Padang Besar Mayor Arrested and Accused of Being Trafficking Ring Leader

[Jacob Maslow]

Police arrested the mayor of sub-district Padang Besar on Friday for allegedly being the leader of the trafficking ring in the Songkhla province. Detention camps and grave sites of Rohingya migrants were discovered within the last week that are allegedly linked back to the trafficking ring.

One suspect, Banjong Pongphol, turned himself in on Friday. Supoj Muensew, an alleged hitman for the ring, was also arrested. Police say the ring was involved in two murders in Padang Besar and the Satun province. National police chief

Somyot Pumpunmuang stated that the accused hitman was under orders to kill anyone who was interfering with the smuggling of migrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Thus far, police have identified 36 suspects in the case, and 12 still remain at large. Two local policeman are in custody, and the other suspects were well known leaders in the community, administrators and politicians.

Police will continue to search the mountains along the Thai-Malaysian border in the Satun and Songkhla provinces. The Satun coast will also be monitored to prevent trafficking.

The authorities have discovered 55 surviving migrants and four trafficking camps. Of the migrants, 24 are Rohingya, 15 are Bangladeshi and 16 were of unknown nationalities. Police also found 33 bodies at the abandoned detention camps.

-- 2015-05-09

[soihok]

Shocking

[Gsxrnz]

It would be a shock to discover that the ringleaders of this and virtually every other corrupt and illegal activity in Thailand were NOT members of the RTP, government officials, and elected officials and their administrators.

I mean let's face it, I take my hat off to the genuine small time petty criminal that burgles houses or nicks off with your scooter. At least they're honest about their profession.

But every real crime in Thailand is committed by those that are supposedly in positions of "trust".

And you can bet your last satang that the local mayor is certainly not at the top of this particular pyramid. But no doubt he'll be paid to take one for the team on this occasion.

[FireMedic]

Good job....a low ranking, no named subdistrict mayor along with 2 cops are in custody. I have a feeling it will be like many other cases here. One fall guy will take the hit for all the other well named, high ranking folks involved. All the rest of the "suspects" will remain nameless and their prosecution is highly unlikely.

[selftaopath]

It would be a shock to discover that the ringleaders of this and virtually every other corrupt and illegal activity in Thailand were NOT members of the RTP, government officials, and elected officials and their administrators.

I mean let's face it, I take my hat off to the genuine small time petty criminal that burgles houses or nicks off with your scooter. At least they're honest about their profession.

But every real crime in Thailand is committed by those that are supposedly in positions of "trust".

And you can bet your last satang that the local mayor is certainly not at the top of this particular pyramid. But no doubt he'll be paid to take one for the team on this occasion.

I find it amazing that these "types" claim to LOVE Thailand. HA HA. Really? And the big fear of looking less than e.g. save face..... is another fallacy. Where's their "face" now and how about the Kingdom's "face"?

Smoke and mirrors all.

[Oziex1]

When are these numb nuted nobodies going to learn to stop being the scapegoats.