Human trafficking crackdown: Thai army officer faces 13 charges

[webfact]

Human Trafficking Crackdown: Army Officer Faces 13 Charges
By Khaosod English


Police officers posted to keep guard in front of the room where Lt.Gen. Manas Kongpaen was being interrogated at Hat Yai Police Station, Songkhla, 3 June 2015

SONGKHLA — The army general accused of running a human trafficking operation in southern Thailand has been charged with 13 different offenses after eight hours of police interrogation last night.

Lt.Gen. Manas Kongpaen, who is listed as a "special senior adviser" to the Royal Thai Army, surrendered to police in Bangkok yesterday after he was charged with human trafficking, illegal detention, assisting aliens in illegal entry to the Kingdom, and holding individuals for ransom.

Yet after eight hours interrogation at a police station in Songkhla province last night, police decided to charge him with nine more offenses, including concealment of dead bodies, physical assault, and conspiring in a transnational crime, police say. Lt.Gen. Manas reportedly denied all charges.

Officers from Staff Judge Advocate corps - the military branch that operates martial courts - accompanied Lt.Gen Manas throughout the interrogation.

Thai police launched a crackdown on long-running smuggling operations in the south after discovering an abandoned jungle prison used to detain migrants and demand ransom from their relatives on 1 May.

Source: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1433393362

-- Khaosod English 2015-06-04

[webfact]

Manas faces 13 charges



BANGKOK: -- The senior army officer, Lt Gen Manas Kongpaen, who turned in to the Royal Thai Police commissioner yesterday was pressed with 13 charges after more than eight hours of intense interrogation at Hat Yai police station.

He was flown from Bangkok to Hat Yai after he turned in to Pol Gen Somyot Phumphanmuang before noon Wednesday.

He denied having any connection in human trafficking network during a half an hour meeting with the commissioner.

He was later flown in a police plane to Hat Yai where interrogation headed by Pol Maj Gen Paveen Pongsirin began immediately after the plane arrived at 4 pm.

He was questioned until midnight last night but remained adamant to deny connection with the human trafficking gang.

He was questioned about the cash transactions to his bank accounts from a local tycoon Suwanban Saengthong alias Ko Noui since 2012 until last year amounts to 14 million baht.

Late this morning the police slapped 13 charges on the officer, same as the 51 suspects who were detained in connection with human trafficking.

The charges include conspiring with the other people to smuggle in illegal migrants into the country, abetting foreign migrants to enter the country illegally, illegal detention and kidnapping and human trafficking, demanding ransom, and conspiracy in hiding corpses.

The interrogation was witnessed by officers from the Judge Advocate Department.

After the interrogation last night, Lt Gen Manas was detained in the interrogation room to relax as he is in the army uniform, unlike other suspects who will be detained at the station detention cell.

The officer will be escorted by the police to Nathawi Provincial Court which issued him an attest warrant for extension of detention and will also ask the court not to grant him temporary release on bail for fear that he might interfere with witness testimonies.

The court has so far issued warrants for the arrest of a total of 84 people in connection with the Rohingya human trafficking. A total of 52 have been detained and 32 still are at large.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/manas-faces-13-charges


-- Thai PBS 2015-06-04

[ChrisY1]

Soon to be released on bail no doubt.......

[phoenixdoglover]

It would be appropriate for the Army to announce a cooperative ivestigation to determine if other Army personnel were involved. Could be wishful thinking on my part.

[Strangebrew]

Once a Thai rat is cornered it always rats out others to get less punishment. More officers soon to follow, and you can count on that guess those large deposits to his account from other suspects might be his downfall. GREED. But it is a shame now time to pay the piper. One has got to think in hind sight is it worth it? All those years serving out the window and for what few million baht? Well as Berretta says don't do the crime if you can't do the time. I wonder if he going to join the Monks? seems to be the thing to avoid a nice cell here.

[AleG]

Soon to be released on bail no doubt.......

First it was: They will do nothing about human trafficking, it's all smoke and mirrors.

And they start to make arrests.

That was greeted with: they'll never go after any "big fish"

And they went after senior police and government officials

Then of course: but, what about the Army? They'll never do anything against them!

A Lt.General is investigated

Things are getting desperate so: They won't press charges!

And they press 13 charges against the man...

Now it's "Soon to be released on bail no doubt......."

[webfact]

Army officer suspected of human trafficking denies charges

SONGKHLA, 4 June 2015 (NNT) – A high-ranking army officer allegedly involved in Rohingya human trafficking has denied all charges, following eight hours of interrogation.

