Thai army officer wanted for migrant trafficking surrenders

[webfact]

Thai army officer wanted for migrant trafficking surrenders

AFP

BANGKOK: -- A high-ranking Thai army officer wanted on human trafficking charges handed himself into police Wednesday, the first military figure in the junta-ruled kingdom to be arrested over the grim trade.

Lieutenant General Manas Kongpan voluntarily attended police headquarters in Bangkok on Wednesday morning.

His detention raises awkward questions for junta chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha, who has repeatedly justified his coup last year as a much-needed antidote to graft that he says had flourished under a series of elected civilian governments.

Manas, a long-serving army officer in Thailand's south, arrived at police headquarters dressed in his military uniform and made no statement to a waiting press pack.

But the country's top police officer said the 58-year-old denied the charges against him.

"(He) contacted me to surrender and to fight the case," national police chief Somyot Poompanmoung told reporters.

"He said he has no involvement in the case -- in other words he denied the charges," Somyot added.

Thai police have yet to detail what role Manas is alleged to have played in the country's once thriving people smuggling and human trafficking trade.

Rights groups have long accused Thai officials of turning a blind eye to -- or even complicity in -- the trade of migrants through its southern provinces and into Malaysia, but until now no military personnel have been implicated.

Thai police say they have issued 84 arrest warrants in connection with their people smuggling and human trafficking investigation, with 51 suspects detained so far, including some local officials.

Southern Thailand has long been known as a nexus for lucrative and largely unchecked smuggling networks through which persecuted Rohingya Muslims in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, and Bangladeshi economic migrants, amongst others, would pass on their way to Malaysia.

The extent of the trade -- and the brutality of gangmasters who ran it -- was laid bare last month when a Thai crackdown led to the discovery of scores of jungle prison camps on both sides of the Thailand-Malaysia border that were run by smuggling gangs.

So far more than 150 graves have been uncovered in the camps where many victims were held for months in miserable conditions until relatives paid hefty ransoms for the release of their loved ones.

In recent weeks around 4,500 hungry and bedraggled migrants have arrived on Thai, Malaysian, Indonesian, Bangladeshi and Myanmar soil after the crackdown threw smuggling routes into disarray.

According to the Royal Thai Army website, Manas was the commander of the upper south province of Chumphon in 2013, before taking a senior position in Songkhla, which borders Malaysia.

He was moved this year to the Royal Thai Army Headquarters in Bangkok to act as an adviser -- although it was not immediately clear in what capacity.

The army has suspended Manas and launched an internal probe since the arrest warrant was issued against him on Sunday.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2015-06-03

[whatawonderfulday]

now hope he squeals enough to finger the rest involved all the way up to the very top.

[Artisi]

now hope he squeals enough to finger the rest involved all the way up to the very top.

Very unlikely, if he values his / his family's ongoing good health.

[webfact]

Army officer suspected of human trafficking turns himself in to police custody

BANGKOK, 3 May 2015 (NNT) – A high-ranking army officer allegedly involved in human trafficking in the South has turned himself in to the police today.

Maj Gen Manat Kongpan gave himself up to National Police Chief Pol Gen Somyot Pumpanmuang and his deputy Pol Gen Ake Angsananont.

The Deputy National Police Chief said Maj Gen Manat had yet to express his intention to post bail, adding that any bail request must be considered by police and prosecutors. Maj Gen Manat’s supervisor was informed of his arrest.

The suspect will be transferred to Songkhla Province, where he will be informed of his charges and face an interrogation by Provincial Police Region 9 and Songkhla police. The staff judge advocate and his lawyer are allowed to observe the interrogation.

Maj Gen Manat has become the most senior official accused of involvement with Rohingya migrant trafficking. The Nathawee provincial court earlier this week approved an arrest warrant for him.


-- NNT 2015-06-03

[Always18]

The first of the King Size maggots is prised from the rotten tree...............

[krisb]

Jeez there's huge issues when military is involved in this rotten trade.

[smedly]

Is this the same one reported a few days ago or another one...............confused

and of course he was acting alone - Prayuth Chan (O) Cha .........sort this out

[englishoak]

Cracks getting a bit too big to paper over perhaps ?

[webfact]

LT-GENERAL MANAS
Army adviser and suspected human trafficker surrenders
THE NATION



Lt-General Manas faces intensive police questioning; bail plea to be opposed

BANGKOK: -- SUSPECTED Rohingya trafficking kingpin Lt-General Manas Khongpaen yesterday turned himself in at the Royal Thai Police headquarters in Bangkok, in a much-awaited surrender under the media microscope.

Dressed in military uniform, the Army's special adviser did not speak to reporters when he showed up at 11.30am. He was briefly questioned by the police before being escorted to board a plane for Songkhla province, and later to Hat Yai Police Station for further questioning.

The questioning was continuing as of press time yesterday evening, and a police source said that it was unlikely that Manas would be released temporarily on bail.

