Account holder claims his innocence in KMITL case

[webfact]

Account holder claims his innocence in KMITL case
MONTHIEN INTHAKET
THE NATION



Graduate student surrenders to police, says he followed a friend's request to wire Bt80 million of embazzled money

BANGKOK: -- THE MAN whose bank account allegedly received Bt80 million embezzled from King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Latkrabang (KMITL) surrendered to police yesterday but claimed innocence, saying he had opened the account in question and wired money to others at a friend's request.

The Bt80 million was part of Bt1.663 billion allegedly embezzled in the past two years by at least two suspects.

The State Audit Commission has assigned Auditor-General Pisit Leelavachiropas to launch a fact-finding probe into the KMITL embezzlement.

Meanwhile police searched the office of KMITL finance-division head Ampon Noisamrit, seizing her computer and work documents for inspection. They also searched her home for evidence.

Ampon's nephew urged police to treat her justly, saying he believed she was duped by the other suspect, the former manager of Bank of Ayudhya's Big C Srinakarin branch, Songklod Sriprasong.

Ampon, 56, and Songklod, 40, were arrested this week.

Graduate student Poonsak Boonsawat, 26, whose name was on the account in question and on the cashier cheques used for withdrawals, told Crime Suppression Division (CSD) Superintendent 1 Pol Colonel Jirapop Phuridet that he was asked by a friend in October to open the account, which received Bt85 million.

He said he wasn't suspicious when the friend also asked him to wire money to other accounts on three occasions, until Bt24 million was left.

He denied any knowledge of embezzlement.

Jirapop said police were investigating Poonsak's claim and the person he implicated, while the money transactions were also being checked.

KMITL legal affairs division head Worawan Suwannakut, who was authorised by acting rector Monai Krairiksh to file a police complaint in this case, and acting finance division head Lamduan Thinrat yesterday provided additional information to police.

Two more suspects identified

Investigator Pol Lt-Colonel Pongsawai Chaemlamjiak said the initial probe managed to identify two other persons, Kitisak Mathujad and Jariwat Sahaporn-udomkan, as owners of two bank accounts that received the money from the suspects, hence police would check whether they knew about any wrongdoing.

Pongsawai said Poonsak is being kept as witness.

CSD inspector Pol Major Narongchai Ekkachan led the search of Ampon's house in Bangkok's Bang Na area. Her nephew Phadungsak On-la-iad, 42, who stayed at the house, cooperated with the search warrant.

Police collected the following items as evidence: some debt invoices, letters from Bank of Ayudhya, a camera, some 10 bankbooks, gold ornaments, some 10 insurance policies, and several land title deeds, as well as the registration documents of a sedan and a pickup truck at the house.

Narongchai said police were looking for evidence to arrest accomplices of the two current suspects.

Police were also told that some more bank accounts were with Ampon's lawyer, who had collected them two weeks ago, Narongchai added.

Phadungsak said Ampon knew Songklod two years ago when he still worked at a branch of Siam Commercial Bank. The family was told by Ampon that she had nothing to do with the crime - Songklod had her sign the documents all along and she did not know Poonsak.

Phadungsak said he believed his aunt was duped, because Songklod had recently been visiting the family and picking up Ampon from work frequently, while also volunteering to assist with her money transactions. Phadungsak said he warned Ampon not to trust the man but she said he was a friend.

Phadungsak insisted Ampon was a good, honest and kind person who had worked for KMITL since her graduation from teacher's college. She suffered from heart disease, diabetes, and kidney disease, so she was admitted to the hospital two weeks ago.

He said Ampon said she was disheartened, so he wanted police to ensure she got justice.

People in the neighbourhood said they couldn't believe that Ampon - who seemed to be a modest person - would do as alleged, while some thought her money-related working environment could tempt her to succumb to greed.

The State Audit Commission resolved to have the fact-finding probe launched so the wrongdoers would face punishments under the disciplinary and criminal codes, said commission chairman Chaisit Trachoetham.

