Thai police wrap up human trafficking probe

[webfact]

Thai police wrap up human trafficking probe

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's crackdown on people smuggling and trafficking networks has successfully dismantled the grim trade, police announced Tuesday while admitting that dozens of suspects have yet to be apprehended.

"The case will be submitted to the Office of Attorney General this afternoon for consideration of indictment," Deputy National Police Chief Aek Angsananont, the officer in charge of the probe, told reporters.

"We have worked carefully and we have confidence in the evidence. We can confirm that the smuggling rings have been stopped," he added.

Aek said a total of 120 arrest warrants had now been issued since a crackdown was launched in early May -- 30 of which were approved by a court in the country's south on Monday.

So far 56 people have been detained, leaving 64 either on the run or unaccounted for.

Among those arrested include Lieutenant General Manas Kongpan, a senior military officer charged with being a major smuggling kingpin in the lucrative trade.

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 was promoted while Prayut was army chief. He remains the only military officer charged with complicity in people smuggling, something that has raised eyebrows among human rights groups and observers who say it is unlikely such an influential officer would have acted alone.

Aek declined to say whether any army officers or government officials were among the 30 new arrest warrants.

He said four foreigners were being sought but declined to detail their nationality.

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.

Rights groups have long accused Thai officials of both turning a blind eye to the trade -- and even complicity in it.

The extent of the network -- 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.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2015-06-23

[BigBadGeordie]

Well done the RTP and Aek in particular, all wrapped up and finished on time, and, completely and "successfully dismantled the grim trade". Bravo, well done.

Would love to post more, but have to rush off to the dentist for an extraction. Tonight I will place the tooth under my pillow for the Tooth Fairy, hope I get 10 Baht in the morning.

[mark131v]

'the smuggling rings have been stopped'......oh really so the Royal Thai Police Farce have managed to smash the industry in a matter of weeks yet we have had no convictions and over half the people they are looking for are on the run, lets not also forget about the good general who was evidently doing all his own trafficking and so forth and never used any of his minions and underlings to help with the day to day torture and stuff.....you will have to excuse my skepticism but I am sure an apologist will be along shortly to put me right....

[CiaranO]

These guys are just either exceptionally stupid or believe the world is naive. Hard to know who I one it is. But they have done everything a wrapped up. No more human trafficking.

[FireMedic]

Decades of hand over fist profit.....gone in a few weeks? Highly unlikely.

[ChrisY1]

Well......what can anyone say.......??!!

It's such a shame they never learn to keep their mouths shut!

[chainarong]

Wonder what planet this crowd are from , you have wrapped up nothing , achieved nothing , done nothing and you have the hide to suggest that 64 are still on the run, the UN human rights commission can rest easy knowing that Thailand's finest have solved the problem.

[noitom]

Thais say "it's wrapped up." After decades of racketeering, slaving for fisheries, human trafficking, prostituion smuggling, and child labor , "it's all wrapped up" in a matter of weeks. No money trail no Thai Mr. Big Bankers, no Thai Mr. Big business suits . How can they be taken seriously?

[Jay Sata]

Everthing covered up and brushed under the carpet. As for the court cases well they will drag on for years apart from the few scapegoats at the bottom.

[Jimjim1968]

Pathetic. The laughing stock of the world.

[NongKhaiKid]

It took the Americans 4 years before they announced the very tip of their investigation into Fifa officials yet Thailand wraps up a massive and long running trafficking situation in a matter of weeks, Yes Right !

[clockman]

Thainess, unique in the world!

[oneday]

Wow! So no more trafficking anywhere in Thailand. You have it all figured out and wrapped up. Phenomenal investigative work guys. Unbelievable...yeah, I see pigs in the air over my home now.

Just on the off chance this statement is true, then here's a piece of advice. Don't turn your backs on it thinking it's all taken care of or it will be back in a heartbeat.

[Giblets]

So now that the Thai Police have wrapped up this hideous crime and are confident in the evidence that senior military officials were involved, is the military going to drop the persecution and defamation charges against the Australian Journalist who published a story in regards to the events involving the military?

[Emster23]

We knew it was going to be typical whitewash when they initially announced it would take two weeks. Similar to "all you can eat" buffet with 1 hour time limit, except no main courses but just nibbles.... Times up! We can estimate perhaps that this indicates 2 week attention span for news cycle, which I must admit is quite a bit longer than usual here.

Oh, I think US investigation of FIFA went on for 24 years.... look for Jon Stewart bit on that, pretty funny.

[sunshine51]

Less than 2 months of investigations and the RTP have wrapped up

something that has been happening for a couple centuries only

coming into present light of day recently. Great work men, great

work. Do Somchai Holmes & Dr. Watanaplod get promotions?

