One million baht bounty offered for fugitive smuggling kingpin

[webfact]

One million baht bounty offered for fugitive smuggling kingpin



BANGKOK: -- The Royal Thai Police has offered a million baht reward for anyone who can give information on the whereabouts of the smuggling kingpin, Sia Jo, wanted for giving bribes to the police to avoid his illicit business in the South.

Royal Thai Police commissioner Pol Gen Somyot Phumphanmuang said the one million baht bounty was offered for the convicted Pattani businessman Sahachai Chiamsermsi, also known as ‘Sia Jo’, who is involved in oil smuggling ring in Thailand’s southern region and was said to pay over hundred million baht to the former Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) commissioner Pol Lt-Gen Pongpat Chayaphan and the Marine Police Bureau commander.

Sia Jo quietly escaped from police custody in October when he appeared in the Pattani provincial court to hear ruling on forging official documents in October 9 this year.

The court sentenced him to one year and nine months in prison with no extension of sentence. After the sentence was read, Sia Jo quietly slipped out of police custody and is still at large.

Sia Jo was notorious in the South for illicit business that included oil smuggling and was said to pay numerous authorities to turn their eyes shut on his business.

Until today, the Royal Thai Police commissioner said 22 suspects connected to a criminal network of former CIB commissioner are now in hands of the police, after two of the suspects turned in themselves today.

Sergeant Nathakorn Yasri and Sergeant Teerapong Chorjampee surrendered to the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) today.

The pairs are suspected to be involved in a criminal network of the disgraced former CIB chief now detained in prison for charges that ranged from demanding bribes from gambling dens, from police seeking promotion, from oil smugglers and lese majeste.

Arrest warrants have been issued for 22 suspects since the bribery scandal was unearthed on November 23.

Five warrants were issued yesterday against three civilians and two police officers for citing the monarchy to obtain benefits, assaults, illegally collecting debts and extortion. Sergeant Nathakorn and Sergeant Teerapong were among the five.

The five suspects were accused of forcing a businessman to lower their debt from 120 million baht to 20 million baht through abduction attempt.

Two of the five suspects – Chalach Phothirach and Natthanan Thanawech — were arrested on Sunday night.

But both denied the lese majeste charge but confessed to other crimes.

It was also confirmed today that another suspect Witthaya Theskhunthot was arrested and brought by police for interrogation.

He will be brought to the military court Tuesday for detention permission.

Royal Thai Police commissioner Pol Gen Somyot said Monday that only Police Major general Boonsueb Phraithuenan, former chief of the Marine Police Division, has been charged for taking bribes from oil smugglers, given the evidence in hand.

He said police have completed interrogations of 10 other police officers who are suspected to take the bribes but they have not pressed any charge against them.

Pol Gen Somyot said all the suspected civilians and police officers in the case will receive fair treatment from the police.

According to the Royal Thai Police chief, a panel headed by MPB deputy commander has been set up to examine some 20,000 artifacts seized from the former CIB chief network.

It will work with the Anti-Money Laundering Office in the process.

Also today, Forensic police opened two safe-boxes seized from Police Lieutenant General Pongpat’s homes in Bangkok on November 26 today but found no illegally acquired assets inside them.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/one-million-baht-bounty-offered-fugitive-smuggling-kingpin


-- Thai PBS 2014-12-02

[siampolee]

Now that is a trifling sum compared to the magnitude of the alleged offences.

As a matter of interest is the sum doubled or will it be doubled if the wanted person was to be delivered dead?

Dead men tell no tales

A saying that has existed for a long time. Basically, what it means is that to keep something quiet, kill anyone who knows about it and, since that person is dead, it would be pretty much impossible for them to tell your secret. A similar saying is "Three can keep a secret if two are dead," invented by Benjamin Franklin.

Edited December 1, 2014 by siampolee

[lostinisaan]

"Pol Gen Somyot said all the suspected civilians and police officers in the case will receive fair treatment from the police."

A Greeting Card from Smith & Wesson will do the trick as well....

[Somtamnication]

LOL. A million baht. This guy makes that per day. What a farce.

[JeremyBowskill]

joking aside, it must be pretty difficult to track down fellas like this with the third world policing technology available here. I reckon the chances are I will pass at least half a dozen people who could pass for him today. Unless he is dumb enough to stay in his own area, it will be a real challenge to find him or anyone.

Without a police PNC system he could drive around in his own car and the police would be none the wiser.

[ChrisY1]

He's driving a taxi along Sukhumvit..........

[BSJ]

"After the sentence was read, Sia Jo quietly slipped out of police custody and is still at large." You can't make up stuff like this!

[inzman]

I doubt this guy stayed in Thailand very long after he bribed his way out of detention. He's long gone with his money. Lock the gate after the horse has bolted it seems.

[steven100]

doesn't he run a chinese take away in Pattaya ..........

[mca]

"Quietly slipped out of police custody"

I've got a mental image of the bloke dropping a thousand baht note on the floor and then slowly sliding along the wall and out the door to the Pink Panther theme as the dibble scrabble about for the cash

[thesetat2013]

I really like the way they wrote " he quietly slipped away from police custody".

More than likely something else was quietly slipped to escape.

[ezzra]

Hey police men.. 1 million baht will buy you nothing these days, every one knows that the person

who will rat him out is as good as dead, and 1 million baht for is way too little, make it 10 millions baht,

a drop in ocean of the truck loads of loot you got from that rouge general and his band of merry men,

and you will have a beeline of informants.......

Edited December 2, 2014 by ezzra

[jaltsc]

" After the sentence was read, Sia Jo quietly slipped out of police custody and is still at large."

It probably cost him a lot less than 1 million baht to encourage his guards to look the other way as he made his escape.

[JOC]

Instead of focusing on this dangerous civilian, what about starting a little closer to home??

