Officials involved in trafficking Rohingya people to face severest punishment

[Thaivisa News]

Bangkok: – Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha has vowed to punish officials of local and central governments to the fullest extent of the law for involving in the trafficking of Rohingya migrants.

Government deputy spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said Prayut issued an additional order aimed at speeding up the investigation into the mass grave at Padang Besar border town in Sadao district, Songkhla.

The grave was the burial grounds for Rohingya migrants, believed to be victims of human trafficking who died or killed at a transit camp in the woods while waiting to be smuggled into Malaysia.

The case came to light because a Rohingya job broker was kidnapped by a military officer with rank of major who wanted to extort money.

The job broker managed to flee and subsequently reported about the kidnap and extortion. He also sounded the alarm on the human trafficking gang preying on Rohingya people.

His statement led to the discovery of the mass grave.

Police have issued the arrest warrants to the military officer who remains at large.

Some 14 police officers in Padang Besar, Satun and Kuan Doan have been transferred to inactive post pending the outcome of the investigation into their alleged involvement in the gang.

Some eight local officials have been named suspects in the case.

The suspects include Padang Besar vice mayor Prasith Lemlae and village headman Yalee Krem of Baan Taloh.

Five of the eight suspects are already in the custody of police. Yalee surrendered himself earlier this week.

Prasith and two other suspects remains at large.

General Aek Angsananont, deputy commissioner general of police, said police are in the process of uncovering locations used as transit camps for Rohingya.

All camps would be uprooted and closed to prevent a repeat of human trafficking along Thai-Malaysian border, he said.

Officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said traffickers had relied on Sadao and Satun as new transit points because of the heavy suppression in Ranong.

Rohingya migrants from Myanmar would travel by boats to land at remote islands of Tarutao before travelling in small groups to transit camps waiting for job placement in Malaysia.

Some who could not get the job would be targeted for ransom demand. If their relatives would not pay ransom, they would be killed in order to save cost of sheltering them.

[Artisi]

Officials have been involved since day 1 with the trafficking and movement across borders of immigrant workers and it always seems to take a major drama for even the slightest raising of the eye brow together with the unlikely possibility that something might get done (this time).

You can see it all happening at lightning speed - the transfer to other locations of officials / police is already underway - wonder if the thought of criminal charges has ever been considered -- nah - all too difficult, and besides they're my mates.

[selftaopath]

SHOW US DON'T KEEP TELLING US. Thais are great... maybe the GREATEST at talking.

I know! Thailand the hub of cheap/insincere TALK.

[WitawatWatawit]

Yet another vow to add to my very busy "Vows and Promises Meter", aka the vowometer, often shortened to vomiter.

Meanwhile, my "Justice is Done Meter" sits silently in the shadows waiting its turn.

[Reigntax]

Some officials may just get a transfer but THE officials who control this will never receive a mention nor will they ever be investigated. A few people willing to provide information will accidentally fall off roofs and verandas and that is where it will end

[Local Drunk]

Sounds like they are going for the low hanging fruit... I think they will need a very tall ladder if they really want to end this.

[missmekhong]

I don't believe any of it. No Thai person would get involved in anything like this, would they?

[nottocus]

38 cops transferred to inactive posts.....joke of a place.

[boomerangutang]

Thai officialdom hates to seriously discipline their brethren. They'll be doing all they can to sweep it under the rug, and hope Thai peoples' legendary short memories will do their stuff, and fogetaboudit a.s.a.p.

When Army generals made grave mistakes dealing with young Islamist protesters in the south (dozens were killed by stupidity and callousness), did any of the generals get anything more than a verbal reprimand? No.

[Manbing]

The BBC is reporting that 'Police Officials' have known about this issue and welcome the crackdown.

If they knew before, why is it only being investigated now?

If they knew, why was it not stopped?

They knew and it continued- QED

They were involved

[boomerangutang]

The BBC is reporting that 'Police Officials' have known about this issue and welcome the crackdown.

If they knew before, why is it only being investigated now?

If they knew, why was it not stopped?

They knew and it continued- QED

They were involved

Because this is Thailand, and a lot of latitude is given to officials, by other officials.

Excuses flow like fish oil over an overcooked Thai omelette.

[Rhys]

Yip... transferred to an inactive post... a raw deal..

[NeverSure]

I'll bet this is just the tip of the iceberg. Wait until (if) someone starts searching the Islands off the coast there and also off the west coast of Myanmar. There are hundreds of forested islands.

The article mentions Tarutao which is a large forest reserve where one could hide a lot of things yet it's been used for trafficking.

It's really sick and I'll bet it's been going on for decades along with the slaves in fishing.

Edit. HERE is Taritao - just one suspect.

Edited May 7, 2015 by NeverSure

[LennyW]

Death by starvation is the only punishment that fits these horrible crimes!

[boomerangutang]

Death by starvation is the only punishment that fits these horrible crimes!

....perhaps so, but not before taking the perps, if found guilty in court, to their bank accounts and homes, to round-up all their assets - to use to recompense the victims and deceased' surviving family members. Thai officials will say they wouldn't be able to find deceased' family members, but that would be a lie. With some sleuthing, many of those family members could be found in Bangladesh and Burma. It's worth the extra effort to find them. They deserve some compensation - particularly considering many of the murdered men and women were extorted of large amounts (for them) of money, before they were killed.

However, getting money from A to B (seizing assets from kingpins and channeling to victims) is near impossible for another reason: Thai officials acting as middle-men, will be too tempted to pocket the money, or at least 90% of it.

Edited May 8, 2015 by boomerangutang

[impulse]

However, getting money from A to B (seizing assets from kingpins and channeling to victims) is near impossible for another reason: Thai officials acting as middle-men, will be too tempted to pocket the money, or at least 90% of it.

Don't really care where it goes as long as the guilty monsters and their spawn don't get to keep it to create multi generational fiefdoms we read so much about. Koh Tao comes to mind...

How about just tossing it into the nation's coffers? Or better yet, create a fund to reward whistleblowers brave enough to come forward.

Edited May 8, 2015 by impulse

[Jessi]

I would like the "Officials" or the Military to take a close look in the North of Thailand. There is a lot of trafficking being done up there.

Even when they find the traffickers they do S.F.A. about it.

Remember this case: http://www.chiangraitimes.com/burmese-child-slave-puts-spotlight-on-abuse-of-foreign-maids-in-thailand.html

They let the two go on bail and have never been seen since.

Where is the bloody justice?