Navy, Army officers charged with human trafficking in southern Thailand

[webfact]

Navy, Army Officers Charged with Human Trafficking
By Khaosod English


Security forces inspect a just-abandoned jungle stockade where human traffickers kept captives under dire conditions in this 5 May file photo.

BANGKOK — A court yesterday approved arrest warrants for four officers – three from the army and one naval officer – in connection with trafficking of Rohingya refugees in southern Thailand.

Despite widespread accounts in recent years of security forces being heavily involved in the trafficking of Rohingya refugees, only one officer had been previously implicated and yesterday’s warrants included the first issued for an officer in the navy.

Cmd. Kampanart Sangthongchin is the first Royal Thai Navy officer to be accused of engaging in trafficking operations, along with warrants for army officers Col. Nattasit Maksuwan, Cpt. Visoot Boonnag and Cpt. Santhat Petchnoi. All three army officers work for the Internal Operation Security Command, a government counter-insurgency agency.

All four are charged with human trafficking.

Defense Minister Pravit Wongsuwan said today he had not studied the warrants’s deatails and urged the public not to assume the men’s guilt.

“I think every [organization] has both good people and bad people,” Pravit said. “Right now, don’t accuse anyone of anything, because they are merely charged with the crime. What the facts are, you have to wait for the investigation first. Don’t slap allegations on anyone.”

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1442827280

-- Khaosod English 2015-09-21

[Reigntax]

You would hope that the issuance of arrest warrants was justified by some reliable and accurate evidence and not of the KT and BKK bombing standard.

[bangkokfrog]

Looks like there must be a people trafficking inspection / report update coming up.

[clockman]

Till you see them in jail, Do not believe anything!

[chainarong]

Whilst all this is all very noble, it is disturbing to note that the main perpetrators of Human trafficking in Thailand are generally linked to the armed services or the RTP, until this is routed , the country will always be under US, Un and International scrutiny and Thailand as a country will always be condemned , until the people concerned are stopped..

[Your Thainess]

What about the mfing brass?!

[webfact]

4 Thai military officers sought in alleged human trafficking

HAT YAI, Thailand (AP) — A court in southern Thailand has issued arrest warrants for four military officers in connection with the trafficking of ethnic Rohingya migrants, police said Monday.

Police Lt. Gen. Paveen Pongsirin, the chief investigator for the case, said warrants have now been issued for 153 people, 90 of whom have turned themselves in or been detained.

The authorities began their crackdown in May after discovering more than 100 bodies buried in squalid camps built to hide the migrants along the Malaysian border. Ethnic Rohingya continue to flee Myanmar to escape discrimination and seek better economic opportunities. In many cases, the migrants pay to be smuggled by ship, but are then detained by traffickers in Thailand who hold them until their families pay ransoms.

The new suspects for whom warrants were issued in Songkhla province on Sunday are a colonel and two captains in the army who belong to the Internal Security Operations Command, a counterinsurgency agency, and a navy commander. An army major general was arrested in June for alleged involvement in human trafficking.

Earlier this month, an Australian journalist and his Thai colleague were acquitted in a criminal defamation lawsuit filed by an officer on behalf of the navy over their online news report about the trafficking of people from Myanmar. The story they published on the news website "Phuketwan," excerpted from a longer report by the Reuters news agency, alleged that Thai military forces accepted money to assist or turn a blind eye to the trafficking of people from Myanmar by sea.

Human rights activists and foreign governments have long accused Thai authorities of collusion in human trafficking, but police, military and government officials deny the allegations.

The U.S. State Department in July said it was keeping Thailand on its human trafficking blacklist and retained Thailand's Tier 3 ranking, the lowest level in its annual Trafficking in Persons report. The ranking designates Thailand as a country that has not made sufficient progress in tackling human trafficking.

It cited persistent forced labor and sex trafficking and recommended that Thailand stop bringing criminal defamation cases against researchers or journalists who report on human trafficking.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-09-22

[NongKhaiKid]

Till you see them in jail, Do not believe anything!

When this scandal first surfaced wasn't there an assurance no military personnel were involved ?

[Oziex1]

When the music stopped those whose brown paper bags were not thick enough found no seat to sit on.

Yeah I know comment is a bit jaded but what do you expect.

[canuckamuck]

Plenty of lambs to choose from.

[yellowboat]

What about the captains of these slavers ? When do they get hauled into court ?

