Thai corruption scandal: Evidence mounts against 3 DSI agents

[webfact]

CORRUPTION SCANDAL
Evidence mounts against 3 DSI agents
THE NATION



Trio implicated in investigation into petrol-smuggling ring in deep South

BANGKOK: -- THREE DSI agents have been incriminated in the probe of the petrol-smuggling ring in the deep South allegedly involving former crime-buster Pol Lt-General Pongpat Chayaphan.

Suwana Suwanjuta, director-general of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), said yesterday that their names were found on a list of bribe-takers put together by Sahachai Jiansermsin, an influential Pattani-based businessman on the run.

An internal inquiry is now looking to see if the three unidentified agents were actually on the take, as the names of innocent DSI officials were frequently misappropriated by impostors or criminals to cheat or defraud the public, she said.

Justice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya said he ordered Suwana to probe internally whether DSI agents had taken part in the petrol-smuggling operation or the corruption scheme engulfing the former Central Investigation Bureau commissioner.

The DSI had been working in the region and was supposed to have gathered inside information on the lucrative contraband petrol trade, he said.

Some 30,000 artefacts belonging to Pongpat are waiting identification and verification by experts from the Fine Arts Department, said Bowornwej Rungroojee, director-general of the department.

Certain items are prohibited from being held in private collections, while many might be fakes. The department will make public today initial details of all 30,000 items, 10,000 of which appear to be ancient ceramic pots while 20,000 are artefacts, Buddha images and figures of deities, he said.

Phra Khanong police in Bangkok have said that two of the five new civilian suspects - Sutthisak Sutthijit and Chakarn Phakphoom - have been released from police custody to the military under martial law.

Former Army major Nattapon, Sitthisak and Narong Akharapong-preecha failed to show up for their appointment to meet police at noon yesterday at Phra Khanong Police Station, they said. However, National Police chief Pol General Somyot Poompanmoung said on Wednesday that all five civilian suspects had already been detained.

A police source said a woman had accused the five of abducting her and forcing her to pay them Bt20 million after they claimed royal backing.

The source said Sutthisak and Chakarn had claimed to police that the woman owed them money, but denied that they kidnapped or intimidated her to pay up, before they were freed on bail.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Evidence-mounts-against-3-DSI-agents-30248741.html


-- The Nation 2014-11-28

[Bluespunk]

"The DSI had been working in the region and was supposed to have gathered inside information on the lucrative contraband petrol trade, he said."

Now, to be fair, it seems they actually did very well at this.

Too well in fact.

Allegedly.

Edited November 27, 2014 by Bluespunk

[JOC]

The 4 ringleaders out on bail after less than 12 hours in the slammer because of their connections!!

The 3 agents in the OP cannot be named!!

And because of the LM-charges everything is going to be behind closed doors!!

Welcome to transparency according to Prayuth!!

[siampolee]

Well given the reputation of the police farce force in general at least the current results certainly prove the truth of that old adage below.

English definition of “it takes a thief to catch a thief”

it takes a thief to catch a thief.

[RustBucket]

20,000 buddah monks and deities and they all failed to protect him from getting caught.

Maybe their power will kick in when he eventually is allowed to slip through the net.

[clockman]

Justice, is distant bell. Rarely heard in Thailand!

[WilliamCave]

Good on the people exposing and grabbing theses people .

Change has to start some were even if it a long road and many years to achieve and mountain to over come .

[siampolee]

WilliamCave post # 7

Good on the people exposing and grabbing theses people .

Change has to start some were even if it a long road and many years to achieve and mountain to over come .

Rather like the situation below methinks.

[RustBucket]

Still waiting for the NACC to pursue a case of negligence against Chalerm and Tarit.

Happened on their watch yes?

[ramrod711]

An internal inquiry is now looking to see if the three unidentified agents were actually on the take, as the names of innocent DSI officials were frequently misappropriated by impostors or criminals to cheat or defraud the public, she said.

So, some cheap hood proposes a crooked scam to a potential ally, saying that it's a done deal,100% safe because he has the DSI in his pocket. The ally would believe this why? Because, in all likelihood, it would be true.

[retarius]

After reading yesterday that an appeal from 1999 was finally heard, I doubt that many of these will every do a night in jail....except perhaps the drivers of Pongpat and his assistant, as they are low men on the totem pole....I'm guessing that any guilty verdict will be followed by an extremely lengthy appeals process....

