........Pol Acting Sb-Lt Chattarin Laothong, suffered high blood pressure and had to be treated at the prison’s hospital whereas Pol Col Wutthichart Loensukhan suffered from stress.............

Awwwww diddums.

[Cloggie]

I hope they have enough inactive posts for all these people. As long as they are not in jail, I do not believe something will change.

Don't forget to confiscate all their assets like money, bank accounts, houses, condo's, cars, land etc. etc.

[Bakeman]

Bribery and corruption in Thailand. WOW!!!! What a surprise!!!

[JOC]

One of Sutherp's demands and aims, when he was fighting to topple the Siwanatra clan was to reform the police.

This administration is following his footsteps.

I would like to congratulate them and wish them to keep up the good work.

History will remember you and your good deeds.

Yeah sure, fighting corruption with corruption!!

btw. A google-search of your hero, Suthep+corruption, gave 167.000 results!!

and about 363,000 for Thaksin and 358,000 for YL, so who's the biggest villain, would that be your hero's.

Costas said here on Thaivisa a week ago, that Suthep was his hero, and he would be honoured to shake his hand. Our Greek friend seriously believe that Suthep is the Messiah of Thailand!! Hence my comment about the googlesearch.

For me I personally believe in elections (1person/1vote), If that in your simple mind, make me red, so be it!!

[waitforusalso]

And how did the oh so wholesome Police Chief Somyot amass a wealth of 356 million Baht on a policeman's salary? LOL

[rayfork]

To give the Thai economy a boost the government should instigate a huge cash injection - easy, just raid the houses of the police top brass.

[espinoza]

The best would be to fire the whole police force and start up a new one. And never let a former police worker in to the new force. Re-start from the beginning of the evolution. Arrest and punish severely any employee compromising the integrity of the new RTP.