Man behind Saudi Diamond Heist ordained 'for life'

[webfact]

Man Behind Saudi Diamond Heist Ordained ‘For Life’
By Teeranai Charuvastra
Staff Reporter


Kriangkrai Techamong at Thursday's ordination ceremony.

LAMPANG — The man who sparked an international row between Thailand and Saudi Arabia by stealing jewelry from a Saudi royal palace entered the monkhood today – for life, he said.

Kriangkrai Techamong, 65, told reporters at his home in Lampang on Wednesday that he chose to become a monk for the rest of his life to repent for the heist, which was committed while he served as a gardener at a royal palace two decades ago in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1458202742


-- Khaosod English 2016-03-17

[taony]

And where is the blue diamond now? Six people dead, others in jail, and according to wikipedia: "The number of Thais working in Saudi Arabia fell from 150,000-200,000 in 1989 to just 10,000 in 2008. The cost to Thailand is 200 billion baht in remittances as fewer Thai workers were permitted to go to Saudi Arabia.^{[9]', "Thai Foreign Minister to reopen Saudi gems scandal case". 2Thailand.net. Mathaba. 2008-03-06. Retrieved 14 Feb 2015}

All worth it of course, because it made some special people happy.

[Reigntax]

At least in the monkery he can collect some vintage cars.

[Pib]

Kriangkrai spent nearly five years in a Thai prison for his role in the theft.

In 1994, the wife and son of a Thai gem dealer were abducted and later murdered in a botched attempt by rogue police officers to determine the location of the stolen Saudi jewels. Lt. Gen. Chalor Kerdthes was later convicted of plotting the killing and sentenced to life in prison. He was granted a royal pardon and released in August.

Justice in Thailand

[prestburypark]

Thais are way better off not going to Saudi to be enslaved by those sob's.

[docshock13]

And where is the blue diamond now? Six people dead, others in jail, and according to wikipedia: "The number of Thais working in Saudi Arabia fell from 150,000-200,000 in 1989 to just 10,000 in 2008. The cost to Thailand is 200 billion baht in remittances as fewer Thai workers were permitted to go to Saudi Arabia.^{[9]', "Thai Foreign Minister to reopen Saudi gems scandal case". 2Thailand.net. Mathaba. 2008-03-06. Retrieved 14 Feb 2015}

All worth it of course, because it made some special people happy.

Every blue lady deserves a blue diamond to make her happy.

[colinneil]

He has moved from 1 good earner to another good earner.

Many men join the monkhood because it is easier to make money than working.

[Pimay1]

At least in the monkery he can collect some vintage cars.

Right, he should have gone into the monkhood two decades ago and there would be no need to steal the diamonds.

[ChrisY1]

And where is the blue diamond now? Six people dead, others in jail, and according to wikipedia: "The number of Thais working in Saudi Arabia fell from 150,000-200,000 in 1989 to just 10,000 in 2008. The cost to Thailand is 200 billion baht in remittances as fewer Thai workers were permitted to go to Saudi Arabia.^{[9]', "Thai Foreign Minister to reopen Saudi gems scandal case". 2Thailand.net. Mathaba. 2008-03-06. Retrieved 14 Feb 2015}

All worth it of course, because it made some special people happy.

I think many know where the gem is......

[JingerBen]

Kriangkrai's theft of the gemstones in Saudi started the whole thing... that's true.

There is no evidence that he was involved in the subsequent chain of events.

Bloody murder by the guardians of justice.

Kriangkrai was just a kamoy.

[taony]

And where is the blue diamond now? Six people dead, others in jail, and according to wikipedia: "The number of Thais working in Saudi Arabia fell from 150,000-200,000 in 1989 to just 10,000 in 2008. The cost to Thailand is 200 billion baht in remittances as fewer Thai workers were permitted to go to Saudi Arabia.^{[9]', "Thai Foreign Minister to reopen Saudi gems scandal case". 2Thailand.net. Mathaba. 2008-03-06. Retrieved 14 Feb 2015}

All worth it of course, because it made some special people happy.

I think many know where the gem is......

I thought everyone knew....

[JingerBen]

And where is the blue diamond now? Six people dead, others in jail, and according to wikipedia: "The number of Thais working in Saudi Arabia fell from 150,000-200,000 in 1989 to just 10,000 in 2008. The cost to Thailand is 200 billion baht in remittances as fewer Thai workers were permitted to go to Saudi Arabia.^{[9]', "Thai Foreign Minister to reopen Saudi gems scandal case". 2Thailand.net. Mathaba. 2008-03-06. Retrieved 14 Feb 2015}

All worth it of course, because it made some special people happy.

I think many know where the gem is......

It was probably recut a long time ago.

[NextStationBangkok]

The negative has positive effect. Now hardworking Thai's are staying home, so that they can improve the own country than going and working as slaves for others.

Most Arab countries wealth values are depends on the lowly paid workers now a days.

[Somtamnication]

Aw, so cute. Now he has to chant for the rest of his life!

[leeneeds]

Ali ba ba , and the forty thieves still resonates to this day

offending the Bedouin will last a thousand years,

reincarnation if he truly believes will add up to a lot of repenting,

to appease the victims.

[ratcatcher]

At least in the monkery he can collect some vintage cars.

This makes a mockery of monkery.

[WitawatWatawit]

So much suffering and loss just to protect a couple of people.

[aRobotnamedWAR]

The negative has positive effect. Now hardworking Thai's are staying home, so that they can improve the own country than going and working as slaves for others.

