Police conduct flash raids interviewing six witnesses in Bt30m lottery row

[webfact]

Police conduct flash raids interviewing six witnesses in Bt30m lottery row

By KAMPANART LA-ONG, 
SUPOJ KAEWKASI 
THE NATION

 

 

ABOUT 100 police officers from the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) yesterday searched seven locations in Kanchanaburi and summoned six people for questioning as part of its investigation into a highly-publicised dispute between retired policeman Charoon Wimul, 62, and teacher Preecha Kraikruan, 50, about the real ownership of five lottery tickets that won Bt30 million in the November 1 draw.

 

Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) chief Pol Lt-General Thitirat Nongharnpitak also attended the separate interviews with the six people – four unnamed policemen (one lieutenant colonel, one major, one captain and one senior sergeant-major) from the Muang Kanchanaburi precinct and two lottery female vendors – at the Highway 6 precinct in Kanchanaburi’s Panom Tuan district.

 

 

CSD chief Pol Maj-General Maitri Chimcherd later dismissed as untrue a rumour in social media that lottery vendor Rattanaporn “Jeh Babin” Supathip had confessed to lying about selling the winning tickets to Preecha. Maitri briefly said the investigation was still underway.

 

Meanwhile, Preecha told The Nation via phone that he continued to work at school and no police had questioned him yesterday. He said he would give information to CSD upon request so that this case would finally be over.

 

Preecha

 

The controversy hit the headlines after Preecha complained to police that he had bought and lost five tickets that had later won the jackpot in the November 1 draw, and which were then collected by Charoon. Although the retired policeman insisted he bought the tickets and collected the prize, police had frozen the remaining Bt24.35-million prize money in Charoon’s bank account pending investigation.

 

Charoon

 

Despite a previous DNA test result showing that Charoon handled the tickets, Provincial Police Region 7 chief Pol Lt-General Kittipong Ngaomuk had announced that Preecha was the owner of the tickets and Charoon would be charged with embezzlement and receiving stolen items. 

 

National police chief Pol General Chakthip Chaijinda this week said the CSD police, which have taken over this investigation from the Provincial Police Region 7 and was probing an alleged organised gang behind the attempt to claim the winning lottery ownership, would conclude the case by the end of this month.

 

With the Civil Court slated to hear a May 1 trial to determine which of the two men had a legitimate claim to owning the lottery tickets, Charoon this week offered to drop his compliant against Preecha if the teacher admitted his guilt. Charoon has also filed a defamation complaint against Preecha. However, Preecha continued to insist that he is telling the truth and said will fight the case in court.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30338972

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-02-16

[ezzra]

a 100 policemen busying themselves with a monetary dispute, i guess that all other

urgent and pressing cases all have been solved and taken care of.....

[Oziex1]

This story isn't over till a few other high ranks get their share. 

[Thian]

5 minutes ago, Oziex1 said:

This story isn't over till a few other high ranks get their share. 

This story will be over soon when the ex-cop goes to jail.

[bluesofa]

"Flash raids"

 

Does that mean in plain English that the police got on with their job, didn't waste time needlessly or speculate and waffle to the press about the case?

 

Or does it mean they decided the outcome of the case behind closed doors, then acted out a charade to fit their version of the facts?

[greenchair]

I'm not understanding how there are so many similar cases like this. 

All involving at least 1 policeman. 

I think there have been 3 or 4 complaints already. 

[4MyEgo]

Glad to hear the cops have frozen the cops account until they announce the money is the teachers, less some commission to the cops for doing a great job...lol

[grumbleweed]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

ABOUT 100 police officers from the Crime Suppression Division

As opposed to the more widely known  Crime Proliferation Division we have all come to know and love

[klauskunkel]

What's really interesting is how deeply absorbed the public is in this feud. It's now 4 months and all you hear on Thai news programs is Preecha this and Charoon that. And they eat it up with single-minded concentration day after day.

If only they would choose to use that energy to focus on something worthwhile, Thailand could actually achieve something.

[samsensam]

Just now, klauskunkel said:

What's really interesting is how deeply absorbed the public is in this feud. It's now 4 months and all you hear on Thai news programs is Preecha this and Charoon that. And they eat it up with single-minded concentration day after day.

If only they would choose to use that energy to focus on something worthwhile, Thailand could actually achieve something.

 

If only they would choose to use that energy to focus on something worthwhile, Thailand could actually achieve something.

 

haha, yea, dream on... anyone who has been here a while knows how obsessed the locals are with gossip and money, put the two together and, well, see what you get...

 

while some of my thai friends have hobbies and do things in their free time; yoga, gym, football and running, if you ask the vast majority what they do in their free time, or even what their hobby is, the answer will be; sleep.

 

 

[anon4637435435]

This is the extremes people have to go through just to get a real investigation done which requires police from bangkok to organize a surprise investigation at a location other than the main police station.

Kanchanaburi police are out of control really. And my family have been caused nothing but grief from them. Just the other day immigration police came out because the kanchanaburi police allowed my nothing more than envious xenophobic neighbours to make up a false claim about me and tried to have me arrested and deported.

