Thai Police Chief reveals changes in various bureaus

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Police Chief reveals changes in various bureaus



BANGKOK, 22 September 2015 (NNT)-National Police Chief, Police General Somyot Pumpanmuang, has revealed that 52 police officials consisting of commanders and deputy commanders will change their posts 2015.

The statement comes following a meeting with the police commission, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan. The decision follows discussions with Deputy Police Chief, Police General Chaktip Chaijinda regarding the qualifications of each individual, in regards to their abilities, suitability, and seniority.

The police chief added that the meeting also discussed the transfer of Central Investigation Bureau officials, Provincial Police Regional 8 and 9 officials, as well as 32 immigration officials. These transfers have resulted from their involvement in human trafficking.

The meeting also agreed that the Deputy Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, Police Major General Nathathorn Prausoontorn, be appointed the next Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau.


-- NNT 2015-09-22

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ANTI-TRAFFICKING CAMPAIGN
Trafficking crackdown on officials
JITRAPORN SENWONG
NUNTIDA PUANGTHONG
THE NATION



32 police transferred; arrest warrants soughtfor four more military officers

BANGKOK: -- THE DRIVE against human trafficking has brought further retribution on state officials with the authorities yesterday slapping 32 police officers with transfer orders for their alleged roles in the trade, national police chief Pol General Somyot Poompanmuang said.

The transferred officials belonged to police regions 8, 9, plus the Immigration Bureau and Central Investigation Bureau, he said.

"The transfer [of the officers] has been done under police jurisdiction in accordance with recommendations from concerned agencies," he said.

The move is reportedly based on the ongoing investigation led by Deputy National Police Chief Pol General Aek Angsananont, which started in earnest after authorities discovered mass graves of Rohingyas at alleged trafficking camps in southern Thailand and Malaysia earlier this year.

Those discoveries attracted glaring media attention and concern from around the world.

An international outcry led the government to crack down on people-smuggling networks, sparking a humanitarian crisis with thousands of migrants stranded in boats off Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Rohingya Muslims said they suffered discrimination in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar, which considers them illegal Bengali immigrants, and not among the country's official ethnic groups.

Thai authorities have since launched a serious crackdown on human traffickers.

On Sunday, the Na Thawi Provincial Court approved arrest warrants for four more military officers over the trafficking of Rohingya.

They are Colonel Nattasit Maksuwan, Captain Wisoot Bunnag, Captain Santad Petchnoi and Commander Kampanart Sangthongjeen.

The first three work for the Internal Security Operations Command's branches in the South, while Kampanart is with the Third Naval Area Command.

Provincial Police Region 8 deputy commissioner Pol Maj General Paveen Pongsirin said yesterday police had already informed their agencies of the arrest warrants.

"Their supervisors will hand them over. Or they may come forward to surrender themselves," he said.

To date, as many as 150 arrest warrants have been issued for alleged accomplices. Of these, 89 have already been nabbed. They include Lt General Manas Kongpan, a former specialist in the Royal Thai Army, Banjong Pongphon, a former major of Padang Besar, and Pajjuban Angchotiphan, a former chief administrator of Satun Provincial Administrative Organisation.

"Sixty-one others remain on the run," a source said, adding that about 20 had fled overseas.

National police chief Pol General Somyot said yesterday if inquiries implicate more officials, more arrest warrants will be issued.

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan said he believed the human-trafficking network had many more accomplices.

Paveen said the Supreme Court president will announce on October 10 whether human-trafficking cases under the supervision of Padang Besar Police Station would be transferred to the newly-established Human Trafficking Case Division of the Criminal Court.

"It is believed that the transfer may speed up the trial process," Paveen said.

Human trafficking became a huge issue when the crisis involving the Rohingya put a global spotlight on Thailand. The Kingdom was graded at Tier 3, the lowest level of the United States' Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report this year.

The government stepped up measures to counter trafficking, and update the US and other major trading partners on its moves in a bid to lift Thailand's status in the State Department's TIP report next year.

The head of the Foreign Ministry's Department of American and South Pacific Affairs, Songsak Saicheua, said during a seminar on trafficking yesterday that Thailand might not be sanctioned by the US over the downgraded status.

Thai officials at the Foreign Ministry held a video conference with US officials at the TIP office last Thursday to update them on the situation here and measures by the Thai side, he said.

The US president has to decide whether to impose sanctions on Thailand by the third week of October. "We expect that Thailand will not be sanctioned on the matter," Songsak said. "The sanctions, if any, would not affect direct trade and economic cooperation between the two countries."

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Trafficking-crackdown-on-officials-30269269.html


-- The Nation 2015-09-22

[Somtamnication]

"The sanctions, if any, would not affect direct trade and economic cooperation between the two countries." Complete self-denial!