Auditor-General Pisit Leelavachiropas said the agency would follow professional accounting principles when checking the money transactions and that, under this probe, officials would be split into two teams - one checking transactions while the other team would investigate other related matters.

In related news, Bank of Ayudhya, said yesterday it would

cooperate with the police investigation and clarified it had done a background check on Songklod before hiring him and found nothing to be concerned about.

The bank said prospective staff had to undergo a probation period of at least 90 days before being taken on permanently, according to the standards followed by commercial banks. Songklod entered the probation period in March and had later stopped working for the bank.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Account-holder-claims-his-innocence-in-KMITL-case-30250700.html


-- The Nation 2014-12-26

[siampolee]

Graduate student Poonsak Boonsawat, 26, whose name was on the account in question and on the cashier cheques used for withdrawals, told Crime Suppression Division (CSD) Superintendent 1 Pol Colonel Jirapop Phuridet that he was asked by a friend in October to open the account, which received Bt85 million.

He said he wasn't suspicious when the friend also asked him to wire money to other accounts on three occasions, until Bt24 million was left.

He denied any knowledge of embezzlement.

So someone ask you to open a bank account in your name for them to use!!

Well alarm bell number one would start to ring.

It seems as 80,000,000 baht is deposited into said account without the knowledge of the account holder. Yet account holder is asked to ''transfer'' large sums of money to other accounts.

Bell number two rings.

When account balance is at 24,000,000 baht said account holder still does not suspect something strange may be happening and sleeps well abed at night secure in his mind that he is just assisting a friend.

Methinks he would indeed be best employed in a laundry.

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ5sSnFPWrLHmpMHDWuLEcJcJ5mTLgKD1CEoffEU1YJNKxcHOkl

[ezzra]

Yep, the man is innocent, I mean it's happening every day where 'friend' asking another friend

to open a bank account to receive 80 million baht in to it, sound like the Nigerian sting, just

that in this case, he really did get 80 million baht into his account...

[siampolee]

Account holder claims his innocence in KMITL case

Wishy washy widow Twanky excuse in my view.

[NongKhaiKid]

Graduate student Poonsak Boonsawat, 26, whose name was on the account in question and on the cashier cheques used for withdrawals, told Crime Suppression Division (CSD) Superintendent 1 Pol Colonel Jirapop Phuridet that he was asked by a friend in October to open the account, which received Bt85 million.

He said he wasn't suspicious when the friend also asked him to wire money to other accounts on three occasions, until Bt24 million was left.

He denied any knowledge of embezzlement.

So someone ask you to open a bank account in your name for them to use!!

Well alarm bell number one would start to ring.

It seems as 80,000,000 baht is deposited into said account without the knowledge of the account holder. Yet account holder is asked to ''transfer'' large sums of money to other accounts.

Bell number two rings.

When account balance is at 24,000,000 baht said account holder still does not suspect something strange may be happening and sleeps well abed at night secure in his mind that he is just assisting a friend.

Methinks he would indeed be best employed in a laundry.

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ5sSnFPWrLHmpMHDWuLEcJcJ5mTLgKD1CEoffEU1YJNKxcHOkl

Absolute trust and faith in a friend just get's you doesn't it !

The emotion generated would bring a tear to a glass eye.

[Tatsujin]

The first question he made (if indeed "innocent") should have been "why the <deleted> can't you open your own bank account and wire it to yourself?".

However, a 1% handling fee probably put all such thoughts out of his head.

[LuckyLew]

If he is trying to claim innocence in all this then does not say much for the brains of a graduate student in Thailand

[apetley]

I've lost count of the number of my friends who deposit huge amounts of money into my account and ask me to make money transfers for them. Entirely plausible.

[Bluespunk]

"Ampon's nephew urged police to treat her justly"

I think that's the one thing she really hopes they don't do.

Her greatest fear I should imagine.

Justice dictates a long sentence.

If guilty that is.

Edited December 26, 2014 by Bluespunk

[casualbiker]

Also the bit about the bank manager still being on probation.. surely he would have been working under some form of supervision!!!

