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Credit union calls for new DSI probe
The Nation


Victims of the Klongchan Credit Union embezzlement case rally in front of the Department of Special Investigation office in Bangkok yesterday, calling for a new set of investigators. The victims, who lost Bt16 billion in savings

Agency agrees to set up new team after slow progress on Klongchan fraud case

BANGKOK: -- VICTIMS OF the Klongchan Credit Union embezzlement case submitted a plea to the Department of Special Investigation yesterday asking that a new set of investigators replace the incumbent team because of its slow progress and alleged inefficiency.

A deputy director-general, Phaisit Wongmuang, said the DSI would look at whether to comply with the petition, submitted on behalf of around 100 victims, but senior DSI official Somboon Sarasith said new investigators would take over using information retrieved by the current team, which would be 'deactivated'.

A deputy permanent secretary at the Finance Ministry, Dussadee Arayawuth, said the new group of DSI agents would call its first meeting on February 2, and would look closely at people who received money withdrawn via 800 cheques signed by credit union executives. This was a key information that incumbent investigators had failed to do, after a two-year probe into the scandal, which resulted in a loss of Bt16 billion from Credit Union assets, which are mainly members' savings.

In a statement, activist Atchariya Ruengrattanaphong said the very slow progress, compared to quick progress achieved by the Crime Suppression Division in its probe into the theft of Bt1.5 billion from accounts of the King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Lat Krabang, had prompted this group of victims to lodge the complaint.

He said certain victims were expected to receive some of the money in the next three months as a result of the petition after senior DSI officials promised to replace incumbent investigators with new ones. He said the DSI had agreed to report its progress to them every seven days.

Atchariya called on Thawatchai Thaikheo, another deputy permanent secretary, to resign for his guarantee, as a senior government official, to a request by former Credit Union chairman Suphachai Sri-aksorn, for temporary release on bail. Suphachai has been charged with embezzlement by the DSI.

Dussadee said Atchariya's demand for Thawatchai to resign was not discussed in yesterday's meeting of DSI executives, as the issue was deemed a personal matter for Thawatchai, who he said had already submitted an explanation for his guarantee to the Justice minister and the permanent secretary.

The group later rallied outside the DSI compound in the Government Complex off Chaeng Wattana Road north of Bangkok, and blew whistles while shouting slogans calling for Thawatchai to resign.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Credit-union-calls-for-new-DSI-probe-30252702.html


-- The Nation 2015-01-27

[NongKhaiKid]

Slow progress ?

What's to be expected from investigators who give suspects and witnesses interview times and dates at their convenience then extend such on production of a sick note for the family carabao.

Do words like ' priority ' and ' urgency ' exist in the Thai language ?

[arthurboy]

This has been going on for at least three years without any progress for those people with money invested in the union. It's likely money started disappearing in 2007. According to this report, 16 billion Baht is currently missing.

In the last few years customers have been stopped from withdrawing their savings in full - a meager maximum withdrawal of 10k was allowed last year as a one off. Customers have also been encouraged to keep saving even after it became clear that huge amounts had been embezzled and funds were almost non-existent!

Supachai and his associates - some (ex) serving board members - have been implicated in buying huge plots of land and donating vast sums to a temple - this is apparently part of the investigation and there has been talk of this money being returned, but as yet no evidence that this has actually happened has emerged or been made public.

The previous DSI team - up to yesterday - had not even bothered to trace where the money has gone or those people it may have gone to. This is far, far bigger than the KMITL 1.6 billion Baht embezzlement case, yet no one seems interested. I wonder if this grossly incompetent team will be investigated for collusion - ha!

And of course, the questions why and how this happened and who is behind this scandal come to mind. Coincidentally, of course, the DSI and Credit Union oversight department are both in the same building.

One of the customers who has lost their money is a children's orphanage. And yes, that's simply not acceptable.

[Tatsujin]

Slow progress ?

What's to be expected from investigators who give suspects and witnesses interview times and dates at their convenience then extend such on production of a sick note for the family carabao.

Do words like ' priority ' and ' urgency ' exist in the Thai language ?

No, they don't along with many others like "honesty", "trustworthy" etc ... in this case its more of a "vested interest" kind of thing.

[halloween]

I can think of 16 million reasons why the DSI hasn't made any progress, and each is grey and white with a picture of the king.

[up-country_sinclair]

He said certain victims were expected to receive some of the money in the next three months

[seajae]

this all happened under the ptp and tarits watch, 16 billion, obviously not as important as trying to stooge a setup on the dems or maybe they already knew where it had gone and were trying to stop it from being found out. Certainly a lot of things didnt happen as they should have with the ptp running the country, for some reason all the fraud cases were postponed, have to wonder why and then of course the amnesty that would have cancelled them all out, very suss. Lets hope they actually get to the bottom of this and get the ones responsible

[mikemac]

Yes, it was obviously not just Thaksin who stood to gain from an amnesty. Will be a lot of crooks out there shaking in their boots right now, something that did not happen on Yingluck's watch. Little wonder the PTP have such "loyal and devoted" followers.