Treasury Dept appoints committee to find out how commemorative coins went missing

[webfact]

Treasury Dept appoints a committee to find out how commemorative coins went missing



BANGKOK, 11 July 2016 (NNT)-The Treasury Department (TD) appointed a committee to find out how 50 gold commemorative coins produced on the occasion of Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s fifth cycle birthday anniversary were removed from the Royal Thai Mint.

TD Director General Chakkrit Parapantakul said the stolen gold commemorative coins were being kept in the Royal Thai Mint’s safety vault in Phatumthani province before they went missing. The coins, which are worth 1.5 million baht in total, were also not for sale as they appeared to have defects.

Mr. Chakkrit added the vault can only be opened by two designated Royal Thai Mint employees who each have a key. After the Royal Thai Mint had notified Khlong Luang Police Station about the theft last month, a police investigation was launched.

Police revealed that the coins could have been stolen by its own staff as it would be impossible for an outsider to avoid being detected by the security system at the Royal Thai Mint. The vault key holders and other employees are still being questioned by the police.

The TD Director General said the incident has tremendously affected the Royal Thai Mint’s reputation. The committee has also been set up in addition to the police investigation to identify the thieves.

-- NNT 2016-07-11

[JAS21]

One has to smile ...

[sjjmmi]

Inside job !!! who would of guessed

[waldroj]

Not unique to Thailand (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-31/man-charged-with-stealing-from-perth-mint/7464330).

But, a more appropriate story would be the apprehension of the perpetrators.

Probably swallowed them to smuggle them out of the Mint. So, authorities should hold all the workers in isolation for a few days, just to see if any gold nuggets come to pass.

[Kasset Tak]

Hmmm, it feels like people are getting more and more stupid... if only 2 people have access to the vault then they should be able to solve this quickly as they only have 2 suspects!!!

[ratcatcher]

"The Treasury Department (TD) appointed a committee to find out how 50 gold commemorative coins produced on the occasion of Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s fifth cycle birthday anniversary were removed from the Royal Thai Mint."

They were stolen, filched, swiped, pilfered or simply purloined.,

[gandalf12]

Maybe the Pope is Catholic. Give any ideas?

[Thailand]

Appointed a committee!

They will never find out who did it.

[worgeordie]

In someone's pocket that's for sure ......Police revealed that the coins could have been stolen by its own staff ,Elementary Dr. Watson.

regards Worgeordie

[TPI]

In someone's pocket that's for sure ......Police revealed that the coins could have been stolen by its own staff ,Elementary Dr. Watson.

regards Worgeordie

Now hang on a minute, the staff may have just used them as temporary Sin Sod and they really intended to bring them back straight away!

[Srikcir]

If the coins had defects, why weren't they melted down instead of being stored?

[Strangebrew]

Solved arrest the key holders and do cavity search Of police to see if any have a brain.

[Torrens54]

Appointed a committee!

They will never find out who did it.

Give the Committee 12 months and then appoint another committee to investigate the first committee... and so on.

This could be a great plot for a Thai TV Drama. Imagine the Riveting Suspense ???

[Tatsujin]

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that they were stolen for personal profit.

[webfact]

Security at Royal Thai Mint to be reviewed after commemorative coins stolen from safes



BANGKOK: -- The Treasury Department says it will be making an urgent review of security measures at the Royal Thai Mint after several commemorative coins marking Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn's 60th birthday anniversary were stolen.

Director-general of the department Mr Chakkrit Parapantakul admitted that the theft had severely damaged the department’s reputation and a full review of security measures and storage protocols at the Royal Thai Mint will have to be made.

His comment came after the police suspected the theft was an inside job.

The suspect, an employee of the Thai Royal Mint Mr Suchart Termtor, was arrested.

However he denied the charge.

But police have evidence to prove he was responsible.

Mr Chakkrit said the coins were made of polished gold and valued at 30,000 baht each.

They had been issued for public sale since April 2 this year but 318 of them were held back and kept in the Royal Thai Mint’s safes after they were found to have flaws.

He said that because each of the coins possessed distinct flaws, he was confident that in the event that the coins were put up for sale, they would be easy to track down.