So it seems this alleged embezzlement happened within the 3 month probationary period .. amazing!

Edited December 26, 2014 by casualbiker

[klauskunkel]

Graduate student Poonsak Boonsawat, 26, whose name was on the account in question and on the cashier cheques used for withdrawals, told Crime Suppression Division (CSD) Superintendent 1 Pol Colonel Jirapop Phuridet that he was asked by a friend in October to open the account, which received Bt85 million.

He said he wasn't suspicious when the friend also asked him to wire money to other accounts on three occasions, until Bt24 million was left. Poonsak is being kept as witness.

Police: So, you still have 24 million in that account?

Poonsak: yes, sir!

Police: Don't worry, we will take care of you...you will be only a witness!

[klauskunkel]

On another note, nobody has yet played the "it's all a big misunderstanding" card...which usually ends all this tedium and delivers inactive posts for all

[sawati]

What a saga for a soap opera!!!Jeeeesuuuusss!!

[binjalin]

" at a friend's request"

ahh so that's ok then, no personal responsibility, just 'wire 80 million' into his own account and say "he told me to do it"

[SOTIRIOS]

.........what a load of crock........

[pedro01]

" surrendered to police yesterday but claimed innocence, saying he had opened the account in question and wired money to others at a friend's request."

lol - claimed innocence and then admitted being an accomplice.

[Lupatria]

If he is trying to claim innocence in all this then does not say much for the brains of a graduate student in Thailand

...unless he wants to become a lawyer in LOS.

[maidee]

i need new friends to wire me some millions, where can i find them ?

[Baerboxer]

If he is trying to claim innocence in all this then does not say much for the brains of a graduate student in Thailand

When confronted by any form of wrong doing the most popular reaction here is to simply lie and pretend as though you knew nothing was wrong. We've seen it from the politicians, civil servants, police, teachers, ministers, corporate leaders, academics etc etc.

Why should he be different? Simply following all the role models.

[Robby nz]

Graduate student Poonsak Boonsawat, 26, whose name was on the account in question and on the cashier cheques used for withdrawals, told Crime Suppression Division (CSD) Superintendent 1 Pol Colonel Jirapop Phuridet that he was asked by a friend in October to open the account, which received Bt85 million.

He said he wasn't suspicious when the friend also asked him to wire money to other accounts on three occasions, until Bt24 million was left.

He denied any knowledge of embezzlement.

So someone ask you to open a bank account in your name for them to use!!

Well alarm bell number one would start to ring.

It seems as 80,000,000 baht is deposited into said account without the knowledge of the account holder. Yet account holder is asked to ''transfer'' large sums of money to other accounts.

Bell number two rings.

When account balance is at 24,000,000 baht said account holder still does not suspect something strange may be happening and sleeps well abed at night secure in his mind that he is just assisting a friend.

Methinks he would indeed be best employed in a laundry.

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ5sSnFPWrLHmpMHDWuLEcJcJ5mTLgKD1CEoffEU1YJNKxcHOkl

It was reported yesterday that he had just bought a 24 million house and said a friend lent him the money to buy it, so might be the money is no longer in the account .

[Suffinator]

He's either as thick as a Rhino's backside or he's complicit and therefore lying .... in all honesty it could be either

[FangFerang]

This young man is obviously innocent of all charges.

Of course, green plus cube equals seven.

[Jim walker]

Another graduate with a negative I.Q and a picture of him saying butter wouldn’t melt in my mouth complete innocent and complete idiot not a brain cell in his head just the automatic Thai gene greed money money only love money no need to work just collect free money.

[Somrak]

There is something wrong in this land.

They did not even arrest them all, but still have time to follow

leaves around the country.

Edited December 26, 2014 by Somrak

[somchaimaidai]

"Ampon's nephew urged police to treat her justly"

I think that's the one thing she really hopes they don't do.

Her greatest fear I should imagine.

Justice dictates a long sentence.

If guilty that is.

Pure brilliance and 'edited' far less times than your average post dictating a long sentence.