Troops, police raid houses of 16 suspected influential persons

[thairay]

Thats like 62 guns per house on average.

That's some serious firepower.

I wonder how many other houses have similar weapons in Thailand?

Uh, you've misplaced your decimal,

6.25 per house.

But, still too many as far as I'm concerned.

My bad. Scanned article. Saw the 1,000 troops. Read as guns.

I'm an idiot.

surely an idiot who knows he is an idiot is a wise man...

[canuckamuck]

Helicopters and 1000 cops to confiscate 35 guns? No arrests...

[apetley]

So one of those sought wasn't there and was then requested to turn himself in in two weeks! LMFAO. Absolute joke and proof if ever needed this is all for show and domestic consumption.

[rametindallas]

Making sure first that none of the influential people were at home

when they made the raids.

regards Worgeordie

Where does it say no one was home and no arrests were made in that very brief report ?

I read the OP 3 time and cant see it perhaps you could point me to it.

If the occupants were at home, it seems you would have statements of denial. If there were arrests, it is glaring omission by the reporters not to report them. I have to side with worgeordie on this one. The term 'influential people' tells me that the law enforcement who conducted the raids were afraid of confrontation. That term in Thailand is more powerful that it sounds on the surface.

[rametindallas]

"police raid houses of 16 suspected influential persons"

So it's a crime to be influential now?

Maybe they mean "police raid houses of 16 influential suspects"?

'influential people' is code for non-police non-military mafia. I wonder if they had a warrant to search, who swore out the warrant, and how long that person will be allowed to breathe. With the number of weapons seized, these were not ordinary, law-abiding citizens. One of the first Thai girls I ever dated was the niece of the crime boss of Khanom. When I asked her if he was mafia, she nodded her head. I stayed months in his unused homes in Khanom and outside Bangkok, complete with maid service and a cook. I know a lot more about the Thai mafia than I ever anticipated knowing.

The Thai mafia is like Fight Club and the first rule of Thai mafia is, "don't talk about Thai mafia".

Edited March 2, 2015 by rametindallas

[rametindallas]

"police raid houses of 16 suspected influential persons"

So it's a crime to be influential now?

Maybe they mean "police raid houses of 16 influential suspects"?

Do you imagine it is possible to become 'influential' in Thailand (and many other places) with honest activities, without breaking the Law?

Sure, join the army. They never seem to be investigated for anything so are obviously squeaky clean...

Cheap shot, much?

[chrisinth]

I would have to assume that it was 35 'war weapons' and relative ammunition that was seized, although the OP doesn't state that.

If not, then what is the story? Token show of resistance by the police?

[londonthai]

No, army won't touch the powerbase of suthep.

Those guns for hire will be usuful the next time there is bangkok shutdown

[Hans vliege]

Say what you want, but it just shows no one is safe.

May be was a warning, may be mismanagement, may be pure incompetency.

But rest assured, those influential people will be thinking twice now.

They have body guards, not a chance,...

Shoot the bodyguards!

[shaurene]

Making sure first that none of the influential people were at home

when they made the raids.

regards Worgeordie

What a load of crap you come out with, where does it say that none of the influential people were not at home. Does not take long for this type of rubbish to come out, first posting.

[klauskunkel]

He told the son of a suspect identified as "Councillor Yuen" to tell his father to turn himself in in two weeks or face stiffer suppression.

The fugitive councillor is suspected of being behind several crimes.

Khwanchai Rodmanee, a son of Councillor Yuen (district unknown); Yutthana Rodmanee, a relative of Councillor Yuen (district unknown), Itthichai Rodmanee, a relative of Councillor Yuen (district unknown).

I have a pretty good idea where "Councillor Yuen" is hiding (in a district unknown)

[lucky11]

Thats like 62 guns per house on average.

That's some serious firepower.

I wonder how many other houses have similar weapons in Thailand?

Maths wasn't your best subject at school was it!!!

[Doc46]

Making sure first that none of the influential people were at home

when they made the raids.

regards Worgeordie

Obviously, they didn't want to run the risk of being shot at.

Or run in to some of there colleagues!!!!

[mikiea]

What no arrests?

arrest laws only for the po people, these peeps were not po :-)

[animatic]

It is interesting that they have now named names. This is clearly more than a show raid.

Sure they didn't find the guys they want, of course the influencials have more than one house and don't sleep with their underlings weaponry under their beds. But they did get some fairly serious weaponry by gang standards, noting those round shotgun canisters. And the fact they did a helicopter raid on a 'influential policeman' which translates to enforcer or mafia boss in TWO networks. 50+\- less pistols for motorcycle assassinations is no small thing either.

The naming in public papers and 2 weeks warning is not light weight in thai style, especially if it is Kamans and village headmen, persons of position, it is loss of face big time, and a line in the sand. I am sure they expected these guys would be tipped off in advance, but how this tips got relayed might also be part of the investigation. But they did take much of their firepower and that is a big face slap.

Even a partial attack on these people is a positive step, and this was a big one, and calling them out as criminals publicly is not a small thing here. Even if by western ways it looks lame, this is not the west, anyone with significant time here should know that by now.

Edited March 2, 2015 by animatic

[northernphil]

Let me know how many years they have to serve....until then.....

Influential local policeman. Hmmm. Can't imagine him getting baged up for too long. Maybe for a day then " money talks , copper walks "

[h90]

Really well done to the police and army troopers, and confiscating 35 assorted weapons (assumed illegal?) Even if this only resulted in the the removal of one illegal weapon.

Hopefully some deserved punishment will also be meted out.

well 35 weapons in 16 houses.....you would find to guns in every house in the south on average.

[h90]

No, army won't touch the powerbase of suthep.

Those guns for hire will be usuful the next time there is bangkok shutdown

I doubt that the Nakhon Si Thammerat mafia would shoot the yellows. That were more likely people from North or Northeast.

[berybert]

100 + guns 1000 of rounds 1000 policemen, 16 addresses. No arrests.

35 guns 1000 of rounds 400 policemen. 80 addresses. No arrests.

They will now look to see if any of the guns have been used in previous crimes. No arrests.

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

now just need to do some ballistic comparisons to see if any of these weapons were used in any crimes.

[LarryBird]

For what it's worth, no one knows if the raids were well intended and thought out. Organized crime can be deep seeded in law enforcement and other branches of government. The thing to do is to keep trying.

To me, a society infultrated by corruption actually makes more sense, or perhaps more likely, than one that's not. It takes a lot to stand up to the threats and bribes, that in my mind, would be understandable if people caved in to.