High-profile fall from grace into a dark world

By THE NATION

 

 

BANGKOK: -- THEY were once highly-successful figures in the community, but now they are scorned human traffickers.

Before Thailand’s biggest human-trafficking scandal broke in 2015, Manas Kongpan was a respectable lieutenant general, Suwan Saengthong a major seafood trader in Ranong province, Pajjuban Angchotephan a high-flying businessman from Lipe Island, and Banjong Pongphon the mayor of the Padang Besar Municipality. 

 

Their role in the trafficking of migrants has destroyed their reputations and their lives. 

 

Following the guilty verdict, all four have received widespread condemnation and lengthy jail terms. 

 

Had Manas not been involved in human trafficking, he could have still enjoyed a remarkable military career. 

 

He graduated from the prestigious Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School (AFAPS), studying alongside General Chalermchai Sittisart, the current Army chief, and General Thawip Netniyom, the current secretary-general of the National Security Council. 

 

After Manas joined the Army, he steadily climbed the career ladder getting regular promotions. But in 2010, he was posted to Ranong province where he met Suwan – who ran a legitimate seafood trade in the open, but was involved in human trafficking behind the scenes. 

 

There are no details about how exactly the two are connected, but evidence showed that Suwan transferred at least Bt14 million to Manas’s bank accounts. 

 

The transfer records became evidence to implicate Manas in human trafficking that spanned several southern provinces. The victims were mostly Rohingya people from Myanmar and Bangladesh.

 

Even though Manas was a high-ranking specialist in the Army at the time of his arrest in 2015, he was not granted bail. 

 

Pajjuban was also once so influential in his hometown that he was dubbed the “Godfather of Koh Lipe”. 

 

His Angchotephan family was often credited with developing Koh Lipe – now a famous tourist island in Satun province.

 

Pajjuban owned a number of businesses, from fisheries to hotels. 

 

The court found that Pajjuban had used his connections not just for legitimate businesses but also illegal for human trafficking. 

 

Banjong was at the helm of the Padang Besar Municipality for several years until the human-trafficking scandal exposed his dark side. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30321233

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-07-20

On the ABC News here in Australia this morning, so it's out there at least.

What is it about these guys that caused them to take the fall.

 

Has this evil business ceased?

http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/513318/Opinion/Editorial/Thailand

Their role in trafficking migrants has destroyed their lives and reputations, boo-hoo so what.

Whar about the thousands of lives destroyed because of these bar stewards involvement in human trafficking????

They are just the tip of the iceberg. 

I am surprised they have been allowed to live ,with the knowledge they must have. 

5 minutes ago, greenchair said:

They are just the tip of the iceberg. 

I am surprised they have been allowed to live ,with the knowledge they must have. 

 

The tip of the iceberg indeed!

 

An operation such as this, which went on for several years, could not have occurred without widespread knowledge and assistance from many, many people.

 

I hope more people will face justice, but...

 

Im sure there are a lot more then 4 involved maybe all the others were from Myanmar !

I doubt there has been a great impact on the trade....there's still slaves being moved and still large amounts of money to be made.

Notice that no-one from the RTN has been implicated.....and yet witnessed by immigrants as running island slave camps.

It's also on the BBC  ...

 

"Manas Kongpan is among more than 60 people convicted in Bangkok of trafficking Bangladeshis and Rohingya Muslims, a minority fleeing Myanmar.  Another top former official was sentenced to 75 years in prison. More than 100 defendants were on trial."

 

and  " Most of those indicted are from Thailand but several citizens of Myanmar (also called Burma) and Bangladesh are also being held. "

 

So many of the other people involved have also been caught & punished, this is surprisingly fast for the Thai justice-system, although I suppose there will be appeals to come ?

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-40652012

" Pajjuban owned a number of businesses, from fisheries to hotels. "

 

You would think that would be enough for anyone's lifestyle

Money as God would eat up whatever humanity left in a person...

 

Happens across the board, even to senior monks.

Also on the BBC and Al Jazeera

The greed for money,that's what it boils down to,how anyone could engage

in such a despicable trade in human life,is beyond belief,I hope they stay in

prison for their full terms,and suffer just as much as the lives they traded in.

but been rich and influential,I doubt it.

regards worgeordie

2 hours ago, greenchair said:

They are just the tip of the iceberg. 

I am surprised they have been allowed to live ,with the knowledge they must have. 

The chief investigator Praween was smart to seek asylum in Australia. If he is allowed back, that tip may result in an avalanche of more high ranking officers implicated. He know too well that it's not worth his life to come back and testify. Those high ranking officers will be safe for now as Manas took one for the team. 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

now they are scorned human traffickers.

we, the few, scorn them; i bet anything they think they did nothing 'wrong'

1 hour ago, midas said:

" Pajjuban owned a number of businesses, from fisheries to hotels. "

 

You would think that would be enough for anyone's lifestyle

Pure  greed when enough is never enough ?

18 minutes ago, gwynt said:

Pure  greed when enough is never enough ?

reminds me of this Irishman's colourful description of greed

 

 

Comes down to one word at the end.. GREED

Wot, no appeal? No bail? 

Why is it not possible for Praween to testify via a live TV link, and give him the chance to nail the culprits to the wall. Has Australia not got a witness protection program ? In the name of true humanity 1st world countries should give people like him the chance to have his say safely. Sitting back and letting the Thai system carry on with its cover ups and botched investigations just compounds the crime.....

Make them fishing boat slaves until they die~4 hours sleep, and a little rice and water each day.

If greed was their motivation for this vile trade then each and every person convicted in this trial should have all their assets confiscated by the state and the proceeds used to fund further anti trafficking measures, I don't care if their families are tossed out onto the street homeless and destitute, it serves them bloody right.

After reading this thread and the linked Nation article I still don't see any prison sentences mentioned. Have I missed something?

 

Edit...the BBC  link mentions 75 years...it must be true

On 20 July 2017 at 8:15 AM, Oziex1 said:

What is it about these guys that caused them to take the fall.

 

Has this evil business ceased?

These scapegoats either belonged to the wrong faction or wore the wrong coloured shirts.

22 hours ago, midas said:

" Pajjuban owned a number of businesses, from fisheries to hotels. "

 

You would think that would be enough for anyone's lifestyle

Yeah, could be a comfortable lifestyle, but then they start some drugs or some very expensive gambling trips over to Cambodia.  I bet if somebody looked you would see things like that being involved.  And of course they probably bought some properties, some crazily marked up expensive cars, etc.  It is not hard to spend a few million baht routinely

On 7/20/2017 at 4:54 AM, webfact said:

Had Manas not been involved in human trafficking, he could have still enjoyed a remarkable military career. 

This should have read:

"Manas enjoyed a remarkable military career despite his (ahem) undetected role in human trafficking."

 

His rank during his direct involvement as a "kingpin" in human trafficking was colonel. When he was arrested six years later he was a three-star army general and aide to Prayut's NCPO.

 

What is really remarkable is that he apparently escaped detection for his direct involvement in human trafficking while part of the Internal Security Operations Center (ISOC) whose mission is fighting the Muslim insurgency in the South and used military resources to support his human trafficking operation. Also remarkable by the lack of any disclosure was any military court trial that could have busted the general's rank and left him without a military pension.