Songkhla human trafficking & money laundering cases concluded

SONGKHLA, 30 September 2015 (NNT) – The Royal Thai Police has announced the conclusion of the human trafficking and money laundering cases in Songkhla Province.

During a press conference co-chaired by investigators and public prosecutors, Deputy Commissioner of Provincial Police Region 8 Pol Maj Gen Praween Pongsirin said the discovery of the body of a human trafficking victim and 36 graves in Sadao district of Songkhla in May prompted the government to declare human smuggling a national agenda.

The Attorney General assigned Deputy National Police Chief General Aek Angsananont to lead the investigations into the human trade and money laundering crimes. Public prosecutors and police investigators in different provinces contributed to the cases over the past five months.

Regarding the human trafficking case, there are 155 culprits, 91 of whom are being detained. For charges related to money laundering, there are 81 culprits, 41 of whom are in detention. The work groups in charge of the cases have decided to press charges against all suspects through the Nathawee Provincial Court. The Attorney General will be in charge of the prosecution.

The cases’ conclusion was announced during a shift in commanders within the Royal Thai Police, which sees Gen Aek taking the post of Permanent-Secretary of the Prime Minister Office. Gen Aek's acceptance of the new post means the two cases will temporarily be without the deputy police chief, and will require a new deputy police chief to helm the cases.

Source: http://thainews.prd.go.th/website_en/news/news_detail/WNSOC5809300010028

-- NNT 2015-09-30

Well done RTP! You identified and arrested all the ringleaders, including all the government, immigration, armed forces and police officials involved. A round of rewards for each of you. You certainly earned it!

Just a select few. The rest have already left the country!

It is always good to wrap up these cases quickly lest they find more skeletons out there or perhaps more high level officials are implicated. Otherewise, those western journalists are going to stir up the dirt some more... and we don't want that to happen now. Do we?

Only investigate up till the reward money is paid, in case you find something someone does not want you to find.

"the discovery of the body of a human trafficking victim and 36 graves in Sadao district of Songkhla in May prompted the government to declare human smuggling a national agenda."

So until then human smuggling was NOT a national agenda. We can only wait until the government is prompted again to take action. Unfortunately, more lives will be taken in the meantime.

Interesting that the police are talking about these cases having been "concluded"...

When, AFAIK, none of the accused have actually been convicted in court as yet, and a good portion of the total accused defendants are still at large.

So, just how is that "concluded"??? Perhaps "concluded" is just a new euphemism for "time to collect our reward money."