Lawyer and interpreter are to be arranged for an official accused of theft in Japan

[webfact]

Lawyer and interpreter are to be arranged for an official accused of theft in Japan

 

 

BANGKOK: -- The Department of Intellectual Property has coordinated with the Thai embassy in Tokyo and the Thai consular office in Osaka to arrange for a lawyer and an interpreter for a senior official detained by Japanese for allegedly stealing three paintings from a hotel.

 

Mr Suphat Sa-nguandeekul, deputy director-general of the Department of Intellectual Property, was accused of stealing three paintings worth 15,000 yen from a hotel he stayed in Kyoto. The paintings were found in his luggage when he checked out of the hotel.

 

DIP director-general Tossaphol Thungsabut said that, at this stage, the accused should be treated fairly and given a chance to defend himself. He admitted that Mr Suphat was a capable and resourceful official who had a clean record.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/lawyer-interpreter-arranged-official-accused-theft-japan/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-01-26

[webfact]

DIP deputy chief is expected to be released soon after paying fines

 

 

KYOTO: -- Department of Intellectual Property deputy director-general Suphat Sa-nguandeekul has agreed to pay fines to a hotel in Kyoto for three paintings he arbitrarily took from the hotel upon departure and he is expected to be freed and to return to Thailand soon, according to a latest report from the Commerce Ministry.

 

However, commerce permanent secretary Ms Vibullak Ruamrak said Wednesday that the department must form a fact-finding panel to investigate the case in accordance with the ministry’s regulation.

 

She said that the ministry would have to wait for an official report from Japanese authorities first before any punitive action could be taken against the official in question. But at this stage, she said he should be given fair treatment.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/dip-deputy-chief-expected-released-soon-paying-fines/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-01-26

[Somtamnication]

Fair treatment is jail, but then again, with a diplomatic passport, he will be sent to the PM's office for re-education. 

[Thechook]

As he is a Junta official they should immediately sack him with no redundancy or pension.  Show they are serious when it comes to criminal activities involving their own.  The guy is suppose to be protecting Thailand's intellectual property but doesn't even have the intellect to know what he stole are just cheap hotel room paintings and not Rembrandts.

[doremifasol]

 

This is so embarrassing...........

[mikebell]

How many Thais do you know that would steal paintings and not raid the mini-bar.  Have they counted the pillow cases yet?

[boooker]

By law stealing is stealing the impact depending on cause and value.But someone with that stage present should had known better.

 

[ramrod711]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Lawyer and interpreter are to be arranged for an official accused of theft in Japan

 

An interpreter will not be necessary once Thai replaces English as the world language.

[Sphere]

Quote

....for three paintings he arbitrarily took from the hotel.....

 

So, not really theft then....

 

[captspectre]

3 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

Fair treatment is jail, but then again, with a diplomatic passport, he will be sent to the PM's office for re-education. 

A Thai accused of theft? OH MY! than again, what's new?

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, mikebell said:

How many Thais do you know that would steal paintings and not raid the mini-bar.  Have they counted the pillow cases yet?

 

Plenty of farang do the same, plenty of times I've overheard / heard third hand about farang in conversations about this, a couple times bragging they took something from every hotel in the tour package. 

 

One oil guy I worked with (not what I would call a friend) had for years ordered his meals from room service and washed the plates, cutlery himself, every meal, and put them in his suitcase, including coffee plungers, the tray, napkins sugar bowl P and shakers, etc.  

 

He was proud of his 'trick'. He called room service after he finished each meal and said 'tray is outside the door', then left the door open and sat near the door, when the waiter came he would quickly go to the door and say the tray is outside, then look outside and say 'ohhh somebody must have taken it already'. 

 

The small hotel I use frequently in Bkk has a policy of guard monitoring all floors where Indians are staying to catch them trying to secretly disappear without paying the bill. The manager also tells same guests when they check-in  'we have a policy of opening and checking all suitcases and bags as part of check-out procedure.

[yellowboat]

Y15K is about B4670.  This guy is going to pay dearly for his PETTY theft.

[robblok]

7 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

Y15K is about B4670.  This guy is going to pay dearly for his PETTY theft.

 

Not a huge theft at all.. still a theft and someone in a exemplary position representing the government should know better. I am not sure he will be really punished at all.. would be a good thing if they did. Though I would not know what a fitting punishment would be.

 

Because if I steal something and pay the fine in Japan its done.. this guy is getting (maybe) extra punishment.. so how much extra is justified ?

 

It does show something about his character, you don't want people with morals like that in government functions.

[trogers]

A statement on the character of a senior official charged with preventing theft of intellectual properties...

 

Takes a thief to catch a thief?

[Ulic]

4 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

Fair treatment is jail, but then again, with a diplomatic passport, he will be sent to the PM's office for re-education. 

Paying fines is enough. The public embracement and loss of face is sufficient.

He will never take hotel towels/paintings/soap and shampoo again. Enough.