Earlier yesterday the Royal Thai Police asked for a warrant from the court to issue a warrant for the arrest of one suspect involved in the theft.

Royal Thai Police deputy commissioner Pol Gen Pongsapat Pongcharoen yesterday attended a meeting with other departments involved in the case of 50 H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn 60th birthday commemorative coins that went missing from the safes of the Royal Thai Mint.

The coins are estimated to be worth in excess of 1.5 million baht.

The deputy commissioner also personally visited the premises of the Royal Thai Mint to check on security measure currently in place.

After the visit, the deputy commissioner commented that he felt that the security measures were comprehensive with a number of metal detectors setup to check on all persons entering and exiting the facility.

Prior to this, detectives from the Klong Luang Police Department had questioned 20 employees – in particular the 3 who held keys to the safes.

But all denied any knowledge or involvement in the theft.

Pol Gen Pongsapat said Mr Suchart gave useful information although he denied the theft.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/172136-2/


-- Thai PBS 2016-07-12

[ezzra]

Stolen from the treasury mint's safe? what is this, a safe in a 7/11? not stolen for sure, and if they were ' stolen ', than it

was done with the knowledge of someone with access to the safe...... more like misappropriated....

[BigBadGeordie]

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that they were stolen for personal profit.

Could be due to a business conflict, that's another favourite or does that only cover murder.

[elgordo38]

If the coins had defects, why weren't they melted down instead of being stored?

Defective coins have more value.

[JAG]

If the coins had defects, why weren't they melted down instead of being stored?

That would adversely affect the potential to "informally" realise their true value.

[IAMHERE]

If the coins had defects, why weren't they melted down instead of being stored?

Defective coins have more value.

too bad it is just coins, Thailand could be full of unrealized value.

[tomyummer]

I would think the authorities would have wanted to keep this event under wraps. How embarrassing. Especially since they suspect and know it has to do with the 'key access only' employees! Saudi crown jewels 2.0?

[american12bthai]

If the coins had defects, why weren't they melted down instead of being stored?

Defective coins have more value.

this is thailand, defective coins are treated like handicap people, worthless. In western nations the government has a GUARANTEE on such products. (remember amelia earheart upsidownplane fiasco?) This is THAILAND!!. THUS SOMEONE thought to themsevles...hmmm no one would notice.

but oh-snap. you retarded thinker of stupid thoughts,

worthless to you but others not.

this case is of no concern to me, no human trafficking.

weather your job is to manage slave fishermen, or indentured sex slaves. thai thieves all have the same predictable mentality. (personally, I love sending 409 scammers on a 3 day treacherous journey, their greed dooms them. naturally i have a different approach for thai scammers.) the same mental rollercoaster activates when a thai loses face. Just hit them at their antapex. or create a zenith for them to fall quickly.

**notice how stealing commemorative from the royal family was not the issue here.

[jerojero]

A committee need to be formed? Where's the police investigation? Or sorry, it's the RTP..... "Coin fall in klong, case close. Now pay me for good investigation."

[klauskunkel]

Royal Thai Police asked for a warrant from the court to issue a warrant for the arrest of one suspect

You need a warrant to get a warrant, slowly I'm beginning to understand the intricacies of Thainess.

"Your Honor, we need a warrant to arrest..."

"Do you have a warrant for me to issue a warrant?"

"That's why we are here."

"No warrant without a warrant!"

"But then, how do we get one?"

"Exactly. Next case."

Edited July 12, 2016 by klauskunkel

[Redline]

Inside job !!! who would of guessed

This requires a thorough investigation involving the brightest minds! How utterly sad

[Redline]

I guess they didn't realize that by telling everyone there were flaws in the coins, that they will now be melted down and the form changed. But, that could just be silly me.

[Dancin Dna 11]

If the coins had defects, why weren't they melted down instead of being stored?

I bet they could not melt them down as the have the image of the queen on them.

[SOTIRIOS]

...such a low quantity....... if flawed coins...... could put their value into the stratosphere....

....surely an insider job.....

...but one question.....'No cameras in the mint or mint storage facilities?'......

[NCC1701A]

The IMF, Impossible Mission Force did it. You will never find them.

[keithathome]

They "suspected it was an inside job" ???? I would bloody well hope so. It was the mint !