Five more arrests in expanding Thai police graft probe

[tingtongfarang]

This probe is getting worrisome.

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

In that case i would expect the crime rate to drop considerably.

[waitforusalso]

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.

You think it's just the police that are corrupt? How about the army (1/2 billion baht Generals)? How about every government department, state & local? How about the courts, large corporations....

[surangw]

i foresee a lot of transfers and promotions in the near future

[iReason]

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

Yup.

Pure subterfuge going on...

It really cracks me up that many dreamers here think, (hope) that the Thai think like them.

Thailand is an isolationist island unto itself.

Corruption?

What iz dat?

If anyone wants, PM me and I'll send you an editorial from the BP which clearly articulates "Thainess".

In fact, defends it.

Edited November 26, 2014 by iReason

[NeverSure]

I can't find it, but earlier in a news report it was said that some officials are being replaced with those who align more with the general's thinking.

That supported a feeling I already had that perhaps a certain side is getting hammered but not another side.

I don't know the names of all of the people mentioned in this OP to know if they are all on the wrong side, or if it's shirt color-blind.

Can any of the TVF detectives tell if this is a one sided purge, or if it is rather color-blind?

[englishoak]

It is of course nearly all one sided but no more one sided than it usually is when a new lot get the opportunity to "reorganise" those in influential positions, Thaksin did pretty much the same and those before him. All people have to do is look at the back history and those who have fled the country or fallen from grace as things have changed form time to time.

Its not colour blind at all of course but imo its not just directly political in this case either. Its more than what colour are simply the next election winners, thats already plainly clear.

[Sviss Geez]

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 wasn't a comment, it was a well stated and accurate observation.

[Sviss Geez]

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......

If the source is proved to be illicit it will go to the state coffers.

[Sviss Geez]

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.

Most of them are in jail already having been denied bail.

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

You do know what this thread is about don't you?

[Torrens54]

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

rereading it I dont think so

They were in the Bangkok Post a couple of days ago.

[bangrak]

When and if the Thai State really wants to seriously fight against corruption, first of all IMO three most important changes must be made to the Law:

N°1: no more 'statue of limitation' for suspected corruption, also retro-actively; N°2: reverse the charge of proof, the suspect must prove his innocence; N°3: criminalise corruption, with special laws, eventually special Courts, no bail, looong jail terms (no reduction), HUGE fines, empounding of family and consorts' assets, loss of citizens' rights, rogatory commisions abroad for hidden assets, etc.

[bangrak]

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!!

Just tried with Thaksin+corruption, gave 370,000 results (my EU Google)!

Your 'hero' is the winner, even when it's not with votes he buys for himself, or 'Poo',... Great isn't it?!

Edited November 26, 2014 by bangrak

[WhizBang]

Isnt one of the cops who is in on this related to a certain royal .Looks like a power play of sorts.

BINGO.

[bangrak]

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!!

I'd say 'unbalanced'! Like yourself?

[nisakiman]

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!!

Which just goes to show that the system is rotten to the core, and both Thaksin and Suthep have both from the outset been equally up to their ears in the mire. All those TV posters claiming that Suthep would bring in a corruption-free administration were either dreaming or terminally stupid. Thaksin and Suthep are both as bad as each other as far as corruption is concerned. In fact Thaksin was probably somewhat less avaricious, having already made his billions. Suthep was still trying to join the big boy's club.

I'm surprised you didn't get more results for Thaksin, though, given how much more high-profile he is than Suthep. I would have expected at least three times more results.

[Tokay]

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

Pretty much anything they want it to be in order to get their competition and foes out of the way. It's a political weapon, nothing more.

[NeilSA1]

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 'Suthep' gave = About 6 300 000 results (0.32 seconds)

A google search of 'Suthep anti corruption'gave = About 379 000 results (0.42 seconds)

[webfact]

CORRUPTION SCANDAL
Five more caught in police graft scandal
The Nation



Civilians detained for armed threat, criminal conspiracy, theft, restraint

BANGKOK: -- FIVE civilians accused of involvement in the corruption scheme engulfing crime buster Pol Lt-General Pongpat Chayaphan have been apprehended and are going through the criminal process, National police chief Pol-General Somyot Poompanmoung said yesterday.

The five were identified as Nattapon, Sitthisak and Narong Akarapongpreecha, Sutthisak Sutthijit and Chakarn Phakphoom. They were wanted for armed intimidation, criminal conspiracy involving more than five offenders, restraint of freedom, and joint theft.

They are now in the custody of Phra Khanong police in Bangkok.

Somyot said more people involved in this scheme - he didn't specify the number - would be arrested if or when evidence implicating them became available.

Somyot had earlier dismissed as rumour unconfirmed news reports that some 40 senior police would soon be summonsed for alleged involvement with Pol Lt-General Pongpat Chayaphan, who is now in custody.

An investigation into this issue was underway. If or when the summonses were issued, it would be known publicly, he said, adding: "Don't play up this issue so frequently that it disturbs police and distracts them from their work."