Anyway, this stupid lottery system is too easily abused. There should be a simple computer operated number generated system from a legitimate store and if that doesn't do it. Thumb print signatures for obtaining a particular ticket or scrap the lot which would be a lesson to all not to abuse the only thing most thais do or talk about. They dont sm to have much else and personally i think thats the best option at this point.

It would never happen though as this type of lottery is nothing more than a way o tax the poor. Government would never scrap it.

[Enoon]

1 hour ago, klauskunkel said:

What's really interesting is how deeply absorbed the public is in this feud.

 

Not just any feud concerning money.

 

A feud concerning LOTTERY money.

 

"It could be them" next week, next month......next life.

 

 

[Jack Mountain]

Both guilty,  the teacher for losing the ticket and the ex-policeman for saying he bought the tickets instead of picking them of the street. The money to charity (a real one) and both community service with a sign around their neck saying LOSER. jmo.

[Muggi1968]

Who should you believe.... A police officer or a teacher.....

Wellllll I do not think i would believe any of them.......

[steven100]

I can't wait for the movie to come out     !!   

[Bluespunk]

2 hours ago, klauskunkel said:

What's really interesting is how deeply absorbed the public is in this feud. It's now 4 months and all you hear on Thai news programs is Preecha this and Charoon that. And they eat it up with single-minded concentration day after day.

If only they would choose to use that energy to focus on something worthwhile, Thailand could actually achieve something.

Well, let’s face it, if the teacher wins, this is a step by step guide into claiming lottery prizes you are not entitled to. 

 

Its educational. 

[bluesofa]

35 minutes ago, steven100 said:

I can't wait for the movie to come out     !!   

I'm desperately trying to think of an appropriate film title for this.

So far I can only think of existing films. How about:

 

How to Marry a Millionaire (1953)

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

To Catch a Thief (1955)

The Six Million Dollar Man (1974-78)

One Million Years B.C. (1966)

 

edit: Bridge(ing Loan) On the River Kwai (real film was 1957)

[Media1]

This retired cop is a thief that's guaranteed. Just the head tells the story.

I are never wrong. What a low life

[Media1]

The police chief your funny lol..What a scam.this is..I can't wait until.these all high ranking police are investigated for decades of embezzlement 

[mentalcolonization]

A tough one, neither the Police oe Teacher will want to lose face. Thai top jobs

[Golden Triangle]

It would be a good idea to encourage people to either sign or mark their lottery tickets to prevent this sort of thing happening in the future, I used to sign mine in the UK, this debacle has gone on long enough already and still no end in sight.  

[farcanell]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

ABOUT 100 police officers from the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) yesterday searched seven locations in Kanchanaburi...

100 cops! Really?

 

lol... all the kings horses and all the kings men, couldn’t put humpty together again

[bluesofa]

15 minutes ago, farcanell said:

100 cops! Really?

 

lol... all the kings horses and all the kings men, couldn’t put humpty together again

That's only about seven per location:

One to do the talking, two to do the searching, one to buy the somtam and three to play with their phones.

Seems reasonable.

[farcanell]

2 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

That's only about seven per location:

One to do the talking, two to do the searching, one to buy the somtam and three to play with their phones.

Seems reasonable.

Yer... sorry... I didn’t put much effort into the math of it (I was too busy laughing)

[Just Weird]

10 hours ago, ezzra said:

a 100 policemen busying themselves with a monetary dispute, i guess that all other

urgent and pressing cases all have been solved and taken care of.....

There's more than 100 police officers in the RTP!  Plenty for this case and the other cases that you are so worried about.

[Just Weird]

9 hours ago, greenchair said:

I'm not understanding how there are so many similar cases like this. 

All involving at least 1 policeman. 

I think there have been 3 or 4 complaints already. 

Such as...?

[bluesofa]

7 minutes ago, farcanell said:

10 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

That's only about seven per location:

One to do the talking, two to do the searching, one to buy the somtam and three to play with their phones.

Seems reasonable.

Yer... sorry... I didn’t put much effort into the math of it (I was too busy laughing)

YOU were laughing and didn't do the maths! I managed to cock-up the figures!

 

It was more like fourteen per location, not seven. So that must make it two of them to buy even more somtam and nine of them for the all-important smartphone-playing.

[greenchair]

14 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

Such as...?

Google lottery disputes.thailand. 

There are 5 cases so far. 

3 involving the apparent sum of 30 million. 

1. 12 million. 

1. 6 million. 

 

Bkk, buriram, kanchanaburi , supHan buri and udonthani. 

Something going on here. 

 

[worgeordie]

"Police conduct flash raids "

When I seen the headline,the image of Police

rushing about in their birthday suits flashed

across my mind.

Whomever is declared winner is not going to be 

left with much cash.that's the only certainty in 

this fiasco.

 

regards worgeordie

[Orton Rd]

whats the difference between a raid and a flash raid, do they use torches?