Thai Marine police ex-chief admits he took bribes

[webfact]

Marine police ex-chief admits he took bribes
The Nation

Many CIB officers with ties to disgraced CRIMEBUSTER TO BE TRANSFERRED

BANGKOK: -- POLICE spokesman Lt-General Prawut Thawornsiri yesterday confirmed that a former marine police chief had confessed to taking Bt150 million in bribes from a fugitive Pattani-based businessman.

A source said the admission by Pol Maj-General Bunsueb Phraitheun confirmed police theory that corrupt policemen and security officials had been taking bribes, which made it easy for Sahachai "Sia Jo" Jiansermsin to operate his petrol-smuggling business in the far South.

In his confession, Bunsueb helped police trace a number of names deciphered from nicknames and aliases that belonged to a large number of policemen and security officials. These names were found in lists seized in raids conducted at Sahachai's home, both before and after he fled, a source said.

The Marine Police comes under the jurisdiction of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), and its former chief Lt-General Pongpat Chayaphan and several other CIB senior officers have been arrested for intimidating debtors and extortion. This shakedown of the bureau is expected to result in a large-scale transfer of officers with ties to the former crime-buster.

Prawut repeated that the officers facing transfer are not necessarily accused of any crimes, but were being moved as part of a reshuffle of CIB after Pongpat's arrest. Some 200 CIB officers and 60 from the powerful Crime Suppression Division - also under the CIB - will be transferred, according to earlier news reports quoting several high-ranking police sources.

The Criminal Court yesterday extended the detention of Pongpat and nine other police officers and civilians by another 12 days for a third time after police objected to the request for temporary release. The bail hearing yesterday was done via teleconferencing with the 10 suspects in detention.

Hunting down offenders

Meanwhile, Prawut said a committee had been set up to pursue people or anti-coup groups overseas who post slanderous messages on websites or the social media that could be deemed as violating the lese majeste law. This is on the orders of Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha.

"It is difficult to bring these violators to justice because the offence is not applicable in the countries where they live," he added.

Police have yet to find the people who are believed to have manipulated the Thai stock market in 2008 and are said to have a hand in yesterday's record plunge in the index, he said.

Prawut also defended a legal amendment that would empower members of the Police Special Branch to conduct searches and make arrests without warrants.

He said this would not lead them to abuse their power, but it was a tool to fight crimes against national security and lese majeste.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Marine-police-exchief-admits-he-took-bribes-30250066.html


-- The Nation 2014-12-18

[Fiddlesticks]

A source said the admission by Pol Maj-General Bunsueb Phraitheun confirmed police theory that corrupt policemen and security officials had been taking bribes

Confirmed the THEORY ! ! ! !

This 'theory' has been a proven fact for ages! The reason it continues is that it is condoned by the Thai government as evidenced by their failure to prosecute offenders. Instead, they are merely 'transferred' as a punishment. The punishment here means that they have to start all over again in developing a new base of people to extort therefore causing a short term gap in their income.

Thailand doesn't need a constitution until they get leadership with balls.

[Mango Bob]

Oh how shocking

[ezzra]

News flash.... potentially, ALL government, police and army personal are not beyond taking

and accepting bribes or undue payments either in form of money, goods or favours...

it's sad and unbecoming conduct but this is what has been going on here (and other countries)

for centuries and will go on for centuries more albeit in different forms...

[Tatsujin]

More <deleted> "transfers" ... how about actually punishing people for once for doing wrong ... ?

[EyesWideOpen]

These " transfers" are the height of lunacy. When corrupt government officials are

caught , their wealth seized, and sent to prison, then corruption will stop as it did

in Singapore. This is what Prayut must do. This classic old Thai style transfer

to an inactive post with full salary, only removes the snout from the trough, and offers

little in the way of a deterrent....

[RigPig]

"Prawut also defended a legal amendment that would empower members of the Police Special Branch to conduct searches and make arrests without warrants.

He said this would not lead them to abuse their power, but it was a tool to fight crimes against national security and lese majeste."

[ChrisY1]

Police have yet to find the people who are believed to have manipulated the Thai stock market in 2008 and are said to have a hand in yesterday's record plunge in the index,

They know full well who these market manipulators are......unfortunately, they probably are all very influential people with contacts....don't expect this to go anywhere in a hurry...........

[Traveler19491]

"He said this would not lead them to abuse their power...". And we can be certain that this is true because he's using the same logic my Mom used to use when she would tell me, "Because I said so!"

Also, isn't it interesting that corrupt cops can extort millions in bribes, polluting the very concept of justice, and suffer the crushing humiliation of "transfer" (with full salary), but stand accused of lese majeste and they'll hunt you down wherever you are and imprison you until you rot. Seems fair.

[klauskunkel]

Prawut also defended a legal amendment that would empower members of the Police Special Branch to conduct searches and make arrests without warrants.

He said this would not lead them to abuse their power, but it was a tool to fight crimes against national security and lese majeste.

Yes, Police in Thailand does not abuse it's power. It is a benevolent, impartial and altruistic institution.

[maidee]

"Meanwhile, Prawut said a committee had been set up to pursue people or anti-coup groups overseas who post slanderous messages on websites or the social media that could be deemed as violating the lese majeste law. This is on the orders of Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha."

so, they put people in jail for 15 year of multiples of that for LM

but corrupted policemen, with no shame taking 150 million baht gets ... TRANSFERRED...

WOW !!!!