One of the identified suspects, Nattapon, is a former Army major. Royal Thai Police spokesman Pol Lt-General Prawut Thawornsiri confirmed yesterday that Natthaphol had been stripped of his Army rank and was the same Natthapol among the new suspects in police custody.

Somyot, meanwhile, said he would welcome "tell-all revelations" by former Rak Prathet Thai Party leader Chuwit Kamolvisit about police corruption - if he could back up his claims with concrete evidence.

Speaking at a press conference before Somyot's remarks, Chuwit said the systematic corruption and fee collection engulfing the former Central Investigation Bureau commissioner involved many more officers apart from CIB deputy chief Pol Maj-General Kowit Wongrungroj and two non-commissioned officers, all of whom had been suspended and placed in custody.

Somyot later called on Chuwit to fully identify two bureau commissioners he referred to as 'Kor' and 'Jor', saying it would be easier for police to probe further into their alleged crimes cited by Chuwit.

In Chuwit's statement, he said a gambling den inside the Colonze massage parlour on Rama IX Road was operated by people who cited backing from the monarchy. This den generated large profits from gamblers and was able to pay a daily "protection fee" of Bt20 million to the police for nine months of operation in 2001, before it relocated to Soi Ratchadaphisek 18, the same year. It operated there for 24 days, starting August 1, before it closed down after being exposed by media reports.

He said Pongpat, as CIB chief at the time, was supposedly unable - under a police culture of corruption - to extract the fee from this den without knowledge and approval of the Metropolitan Police Bureau chief at the time.

Chuwit, however, praised Somyot, saying he believed the incumbent RTP commander was a good person who had good intent in tackling police corruption. The parlour tycoon-cum-politician said the information he released yesterday was based on a document he submitted to the RTP for further investigation. A finding later claimed that no involvement by police was found with this gambling den.

All items, contained in a large number of boxes, seized from various homes of Pongpat, Kowit, and Pol Colonel Akkharawut Limrat - whose death was cited as suicide - were transported to a military barracks in northern Bangkok, pending identification from Fine Arts Department experts on artifacts.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Five-more-caught-in-police-graft-scandal-30248621.html


-- The Nation 2014-11-27

[SoilSpoil]

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!!

Yeah right! Ask the rural voters and poor in the East and South of Thailand how loyal to Thaksin they would like to be. AFP as well as other Western media sources keep repeating their Cinderella versions of foreign conflicts.

[Boxclever]

Nothing but a witch hunt

[lovetotravel]

Nothing but a witch hunt

A witch hunt that's removed some of the most corrupt police in the Kingdom. Keep up the good work!

FYI. One is a former army officer. So perhaps this is more than just politics.

[BestBitterPhuket]

This probe is getting worrisome.

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

They have not had a police force for years, but a mafia in police uniforms that occasionally does police work.

[Orac]

Nothing but a witch hunt

A witch hunt that's removed some of the most corrupt police in the Kingdom. Keep up the good work!

FYI. One is a former army officer. So perhaps this is more than just politics.

Or just a domestic

[jaywalker]

I'm reminded of that really cool movie called The Village Monster. They called them "Those of whom we do not speak".

[aussieinthailand]

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!!

And the man currently masquerading as a monk (Suthep) doesn't have a very positive report on him huh, filled with many different issues of alleged corrupt dealings. and the report on Mr T has far more positive theme huh, but not without controversy, and by far more popular both domestically and internationally, so how ya gonna put a spin on that one?

To gain real legitimacy on this they need to get all the crooked cops and officials not just the ones on the wrong side of the political divide as was and still seems s the case,

Edited November 27, 2014 by aussieinthailand

[Jogden]

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

They have done more than scratch the surface here - if you were to google the surname of the three family members arrested shown above it might give you a clue how deep this rabbit hole is

Tit for tat now, big fight with fat and skinny.

[Nickymaster]

Nothing but a witch hunt

Unbelievable comment. You surely must be trolling. They are revealing the operations of (most probably) the largest network of government criminals ever in Thailand. Top cops operating an underground cartel with which they make BILLIONS of baht. And you call it a witch hunt. Truly amazing.

witch-hunt also witch hunt:

An investigation carried out ostensibly to uncover subversive activities but actually used to harass and undermine those with differing views.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/witch-hunt

So for you these criminal cops just have a different view.

[bristolgeoff]

spreading like a wild fire now.anyone involved will be hiding the money or fleeing the country like they brother takism,except without all that loot

[naughtybadfurrimunki]

Nothing but a witch hunt

Unbelievable comment. You surely must be trolling. They are revealing the operations of (most probably) the largest network of government criminals ever in Thailand. Top cops operating an underground cartel with which they make BILLIONS of baht. And you call it a witch hunt. Truly amazing.

witch-hunt also witch hunt:

An investigation carried out ostensibly to uncover subversive activities but actually used to harass and undermine those with differing views.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/witch-hunt

So for you these criminal cops just have a different view.

He isn't trolling. So easy to join the dots now.

I think the key word in your definition that actually relates to this specific context is 'undermine'.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

Edited November 27, 2014 by naughtybadfurrimunki

[SOTIRIOS]

...........diagnosis......cancer.......

...hopefully the last stages.....