[BSJ]

How about indictments of those known to be involved in illegal conduct. Proper court proceedings leading to loss of rank and privileges, dismissals and goal terms for the more serious crimes.....you know the old punishment that fits the crime routine.

[jaywalker]

Ahhhh.........Whilst I am from the US & do not have any love for my government, it would be nice if Obama said "BOO!" to Thailand as far as sanctions.......maybe 6 months of 'something or other kind' of sanctions.

It would be super cool if the EU would do the same, at the same time.

Never colonized, but these folks need to face up to the music sooner or later, the sooner the better.

If any country need to be dragged out behind the wood-shed for a good "Face-Loss Session" it's Thailand.

(Granny Clampet & Jethro stuff. Americans will laugh at my analogy.)

Painful for the local populace yes, but it might make them think again about accepting corruption as readily as they currently do.

...And they want to be on the UNSC????????

Edited September 21, 2015 by jaywalker

[NongKhaiKid]

One of the reports says that police and immigration officials are to be transferred because of their involvement in human trafficking whereas another report says ' alleged ' involvement and there can be quite a difference.

If the first version is correct it would suggest involvement has been proved and a transfer hardly fits the crime but all too common here and the reasons are many.

[canuckamuck]

So all those currently connected to trafficking are to moved to new offices.

That seems totally fair, there are no penalties more severe then being transferred.

[dashdashdot]

Transfers may indeed be a punishment. If the majority of income is regular tea from 'the old neighbourhood' then the transferred official can't exactly 'go round collecting' can he? There's probably a new guy covering that region, a new deal etc. Basically a transfer could be far far worse than being completely stripped of salary, especially if there are large outstanding debts with high interest.

[canuckamuck]

Transfers may indeed be a punishment. If the majority of income is regular tea from 'the old neighbourhood' then the transferred official can't exactly 'go round collecting' can he? There's probably a new guy covering that region, a new deal etc. Basically a transfer could be far far worse than being completely stripped of salary, especially if there are large outstanding debts with high interest.

As far as the punishment fitting the crime, I fail to see how a transfer is anything more than a joke. Do you know what it is to be a slave? These should be life sentences.

[clockman]

So 60 are missing, 20 already left the country! Typical Thai. Tell the people to give them time to escape. And throw in a scapegoat. To carry the can.

[jaywalker]

So 60 are missing, 20 already left the country! Typical Thai. Tell the people to give them time to escape. And throw in a scapegoat. To carry the can.

Cancel their passports.

They'll turn up sooner or later, somewhere.

--------------

.....And what is up w/ Somyot's hat? Last time I saw a hat that tall I was looking at a picture of Abraham Lincoln.

Edited September 22, 2015 by jaywalker

[Emster23]

They agreed to the transfers after looking at alternative: paper cut and pour lemon juice on the cut.

I thought the transfer market didn't happen until January.... oops wrong league

[Laughing Gravy]

Transfers may indeed be a punishment. If the majority of income is regular tea from 'the old neighbourhood' then the transferred official can't exactly 'go round collecting' can he? There's probably a new guy covering that region, a new deal etc. Basically a transfer could be far far worse than being completely stripped of salary, especially if there are large outstanding debts with high interest.

I was always led to believe that Human trafficking is a serious crime and in nearly all countries is given jail time. So these officials have been found out and are getting transferred. What a travesty and absolute sham. How can anyone say this is justice? They should be in jail where they belong. Shame on the Police Chief and government. What happened to cleaning up corruption? This is dusting the cobwebs off, not cleaning up corruption. A big opportunity missed there to do the right thing.

[diehard60]

Transferesed??????? Should be fired. Spend some time behind the bars.

[Lovekorat]

Did anyone really expect anything different.?

Why are they not held on remand then in court and then prison?

Transferred?

So they keep all the money they've made from human misery and go off somewhere else to set up another scam, or maybe still receive a backhander from their previous arrangements.

So much for clearing up corruption mr general.

UN?

Yeah right

[MockingJay]

A transfer is the punishment for human trafficing? Oh, the horror... "Darling, guess what - I have been transferred!"

[Oziex1]

Transfers wont cut it when the new judgement comes for the tier 3 rating, punishment fitting the crime is needed.

[samjaidee]

One of the reports says that police and immigration officials are to be transferred because of their involvement in human trafficking whereas another report says ' alleged ' involvement and there can be quite a difference.

If the first version is correct it would suggest involvement has been proved and a transfer hardly fits the crime but all too common here and the reasons are many.

The problem is that whether proven or not there is only one way to determine someone's guilt or innocence and that is in a court of law, not the court of public opinion.

Until each and every one of those public servants are found guilty in a court or law they must be presumed innocent. That is if we want to adhere to the standards we have come to accept as normal in our home countries.