Most Arab countries wealth values are depends on the lowly paid workers now a days.

thais dont have to leave thailand to be slaves. A slave is anyone that sells out for money. They sell their opinion for money, they sell their bodies for it, they sell their families deceased lives for it. (oops did i kill your family accidentally with my careless driving? here take some money right now so you cant sue me later). THese Zombie slaves are the absolute worst. Corruption will get more rampant as more thais have lives that suck and it sucks more everyday. life is easy as a monk. easy to lie, easy to make money easy to get food. easy easy life. ....

This... guy... should be dead. but he is not. And he will never talk, making him unrepentant for his actions. As since his turning into a monk... In the eyes of Buddha. . hes going to <deleted> hell. ... or something like it. there is no robe that he can wear that will save him. And since he dares defy the teachings of Buddah AND become a monk with a closed heart, those near him should suffer a terrible fate...

Sounds so exciting when i say it from a REAL Buddhist perspective.

You can ask any thai .... who had the diamond... and they will give you the correct answer. If you ask them who HAS the diamond and 80% will give you the right answer. Then you will figure out how they got out of the drug/police industry with laundered money to become a politician. power is not in a tiny rock. nor is it a number on paper.

EVIL THAI men seem to be... panicking ... recently. hmm, i wonder why.

I bring you war of data. and my coming brother will give you a famine of it..

[CNXBKKMAN]

Anyone who is not familiar with story needs to do a bit of googling. The khaosod report seems to miss out huge chunks of what happened after the jewellery was stolen. It's an very Thai story, and incredible.

[Thaidream]

Interesting how an uneducated rural Thai has the understanding of how to steal million of dollars of jewelry from the Saudi Royal family; then mail the jewels back to Thailand in a postal system that is noted for intercepting cash; have the jewels collected and then either fenced or distributed in Thailand. I remember this case well. The Blue diamond is still around but I don't dare speculate where it is; the police recovered many of the jewels but sent back fake ones to the Saudi's and if memory serves right 2 Saudi diplomats were murdered in the mix. Billions of Baht were lost because no Thai could work in Saudi again and to this day Thailand and Saudi Arabia do not have diplomatic relations. A movie could be made about all this but no one would believe it except those of us living in the LOS.

[Misterwhisper]

Instead of a monk's cell he should be in a prison cell.

[55Jay]

Japan just apologized to Thailand for the actions of some skinny dippers in Hua Hin.

Did Thailand apologize to Saudi Arabia?

[tukkytuktuk]

The negative has positive effect. Now hardworking Thai's are staying home, so that they can improve the own country than going and working as slaves for others.

Most Arab countries wealth values are depends on the lowly paid workers now a days.

thais dont have to leave thailand to be slaves. A slave is anyone that sells out for money. They sell their opinion for money, they sell their bodies for it, they sell their families deceased lives for it. (oops did i kill your family accidentally with my careless driving? here take some money right now so you cant sue me later). THese Zombie slaves are the absolute worst. Corruption will get more rampant as more thais have lives that suck and it sucks more everyday. life is easy as a monk. easy to lie, easy to make money easy to get food. easy easy life. ....

This... guy... should be dead. but he is not. And he will never talk, making him unrepentant for his actions. As since his turning into a monk... In the eyes of Buddha. . hes going to <deleted> hell. ... or something like it. there is no robe that he can wear that will save him. And since he dares defy the teachings of Buddah AND become a monk with a closed heart, those near him should suffer a terrible fate...

Sounds so exciting when i say it from a REAL Buddhist perspective.

You can ask any thai .... who had the diamond... and they will give you the correct answer. If you ask them who HAS the diamond and 80% will give you the right answer. Then you will figure out how they got out of the drug/police industry with laundered money to become a politician. power is not in a tiny rock. nor is it a number on paper.

EVIL THAI men seem to be... panicking ... recently. hmm, i wonder why.

I bring you war of data. and my coming brother will give you a famine of it..

Are you drugs? Missed you meds?

[taony]

But this guy stole all the jewelry when he was working in SA. What happened to the loot when it finally arrived in Thailand -was he connected to it at all? Or did events get beyond he control? I can't imagine that he had anything to do with the second part of the story - after he stole the jewels and sent it to Thailand - and he is still alive today. Is it just a case that the loot was stolen from him once it was discovered here? Also, has this guy said anything over the years?

[NCC1701A]

But this guy stole all the jewelry when he was working in SA. What happened to the loot when it finally arrived in Thailand -was he connected to it at all? Or did events get beyond he control? I can't imagine that he had anything to do with the second part of the story - after he stole the jewels and sent it to Thailand - and he is still alive today. Is it just a case that the loot was stolen from him once it was discovered here? Also, has this guy said anything over the years?

https://news.vice.com/article/assassinations-curses-and-stolen-jewels-the-blue-diamond-affair-is-still-darkening-saudi-thai-relations

http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1969920,00.html

[NCC1701A]

Wikileaks has classified US cable but i will not link here a per forum rules.

and don't forget to turn your VPN on...

Edited March 17, 2016 by NCC1701A

[SpaceKadet]

Thais are way better off not going to Saudi to be enslaved by those sob's.

If one doesn't know what he speaks of, it is better to shut than contribute to planet warming...

I was there in the 80's. Most of Saudia Catering were Thais. Very happy, making tonnes of money. Didn't see anybody enslaved... But now they all are enslaved by the Jews in Israel, I suppose...

[SpaceKadet]

So now, that he has entered the Holy State of Monkhood for Life, he should make merit and tell about everything and everybody that were part of this sad story.

[Naam]

Thais are way better off not going to Saudi to be enslaved by those sob's.

reminds me that the first bank robbery in Saudi Arabia's history was committed by Thais in 1981 (just before i left the country)

[pisico]

Thais are way better off not going to Saudi to be enslaved by those sob's.

If such brand of people go to Saudi Arabia then if follows that:

SOBs go to work for SOBs.. what's wrong with that?