[steelepulse]

I wonder what took so long? I would have thought within a week the ring would have been smashed and permanently disabled.

[Halion]

Clowns , idiots, imbeciles, How in Gods name can you claim to wrap up a case when you admit that there are still dozens o suspects as yet to be apprehended and interrogated. What you really mean is that you have done all you are going to do and decisions and arrangement have been made. Case closed

The RTP are surely the most ridiculous inept and comical group in this country. Many of whom actually believe their own bullshit,or even worse they expect others to actually believe. Being retarded must surely being a blessing in this organization.

[BigBadGeordie]

Clowns , idiots, imbeciles, How in Gods name can you claim to wrap up a case when you admit that there are still dozens o suspects as yet to be apprehended and interrogated. What you really mean is that you have done all you are going to do and decisions and arrangement have been made. Case closed

The RTP are surely the most ridiculous inept and comical group in this country. Many of whom actually believe their own bullshit,or even worse they expect others to actually believe. Being retarded must surely being a blessing in this organization.

I hate all this PC bu11shyte, stop pussyfooting around, get to the point and tell us what you really think about the RTP :-)

[mrfill]

Well done. Nice shiny medals all round.

Next week - the elimination of all poverty and the curing of all diseases.

[simondan]

It would be funny if the suffering, murder and rape werent so real and the Thai officials, particularly immigration and the army, werent so damn complicit.

My god! Where do these people (RTP) come from?!

[davehowden]

Simondan

"My god! Where do these people (RTP) come from?!"

Thailand maybe?

[simondan]

Simondan

"My god! Where do these people (RTP) come from?!"

Thailand maybe?

Yes, well, exactly!

[Chang_paarp]

Not a military person mentioned. The RTP are looking in the wrong place. The owner of Phuket Wan and a journalist are being prosecuted for criminal liable for quoting a Royters (?) article citing the navy as being complicit in this trade.

[ratcatcher]

"I will solve traffic problems in Bangkok within 6 months."

A certain popular individual made this statement 20 years ago when deputy P.M. in the Silpa-Archa government.

So these latest claims might be realistic considering the source of the statement.

"Thai police wrap up human trafficking probe" in less than 2 months

And yes, I do realize there's a big diff between traffic and trafficking.

[simondan]

Simondan

"My god! Where do these people (RTP) come from?!"

Thailand maybe?

Mind you, we have plenty of ignorant peasants in Australia too. Wherever ignorance reigns as 'common sense' and fear replaces compassion, criminals and ruthless 'officials' can take advantage.

The main difference is our ignorant peasants are not in charge (although our PM does a great job of masquerading as one from time to time) and dont get to run investigations themselves (usually).

[englishoak]

The smell of this bit of BS is so strong even cows wont go anywhere near the South of Thailand.

[Srikcir]

We should not disparage the RTP for its wrap up of human trafficking. It operates under the direction and authority of the Junta. If the RTP's actions fail creditability in allegedly wiping out trafficking in Thailand it is because its military masters cannot bear the transparency and accountability of a full and vigorous investigation.

Some say Justice should be blind. In Thailand it is Headless.

[BigBadGeordie]

We should not disparage the RTP for its wrap up of human trafficking. It operates under the direction and authority of the Junta. If the RTP's actions fail creditability in allegedly wiping out trafficking in Thailand it is because its military masters cannot bear the transparency and accountability of a full and vigorous investigation.

Some say Justice should be blind. In Thailand it is Headless.

Interesting viewpoint, so by inference you are saying that prior to the military coup everything in the garden was rosey? All previous investigations were transparent and there was full accountability prior to the Junta taking power?

Your serious right, or have I missed the subtle irony in your post?

[TheAppletons]

We should not disparage the RTP for its wrap up of human trafficking. It operates under the direction and authority of the Junta. If the RTP's actions fail creditability in allegedly wiping out trafficking in Thailand it is because its military masters cannot bear the transparency and accountability of a full and vigorous investigation.

Some say Justice should be blind. In Thailand it is Headless.

Interesting viewpoint, so by inference you are saying that prior to the military coup everything in the garden was rosey? All previous investigations were transparent and there was full accountability prior to the Junta taking power?

Your serious right, or have I missed the subtle irony in your post?

I don't think that's what he said at all. You do realize that successor governments - if that's what you can call this - inherit the entire country's situation, right, and are expected to move the country forward? And that the successor government - if that's what you can call this - is then accountable for the actions of the country?

Perhaps you are from Greece, where they don't understand that concept either.