Of course, when they are found guilty, which they must be if there's any justice in Thailand, they should receive the worst punishments that the court is able to give them.

IMHO

[Lupatria]

This transfer BS has to stop. Nothing will get the stench out of the room by pushing the dog pooh from one side of the carpet to the other.

[samjaidee]

Does it say anywhere in the news report that Transfer is the punishment?

Are they not transferred pending the outcome of a court determination of their innocence or guilt?

Or have I got it completely wrong?

[ehs818]

Unbelievable!

[FangFerang]

Despite my stoic nature and doubts, many transfers happen, I think, because they know someone must have had involvement but there is not enough evidence to prosecute. Yes, there is also the perennial people with connections, but all these transfers are not from corruption and saving face. Even better, I knew a Captain in the US who had mismanaged his finances, and he was transferred to an inactive post -- he oversaw part of the Army's so called "dead fleet" in Virginia. His career was dead-ended and he was placed in a type of prison. I also wonder if that happens here. Everytime I see police watching railroad crossings I wonder who they pissed off.

As one poster remarked "Thailand has never been colonized." Some Buddhists believe that this is a result of NOT attacking other nations, and playing a careful game of neutrality in the face of invasions.

A Thai girl I dated for time had another take on it. She said "Thailand was colonized long ago...by Chinese sperm."

[NongKhaiKid]

One of the reports says that police and immigration officials are to be transferred because of their involvement in human trafficking whereas another report says ' alleged ' involvement and there can be quite a difference.

If the first version is correct it would suggest involvement has been proved and a transfer hardly fits the crime but all too common here and the reasons are many.

The problem is that whether proven or not there is only one way to determine someone's guilt or innocence and that is in a court of law, not the court of public opinion.

Until each and every one of those public servants are found guilty in a court or law they must be presumed innocent. That is if we want to adhere to the standards we have come to accept as normal in our home countries.

Of course, when they are found guilty, which they must be if there's any justice in Thailand, they should receive the worst punishments that the court is able to give them.

IMHO

I agree but how many of these cases ever see the inside of a court ?

Of course there may not be enough evidence to sustain a prosecution so a transfer is the only option, prosecutions are also not entered into for reasons that have nothing to do with justice and finally transfers can be the easiest way out, the line of least resistance which is all too common.

[BestBitterPhuket]

How can these "actions" be taken seriously by EU and US? These criminals are not jailed but even allowed to keep their jobs! Would like to see what happens if one of the staff at the Central shopping centers steals or rob customers. Would he/she avoid jail, and be transferred to another shopping center? It is an absolute joke.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

There's a pretty BIG and glaring difference between the original OP, an NNT announcement, and the followup The Nation article.

The NNT report says a total of 52 police are being transferred, including 32 from Immigration.

The Nation report says 32 are being transferred, including Immigration and the other police units.

I'd guess, The Nation report is the one that's wrong.

But if I read the reports right, all this is strictly over the Southern border stuff, not the more recent Cambodia border bomber stuff.

So add the two different arenas together, and anyone can clearly see.... NOOOOOO!!!! Thai government officials aren't complicit in the human trafficking trade. Of course not! And anyone who alleges they are can likely face a long court battle against criminal defamation charges.

BTW, another odd thing about the two news reports above: You'll notice, nowhere in either article does it say any of these folks are being transferred to "inactive" positions -- which is the normal announcement and punishment that's made.

In this case, in the absence of the "inactive positions" phrase, are we left to assume that all these alleged wrongdoers are simply being moved to other working assignments elsewhere in their various units? If so, that's really hitting them with a feather.

Edited September 22, 2015 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Ulic]

Not only arrest warrants, but named the individuals in the navy and army, that's progress.

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

but what about all the money they paid for their positions? Or is this just a cash grab so that more cops can pay for new positions?

[sabaii69]

You cannot cut the end off your blanket and sew it on the other end to make it longer

[jaywalker]

They agreed to the transfers after looking at alternative: paper cut and pour lemon juice on the cut.

I thought the transfer market didn't happen until January.... oops wrong league

You bring up an interesting point there Emster.

All the work I did in Thailand (notice how nobody calls it LOS anymore?) was with the military on small contracts....the maintenance stuff = small, small contracts, and everything hinged around the Fiscal Year Budget, which ends Oct 31st/Starts November 1st.

"Changes in Various Bureaus" this time of year makes sense.

The budget cuts & transfers can be blamed on the new fiscal year policy = "Somebody made me fire you Somchai. It wasn't my idea."

Thus face is saved all around.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Would like to see what happens if one of the staff at the Central shopping centers steals or rob customers. Would he/she avoid jail, and be transferred to another shopping center? It is an absolute joke.

After they were fired from Central, I believe, they'd have a nice civil service job waiting for them.

After all, the government is always looking for "qualified" individuals to fill the ranks.