An area police commander based in Songkhla, Pol Maj-General Paween Phongsirin, said later that police would hold Manas in custody for 48 hours initially, as allowed by the law, for further questioning. He said Manas's case would be handled through a civilian court, as many other wrongdoers in human trafficking were civilians.

Manas is the highest ranked military officer to face charges of human trafficking, providing assistance to persons to enter the country illegally and taking hostage for ransom. As a senior military officer, he has the right to have a military staff attorney accompany him while being interrogated.

After the end of the 48-hour period, the officer said that the police would then oppose, through the Na Thawee court based in Songkhla, a possible request by Manas for temporary release.

Police chief General Somyot Poompanmuang said Manas had voluntarily surrendered. He said only further investigations could reveal whether any military officers were involved in the trafficking of Rohingya and other migrants.

Somyot said he had not asked Manas yet about the source of a total of Bt14 million found transferred to him. The Army would decide on additional disciplinary action against Manas, who has been suspended with his salary withheld, while the police would only be responsible for investigating the case against him.

In a recent television interview, Manas said that the money, whose transactions were documented in bank slips with him showing him as the recipient, was related to bullfighting gambling he was involved in. He denied it was money from the trafficking of Rohingya. The slips were found in the home of a suspect in a raid last month.

Deputy police chief General Aek Angsananont said the police would treat Manas with respect while following basic procedural standards for all suspects. He said Manas had not submitted a possible request for his release.

Meanwhile, another area police commander said that permission had been granted by Malaysian authorities for a temporary passage over the Thai border for exhumation and transport of bodies, thought to be of Rohingya people, found in 91 graves on Malaysian soil.

Pol Maj-General Phutthichart Ekkachant said that Thai police had led a 30-strong team of Malaysian police and forensic personnel to Khao Kaew, to access the 91 graves found on the Malaysian side. He said the Malaysian police would set up a camp on the mount for the two-day work, which began yesterday.

Thai police and reporters were allowed to reach the border at Marker 8D, which is 800 metres away from where the graves were found, in Malaysia's Perlis state.

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan said Manas's alleged wrongdoing was his personal matter and an old issue since holding the rank of colonel. He said he was not aware of Manas being involved in human trafficking and that he was an officer who was good in his military work and had served the country well.

Meanwhile, Surat Thani police chief Maj-General Aphichart Bunsriroj said a small unrest by Rohingya residents at a local shelter had nothing to do with the ongoing crackdown or instigation by any outsiders. A police force deployed earlier to maintain post-unrest order at this facility has been withdrawn and replaced by a few patrolmen, he added.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Army-adviser-and-suspected-human-trafficker-surren-30261568.html


-- The Nation 2015-06-04

[NongKhaiKid]

Prawit says the wrongdoing is a personal matter and an old issue since Manas was a Colonel.

Does this mean that despite what appears to be question marks over his character he still gets promoted to Lt. Gen. ?

[klauskunkel]

Prawit says the wrongdoing is a personal matter and an old issue since Manas was a Colonel.

Does this mean that despite what appears to be question marks over his character he still gets promoted to Lt. Gen. ?

Promotions are bought, in this case maybe with money from trafficking. This officer got promoted 3 times in five years, must have been doing something right.

[buhi]

Prawit says the wrongdoing is a personal matter and an old issue since Manas was a Colonel.

Does this mean that despite what appears to be question marks over his character he still gets promoted to Lt. Gen. ?

Promotions are bought, in this case maybe with money from trafficking. This officer got promoted 3 times in five years, must have been doing something right.

No must have been doing many things that were not right.

Gambling is illegal also!

Not a good cover.

[Halion]

One of the greatest ailments this country has to face is credibility with regard to almost anything. Thailand is a country of contradiction where the laws have a significant flexibility for those with money and or influence,however it has also to be remembered that the authorities are so incompetent that it is not beyond reason that an innocent man can find himself in hot water. One would like to think that in such a sensitive mater due diligence, even Thai style had been completed before seeking a warrant for his arrest.

[tracker1]

50% reduction in sentence for handing himself in 25% reduction for seniority in the military denying charges chances are another 25% ! OK off to an inactive post until retirement

[AleG]

"His detention raises awkward questions for junta chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha"

What awkward questions would those be? why previous governments didn't take more than token measures over the issue?

[espinoza]

How do mr Prawit know its an old issue since the guy was a colonel?

[Linzz]

How do mr Prawit know its an old issue since the guy was a colonel?

If it's an old issue then it was the previous administration's fault

[Srikcir]

"His detention raises awkward questions for junta chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha"

What awkward questions would those be? why previous governments didn't take more than token measures over the issue?

Because elected governments feared a military coup?

Edited June 4, 2015 by Srikcir

[arfurcrown]

No good placing the blame on an event time of a year.

One step has been made and this a positive move.

This inhuman trade has been flourishing for years under all administrations and with the collusion of the military in all its varied entities, the police in all their varied entities and the civil service let alone Mr. and Mrs Somchai in the street.

The matter is not a house of cards it is a well organised and entrenched system here and to be truthful around the world it is not the sole problem of the Thai's.