[retarius]

Which is the trio? In the photo there are 5 police, two plain clothes people and three army.....plus one man behind and looking away that doesn't seem part of the group commemorative photo.

[Equalizer]

It is a ''two and throw'' never ending marathon here. You get a democratically elected government who weed out all the undesirable military figures by reappointing the position they hold and vice versa, after a coup your get the military weeding out all the undesirable police and government officials with newly appointed positions. In both cases large scale corruption charges are implicated for the justification. Ironically in both cases the corruption is factual. Both are just as bad as each other, the military is an independent business gunning for their own interests and so is any elected government. Both trample all over the working class here. It is like two heavy weights on fight night, after the under-card ''IE Thailand'' they both get into the ring and smash the living daylights out of each other.

[Laughing Gravy]

There must be some ' squeaky bum' times from some of the Heads of RTP. It does seem that one fraction of the Mafia is ousting the other. Once again a great chance for Thailand to show transparency and deal with these suspects professionally. Until then I will take a seat and watch.

[Tatsujin]

This is still just the tip of the iceberg, but interesting to note the mention of kidnapping in this article ... I'm wondering if they're going to finally admit to the other traditional high grossing revenue activities that (some?) Police are involved in such as assassinations, drug smuggling, protection of and/or intimidation of business rivals, human trafficking, prostitution, the MiB etc ...

[Tonawatchee]

This is such a worn out road; we can feel secure as the PM said the problems will take care of themselves.

[The Deerhunter]

The 4 ringleaders out on bail after less than 12 hours in the slammer because of their connections!!

The 3 agents in the OP cannot be named!!

And because of the LM-charges everything is going to be behind closed doors!!

Welcome to transparency according to Prayuth!!

No bail. They will only start (will have started) hiding things..............................................................!!!!

[slygeeza]

so who were the actual victims of this crime?

[lvr181]

If you were a suspected guilty person would you "failed to show up for their appointment to meet police"? How about just arresting them and keeping them in custody? Or is this some sort of joke

[lvr181]

so who were the actual victims of this crime?

Thailand.

[Thaddeus]

so who were the actual victims of this crime?

Thailand.

Yep, close on 70 million victims and counting.

[GAZZPA]

"An internal inquiry is now looking to see if the three unidentified agents were actually on the take, as the names of innocent DSI officials were frequently misappropriated by impostors or criminals to cheat or defraud the public, she said."

Goodness me are they serious? They have supposedly found masses of evidence and now they are exploring the possibility that it wasn't them, it was maybe lookey likeys using their names and positions for financial gains,,, I means whats the odds of that.

You could not make this up, you just couldn't,,

Might go down as my second favourite BS line from Thailand right behind the statement that "Thais don't need electrical earthing because they use a special type of electricity".

[FrankOff]

former crime-buster Pol Lt-General Pongpat Chayaphan........ turns out to be the biggest criminal of them all

Thailand.....I love this place....the home of metaphysical paradoxes

[Robby nz]

Surely one of the DSI agents couldn't have a name starting with T could it ?

Na the country couldn't be that lucky, but his day will come.

[ratcatcher]

And judging by the expressions on the faces of the BIB, they are all thinking

"There but for the grace of Buddha go I"

[slygeeza]

so who were the actual victims of this crime?

Thailand.

I realize that in general Thais are the victims of corruption but in the case of this oil smuggling it probably meant cheaper fuel for Thais at the expense of a few middlemen

[cookee68]

Good on the people exposing and grabbing theses people .

Change has to start some were even if it a long road and many years to achieve and mountain to over come .

I think the main person who exposed these creeps, is already dead, did he not Jump of a building

[phuketandsee]

Suggest you guys do some more background reading - there's a lot more going on here.

[trainman34014]

By the time any trials start in about 15 years time, normality will have been restored and everyone will be back at 'work' (read criminal activities ). All these creeps will remain on full pay whilst on bail and there will be no loss of pension or other rights. Even if the lowest ranking offender ever gets to jail his family will not suffer any loss as the 'ring' will look after them. Thailand.....Land of Smoke and Mirrors.

'Reform' is only for the poor.

[srchino]

Well for some reason I can't post to the news forum, but THIS article seems to be quite newsworthy:

http://www.jimalgie.com/thai-police-scandal-top-cops-go-down-in-blaze-of-allegations/