The guys wearing various uniforms involved in this must be a little easier to find?

Or too inconvenient??

[harryfrompattaya]

LOL. A million baht. This guy makes that per day. What a farce.

Can one believe how little reward compare what most families expect from farangs for their daughters

It seems we all over pay for everything

In America the reward will be a million dollars at least

[gopis108]

Lest Majeste-I would think that every Thai Policeman who accepts a bribe-(and I have witnessed many)should be charged with this Lest Majeste because they are known as ROYAL THAI POLICE and as such they are disgracing His Majesty by accepting bribes.Why are these rubbish characters not charged and removed from the Force.???

[Artisi]

"After the sentence was read, Sia Jo quietly slipped out of police custody .................."

Should be entered for the most hilarious quote of the year.

[Bluespunk]

I doubt this guy stayed in Thailand very long after he bribed his way out of detention. He's long gone with his money. Lock the gate after the horse has bolted it seems.

Or in this case "after making sure the horse has bolted".

[shaggy851]

He's operating a motorcycle taxi ring on soi ekkamai

[Sviss Geez]

LOL. A million baht. This guy makes that per day. What a farce.

Far from being a farce, it's a very good idea as obviously the reward is not aimed at him, it's intended for the people who might turn him in that don't make that kind of money.

Edited December 2, 2014 by Sviss Geez

[Sviss Geez]

Instead of focusing on this dangerous civilian, what about starting a little closer to home??

The guys wearing various uniforms involved in this must be a little easier to find?

Or too inconvenient??

That is exactly what the police are doing, there is an ongoing investigation that this is part of but you continue to infer that just one part of the case that is reported about is the only thing being looked at. Why do you do that? Some would call it chronic Thai/police bashing.

"The guys wearing various uniforms involved in this must be a little easier to find?"

What do you think this thread and others connected to it are about? Do some research and you will find (as you obviously know) that many people, uniformed and otherwise, have been arrested and more are being sought.

[Sviss Geez]

LOL. A million baht. This guy makes that per day. What a farce.

Can one believe how little reward compare what most families expect from farangs for their daughters

It seems we all over pay for everything

In America the reward will be a million dollars at least

But isn't this a Thai case, in Thailand, involving Thai people? What's America got to do with it?

[SOTIRIOS]

.....open to counter-offers......

[Chris Lawrence]

If he hasn't fled the country already, I expect to read about him an a future shoot out with police with the unfortunate suspect shot and killed.

[anon022]

He looks happy. Oviously knew that he would be free to go, although convicted.

[NativeSon360]

FOOD 4 THOUGHT (maybe????)

People take themselves everywhere they go. If you didn't have much of an "interesting" life, in your own home country, then you definitely didn't bring an interesting life, to the LS.

What never ceases to amaze me, is that so many different "farangs", have so many different opinions, about the internal affairs of Thai society; affairs that have absolutely no impact (whatsoever) upon their obviously boring (beer4breakfast) "farang" lives.

Perhaps there's a reason why so many Thai people, now consider most "residential farangs" to be probable losers back home, because they (those farangs) were far too busy playing the Pinocchio roles, rather than staying focused on the business of their own lives.

Perhaps that's also the reason why all the Pattaya resort "information" pamphlets, are now published in the Russian language, instead of English, anymre!....................................

Edited December 2, 2014 by NativeSon360

[Strangebrew]

He is in Penang just opened Noddles and crack shop on the beach. With 6 former Thai police Chief's Place is called Porn and bunghole's hideout. Next door to Auntie Maggie's House of Thai treasures, which I think may be house of hookers Owner On license Is Shin Corp.

[NativeSon360]

He looks happy. Oviously knew that he would be free to go, although convicted.

Your's is the only reply comment, to the topic, that I consider to be appropriate. Thanks for sharing.

[Laughing Gravy]

FOOD 4 THOUGHT (maybe????)

People take themselves everywhere they go. If you didn't have much of an "interesting" life, in your own home country, then you definitely didn't bring an interesting life, to the LS.

What never ceases to amaze me, is that so many different "farangs", have so many different opinions, about the internal affairs of Thai society; affairs that have absolutely no impact (whatsoever) upon their obviously boring (beer4breakfast) "farang" lives.

Perhaps there's a reason why so many Thai people, now consider most "residential farangs" to be probable losers back home, because they (those farangs) were far too busy playing the Pinocchio roles, rather than staying focused on the business of their own lives.

Perhaps that's also the reason why all the Pattaya resort "information" pamphlets, are now published in the Russian language, instead of English, anymre!....................................

I think you are taking Thai Visa to seriously. People who live here including this 'farang' actually cares about what happens in Thailand. Also, like myself lots of those different farangs, contribute a lot to this country and are trying to help it develop. What so many Thais I have met just don't get and this seems to be prevalent here on this forum, is that certainly as a Brit, we like to question, criticise and some would call moan. Do not take it to heart. We different farangs like to give our opinions and don't mind criticism. in fact my native homeland of the UK deserves to be criticised and I would go to some extent and say that they should adopt some of the immigration policies from this country. What is wrong on having an opinion. this is a forum for such things., I would suggest that if you want to hear all things about Thailand are wonderful and Thai people are perfect, then this isn't the place for you. As a note lots of westerners (farangs) like to be sarcastic. We find it immensely amusing. Now if your beer4breakfast was sarcasm, then I like it. If not then I don't think you should 'tarnish everyone with the same brush'. I have cornflakes.

As a westerner (hate the term farang) and a guest in this country, I can't talk about certain topics to Thai people for obvious reasons. On a forum, that is what it is for.

[Seastallion]

So, what if a farang found him and called the cops who then arrest him?

Would the farang be paid the reward? Or would they say he needed a work permit, specific for the job?