[ezzra]

How can any Thai held their head up high knowing that their own police, navy and army, the pillars and protectors

of the Thai pride and it's sovereignty, accused in people kidnapping and human trafficking? I die of shame right now

if I were a proud Thai.....

[diehard60]

If found guilty, they will be just transferred to some where else.

[klauskunkel]

Defense Minister Pravit Wongsuwan said today he had not studied the warrants’s deatails and urged the public not to assume the men’s guilt.

“I think every [organization] has both good people and bad people,” Pravit said. “Right now, don’t accuse anyone of anything, because they are merely charged with the crime.

Well, then can I accuse you of being lazy because you have not "studied" the warrants?

[arrowsdawdle]

You would hope that the issuance of arrest warrants was justified by some reliable and accurate evidence and not of the KT and BKK bombing standard.

Uh yeah...leveling charges first and then investigating is like the cart pulling the horse.

[razer]

Human traffickers work for Internal Security? The state of the nation.

[FangFerang]

I find it interesting that more charges were filed one week after the reporter who was being sued by the Navy for defamation was let off the rusty hook.

Interesting.

I also find it hilarious that the junta cheerleaders in their pink pumps and swatches run away from this and every article that highlights the deep-seated and humanely just military in Thailand.

Hilarious trolls all under the bridge.

Today.

Edited September 22, 2015 by FangFerang

[arrowsdawdle]

How can any Thai held their head up high knowing that their own police, navy and army, the pillars and protectors

of the Thai pride and it's sovereignty, accused in people kidnapping and human trafficking? I die of shame right now

if I were a proud Thai.....

How does anyone with 4K posts not understand this? Thais respect and admire power, influence, and corruption, to include xenophobic trafficking of lowly non-Thais, because Thai culture is based on the Sakdina system of institutionalized inequality and restores the average Thai with the conviction that he is not at the bottom of the ladder and he feels gratified that there are people to look down upon.

Then again, you could have 4K posts without ever stepping foot in LOS.

[MZurf]

Till you see them in jail, Do not believe anything!

When this scandal first surfaced wasn't there an assurance no military personnel were involved ?

Well, the head honcho also promised that there would be no coup and that he would not become PM, so I guess the armed forces do have a bit of a credibility problem (to put it in a way that does not break defamation laws or forum rules).

[blainejo]

Uhm, I hate to point this out but being charged with a crime IS by definition an allegation, so . . . . .

[taony]

You would hope that the issuance of arrest warrants was justified by some reliable and accurate evidence and not of the KT and BKK bombing standard.

Hope lives eternal.....

[bboy]

Bangkok post reporting that police/navy involved to be transferred to inactive posts...International community must by now be numb to how Thailand metes out "Justice" when dealing with police, navy, govt officials. Piss take.

[Tatsujin]

No matter who gets moved, transferred, charged etc ... the guys further up the chain ALL knew what was going on, and ALL got their piece of the pie also, so this is somewhat hypocritical, yet par for the course in the land of lies.

[starky]

So these four muppets are the only ones involved? Not to mention why are there warrants out if they are not guilty?

[tuanku]

Who is the Commander in Chief of the armed forces?

If serving officers betray their C in C and their country by breaking national and international laws for personal gain, at the same time bringing the country into disrepute, is this not LM of the worst kind?

[MadDog2020]

So these four muppets are the only ones involved? Not to mention why are there warrants out if they are not guilty?

Warrants are for the arrest. A conviction by the court results in "guilty".

Are you "Guilty" of not understand?

[somo]

,” Pravit said. “Right now, don’t accuse anyone of anything, because they are merely charged with the crime."

Typical mumbo jumbo from a Thai official. Charge them but don't accuse them! Probably preparing the ground for a dismissal of the charges/accustions oops sorry allegations!

[heybruce]

It's a start, but I can't help but wonder if these aren't five out of favor officers, perhaps belonging to the wrong faction.

Transparency is needed to eliminate corruption, in the military and the rest of the government. However in organizations where the current leadership bought their promotions with the proceeds from corruption, transparency is not an option.

[elgordo38]

What about the mfing brass?!

When brass tarnishes you polish it.

[elgordo38]

What about the captains of these slavers ? When do they get hauled into court ?

Your not living in a "The buck/baht stops here country" Here it is hide the evidence throw the slaves overboard.

Edited September 22, 2015 by elgordo38