[ChrisY1]

I doubt much will happen to him on his return.....he's embarrassed and has lost face big time....his boss will be kind 

[Morakot]

4 hours ago, Thechook said:

 doesn't even have the intellect to know what he stole are just cheap hotel room paintings and not Rembrandts.

He had already listed them on ebay as "Rembrandts" ?

[ratcatcher]

"....three paintings he arbitrarily took   stole    from the hotel ...."

 

Why this man with a good position in the Fine arts Dept., decided to lower himself to a petty thief is beyond me. He could just as easily have contacted the hotel manager and explained that he found the paintings particularly attractive and would they allow him to purchase them. Instead, there have been back room negotiations and he paid a fine to the hotel. I am sure many potential thieves will opt for this choice when caught in future.  Theft is a crime and he should be appropriately punished, although I suppose he has lost a large portion of his face among fellow Thais..

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

He should be fired, but in this country he will be promoted because he has shown outstanding ability to take something thats not his which fits in 100% with many other civil servants who are the hub of corruption. 

[Briggsy]

This always amazes me. The unbreakable bonds of patronage in the Thai public sector.

 

Could you imagine any Western Embassy rushing around organising lawyers and interpreters if one of their civil servants on a junket was caught pilfering from a Japanese hotel? I don't think so.

 

I would strongly wager the Thai Embassy is negotiating and lobbying on behalf of this guy too. Why? Because of the patronage system. It shows patronage obligations trump morals.

[TheFishman1]

This guy is suppose to be of a higher moral standard O wait Thai will be Thai TIT

[Morakot]

6 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

I would strongly wager the Thai Embassy is negotiating and lobbying on behalf of this guy too. Why? Because of the patronage system. It shows patronage obligations trump morals.

 

Hardly! Rumour has it the embassy staff went  "What the heck?". Unless there are personal connections, MFA staff have no obligation to some random IP guy elsewhere. They are merely following protocol.

[Rhys]

Transfered to inactive post with all benefits and retired quietly...

[catinthehat]

So if I am a Thai official on official business in a foreign country I could expect this kind of benefit afforded to me from my employer when I decide to break the law?

 

"He admitted that Mr Suphat was a capable and resourceful official who had a clean record. "

 

Capable of committing any crime. And resourceful enough to carry out same. Just like the top cop that carried a loaded gun into Japan. He simply forgot it was in his carry on. That was never checked upon leaving Thailand......................

 

Looks to me like they are already setting up a case of who  to blame in this crime. As we all know that Thais rarely take responsibility for their actions. Who's fault will this be?

 

 

[JoePai]

3 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

Plenty of farang do the same, plenty of times I've overheard / heard third hand about farang in conversations about this, a couple times bragging they took something from every hotel in the tour package. 

 

One oil guy I worked with (not what I would call a friend) had for years ordered his meals from room service and washed the plates, cutlery himself, every meal, and put them in his suitcase, including coffee plungers, the tray, napkins sugar bowl P and shakers, etc.  

 

He was proud of his 'trick'. He called room service after he finished each meal and said 'tray is outside the door', then left the door open and sat near the door, when the waiter came he would quickly go to the door and say the tray is outside, then look outside and say 'ohhh somebody must have taken it already'. 

 

The small hotel I use frequently in Bkk has a policy of guard monitoring all floors where Indians are staying to catch them trying to secretly disappear without paying the bill. The manager also tells same guests when they check-in  'we have a policy of opening and checking all suitcases and bags as part of check-out procedure.

 

You stay in the same hotel that Indians use     

[Briggsy]

53 minutes ago, Morakot said:

 

Hardly! Rumour has it the embassy staff went  "What the heck?". Unless there are personal connections, MFA staff have no obligation to some random IP guy elsewhere. They are merely following protocol.

The rumours I have heard are that the Embassy are pushing hard for the Japanese to take a lenient view and allow him to leave Japan asap. The Embassy was emboldened by the success they had pressuring the Japanese in the Khamronwit Thoopkrachang case.

[Morakot]

18 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

the Embassy are pushing hard for the Japanese to take a lenient view

"Pushing hard"...  555 The guy is accused of petty theft!

 

Everyone is shaking their heads and trying as hard as possible not to be associate with that fool. He is getting the bog standard consular assistance  everyone gets who travels on a service passport.

[Briggsy]

2 minutes ago, Morakot said:

"Pushing hard"...  555 The guy is accused of petty theft!

 

Everyone is shaking their heads and trying as hard as possible not to be associate with that fool. He is getting the bog standard consular assistance  everyone gets who travels on a service passport.

You just watch. He will get off lightly  in Japan and return to his relatively lofty civil service position.

[elgordo38]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

He admitted that Mr Suphat was a capable and resourceful official who had a clean record.

Use the old temporary loss of sanity defense in other words plead stupidity. 

[elgordo38]

27 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

You just watch. He will get off lightly  in Japan and return to his relatively lofty civil service position.

Yes you will hear no more on this case. I am surprised they even went so far as to offer the lawyer answer but they are trying to put on their best democracy face at present.