Maj Gen Manat Kongpan, who turned himself in to police yesterday, faces 13 charges, including conspiracy to traffick minors below the age of 15, aiding the entry of illegal migrants into the Kingdom, helping to hide corpses, and trans-national crime. Maj Gen Manat denied all charges and authorities have refused to post bail.

Maj Gen Manat will be in custody at the Nathawee provincial court today. He has become the most senior official suspected of involvement with human trafficking in the South. Courts have issued arrest warrants for 84 suspects, 52 of whom were arrested. The remaining 32 suspects are still at large.


-- NNT 2015-06-04

[Tatsujin]

Soon to be released on bail no doubt.......

Given the worldwide attention this is all getting and the charges leveled, I seriously doubt that he will be getting bail at any point in the near future.

He's a fairly big fish, and I would suspect they'll offer him some kind of deal to turn on the even bigger fishes which haven't been mentioned yet.

[phuketandsee]

Soon to be released on bail no doubt.......

Given the worldwide attention this is all getting and the charges leveled, I seriously doubt that he will be getting bail at any point in the near future.

He's a fairly big fish, and I would suspect they'll offer him some kind of deal to turn on the even bigger fishes which haven't been mentioned yet.

Don't hold your breath. If he tries to shop higher-ups expect a "suicide" while in custody.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

He denies all...but no reported explanation of how 14 million baht found its way into his bank account over the past couple years from one of the notorious figures...

[webfact]

HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Manas hit with 13 charges, bail plea denied
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- LT-GENERAL Manas Khongpaen, a special adviser in the Army, yesterday was hit with a total of 13 charges over his alleged role as the ringleader of a major trafficking operation in southern Thailand of the Rohingya and other migrants, while a court rejected his bail plea.

Responding to the Thai government's swift actions against human-trafficking suspects, W Patrick Murphy, the US charge d'affaires in Bangkok, yesterday expressed satisfaction, writing in a tweet: "We welcome reports that Thai police issued arrest warrants, including for a senior military officer allegedly related to migrant smuggling."

After more than eight hours of police interrogation in the southern province of Songkhla, Manas, the highest-ranking military officer implicated in this controversy so far, insisted he was innocent. Police have charged him with conspiring to traffick humans, including children aged 15 or younger, allowing illegal migrants to enter the country, detaining other people illegally and being involved in cross-border human-trafficking activities, among other offences.

The police interrogation was led by Maj-General Paween Pongsirin, the deputy chief of region 8 provincial police, who had opposed his bail so that the senior army officer would remain in police custody. A military staff attorney was present during interrogation.

Transferred to court's detention centre

Manas, who wore his military uniform during interrogation, remained in the Hat Yai Police Station instead of being moved to a temporary detention cell like other suspects. Police later transferred the Army officer to Songkhla's Na Thawi Prison. A temporary release sought by the suspect's lawyer was rejected by the Na Thawi Court.

A total of 52 suspects are in custody out of the 84 persons for whom arrest warrants have been issued.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan said the Army would not protect Manas if he is found guilty. He said the government needs to tackle the human trafficking problem seriously and hoped the US would consider removing Thailand from the list of Tier 3 countries. The US last year downgraded Thailand's status to Tier 3 due to human trafficking and related issues.

"Some media outlets said I tried to protect General Manas. This is not true and I don't know him personally," he said, adding that police must continue to do its duty to solve the trafficking problem and everyone must face legal actions if they are guilty even though they are police or military officers.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Manas-hit-with-13-charges-bail-plea-denied-30261637.html


-- The Nation 2015-06-05

[Manbing]

Nothing about mass murder then?

[HerbalEd]

Soon to be released on bail no doubt.......

Given the worldwide attention this is all getting and the charges leveled, I seriously doubt that he will be getting bail at any point in the near future.

He's a fairly big fish, and I would suspect they'll offer him some kind of deal to turn on the even bigger fishes which haven't been mentioned yet.

Don't hold your breath. If he tries to shop higher-ups expect a "suicide" while in custody.

I doubt it ... not unless he takes his own life like the police big wig did a couple of months ago when he got busted and informed on his colleagues. The whole world is watching.

[HerbalEd]

Nothing about mass murder then?

Patience, patience. This show is only just beginning.

Edited June 5, 2015 by HerbalEd

[elgordo38]

Wow we have arrested no in custody 1 high ranking person and some other minor officials whom we believe are involved in human trafficking. Will you now take us off of the T3 list for human trafficking? What about the links between the head honcho and the minions in custody.