[soalbundy]

"Prawut also defended a legal amendment that would empower members of the Police Special Branch to conduct searches and make arrests without warrants.

He said this would not lead them to abuse their power, but it was a tool to fight crimes against national security and lese majeste."

With a knock on the door, knock on the door

here they come to take one more.

song writer Ochs Phil

[soalbundy]

"Meanwhile, Prawut said a committee had been set up to pursue people or anti-coup groups overseas who post slanderous messages on websites or the social media that could be deemed as violating the lese majeste law. This is on the orders of Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha."

so, they put people in jail for 15 year of multiples of that for LM

but corrupted policemen, with no shame taking 150 million baht gets ... TRANSFERRED...

WOW !!!!

Yes but be fair,they have to share that money out first.

[Benmart]

"A high-ranking Officer that admitted not to have taken a bribe". Now that would be real news to this reader.

[Benmart]

It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it.

― Aung San Suu Kyi

[spidermike007]

A source said the admission by Pol Maj-General Bunsueb Phraitheun confirmed police theory that corrupt policemen and security officials had been taking bribes

Confirmed the THEORY ! ! ! !

This 'theory' has been a proven fact for ages! The reason it continues is that it is condoned by the Thai government as evidenced by their failure to prosecute offenders. Instead, they are merely 'transferred' as a punishment. The punishment here means that they have to start all over again in developing a new base of people to extort therefore causing a short term gap in their income.

Thailand doesn't need a constitution until they get leadership with balls.

Correct. And until we see real punishment, with prison terms of 10, 20, 30 years or longer, and fines into the tens of millions of baht, commensurate with the scale of the crimes committed, there will be NO CHANGE, NO REFORM, AND NO MEANINGFUL PROGRESS. All else is just babble, and jawboning. Are you guys serious, or are you just babbling? Show us. Do not tell us.

[fritzzz25]

Breaking news - RTP announces training program shortened by 3 weeks........ official bribe taking classes removed from curriculum.

[Lupatria]

More <deleted> "transfers" ... how about actually punishing people for once for doing wrong ... ?

...and the last man standing has to fill all the gaps?

[FangFerang]

There is lots of hope for Thailand -- hope it never becomes a Chinese protectorate, hope that Thai people never become as rude as most Americans (my own people batting 1000 for arrogance), hope Thailand never becomes a prettier version of North Korea, hope that reform is not redeaux, hope that one day both the people and leaders listen to the King, hope that one day water and poverty can be managed without destroying their own culture, and hope that one day, one far away day from now --people know in their hearts, really know, not just pretend and repeat, that we are all brothers and sisters from a single human family, no matter our differences in place, race or religion.

There is always hope. I think sometimes we just forgot where we put it.

[Fred Flinstone]

Dog bites man !

Whats new?

[JOC]

There is lots of hope for Thailand -- hope it never becomes a Chinese protectorate, hope that Thai people never become as rude as most Americans (my own people batting 1000 for arrogance), hope Thailand never becomes a prettier version of North Korea, hope that reform is not redeaux, hope that one day both the people and leaders listen to the King, hope that one day water and poverty can be managed without destroying their own culture, and hope that one day, one far away day from now --people know in their hearts, really know, not just pretend and repeat, that we are all brothers and sisters from a single human family, no matter our differences in place, race or religion.

There is always hope. I think sometimes we just forgot where we put it.

Meanwhile............On Planet Earth...................In Thailand.......................

[thhMan]

I wonder if this has any effect on the Police enrollments....

Knowing that being a Thai Police person these days may not qualify them from the riches obtained from bribes, shakedowns etc, may make some people second guess becoming a police person and get a real job instead...

[h90]

News flash.... potentially, ALL government, police and army personal are not beyond taking

and accepting bribes or undue payments either in form of money, goods or favours...

it's sad and unbecoming conduct but this is what has been going on here (and other countries)

for centuries and will go on for centuries more albeit in different forms...

You must pay if you want to get promoted in the police, so all but the lowest policemen paid bribe.

The salary of the lowest policemen is not enough to live, so they have to find some extra money.

[Jim walker]

Only 150million Baht a good stout wallet shattering 500 baht fine then that will be a warning to other criminals to stop them using the RTP as a criminal cover

[Rimmer]

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[Deez]

Is there anything a cop can do to get fired?

[ggt]

OMG...tell me it is not so...I am crushed...my entire perception of Thailand as a beacon of integrity in it's police and military has just been destroyed...

[Ulic]

The only surprise for me is the size of the bribe. 150 million is a serious chunk of fudge.

[speedtripler]

The only surprise for me is the size of the bribe. 150 million is a serious chunk of fudge.

not really when you consider the value of an oil tanker from the middle east would be millions of doilars

around 1/3 rd of the petrol and diesel in thailand is alledgedly smuggled in past the royal thai navy

this guy has probably collected a few million a month

for years for allowing this to happen when he was the boss

its like crumbs compared to the 10 billion in cash and gold that pongpat and his 5 friends had lying around in their homes

[bheard]

"Meanwhile, Prawut said a committee had been set up to pursue people or anti-coup groups overseas who post slanderous messages on websites or the social media that could be deemed as violating the lese majeste law. This is on the orders of Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha."

so, they put people in jail for 15 year of multiples of that for LM

but corrupted policemen, with no shame taking 150 million baht gets ... TRANSFERRED...

WOW !!!!

Mind boggling!!

Takes yer breath away!!