50 Thai Police now under suspicion

[wazza]

Sunai Phasuk from Human Rights Watch said the latest crackdown was the "first effort by the Thai government to leave no stone unturned".

He called for an investigation of military personnel suspected of involvement in human trafficking.

"We see local politicians and police being investigated and named but what about military personnel?" Mr Sunai said.

"What about officials from forestry departments which have long been alleged to have provided support to human traffickers?"

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-07/o ... ng/6453326

[chewbacca]

They need to add a zero or two to that number.

500 or 5000 'police' and 'officials' more like.

The Phuketwan reporters were indeed onto something back when they started reporting on the matter. Of course they were then unjustly brought up on charges afterwards.

By Chutima Sidasathian and Alan Morison
Monday, October 21, 2013
http://phuketwan.com/tourism/captive-ro ... ers-19048/

PHUKET: Captive Rohingya are being smuggled out of Thailand in secret in sales deals negotiated between human traffickers and Immigration officials, Phuketwan has been told by well-informed sources.

The unwanted boatpeople are being carried by local boats from a pier in the Thai-Burma port of Ranong to a trafficker's vessel for transfer south to Malaysia and sale, the sources say.

Reporters were able to confirm at the weekend the suspicious movement of Rohingya men and women to Ranong.

Conversations by mobile telephone have also confirmed that traffickers are already offering people for sale at 65,000 baht each.

At least two busloads of Rohingya are claimed to have have been shipped out from Ranong, with more likely to be processed as traffickers on-sell the captives.

Two more busloads of Rohingya were reported by well-informed contacts to be on the way to Ranong from other parts of Thailand - Nong Khai province and the Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai - on Monday.

http://phuketwan.com/tourism/reuters-re ... ice-20244/

Monday, May 12, 2014
PHUKET: Arrest summonses were being posted on the holiday island of Phuket today to Reuters news agency and reporters who formed part of the team that won the prestigious Pulitzer prize last month, according to police.

The summonses nominate a date and a time at which two Reuters journalists and a Reuters company representative will be required to present themselves to police, the investigating officer, Lieutenant Somkid On-Jan of Phuket's Vichit Police Station, said today.

If there is no appropriate response, those named are liable to be arrested.

The case is being brought by the Royal Thai Navy which alleges criminal defamation and a breach of Thailand's Computer Crimes Act. Conviction carries a penalty of up to seven years' jail and a fine of 100,000 baht.

Two journalists from Phuketwan were similarly ordered to present themselves in December and have since been charged.

Both Navy actions concern a single paragraph from a Reuters special report on the Rohingya boatpeople.

The report was published by Reuters on July 17 last year. Phuketwan carried excerpts, including the 41-word paragraph, in a news report later the same day.

The Royal Thai Navy also lodged complaints about both news organisations with Phuket police on July 17.

News of the unprecedented case was made public in December when Phuketwan journalists Chutima Sidasathian and Alan Morison were ordered to appear at the Vichit Police Station.

CB

[jackspratt]

The Phuketwan reporters were indeed onto something back when they started reporting on the matter. Of course they were then unjustly brought up on charges afterwards.

Yes, it seems that in Thailand reporters can't report the news, particularly when it involves people in high positions.

As in this case, the august Royal Thai Navy - the one with a submarine base (THB540 million) but no submarines, and an aircraft carrier (TBH10 billion) which, other than a few helicopters, has no aircraft, and goes to sea once a month.

The mind boggles.

[jackspratt]

Ah! - a token arrest. No doubt to prove to the world that Thailand is taking this human smuggling business seriously. =D>

............Thai Lieutenant General Manus Kongpan is the most senior official to be charged to date in the operation. Police said they had made 51 arrests.

Mr Manus was in police custody on Wednesday after turning himself in. He was suspended on Monday when police ordered his arrest.

"He says he has no involvement, which is a denial (of charges)," Thai national police chief Somyot Poompanmuang told reporters on Wednesday.

Mr Manus is the only soldier who has been charged with offences related to human trafficking, deputy police chief Aek Angsananont said.........

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-04/t ... ay/6519956

Can anyone but the most naive, or politically blind, imagine this arrest could have happened without the prior consent of the Junta leader, and the army?

Perhaps the unfortunate general can eventually get out under Section 44.

[Laan Yaa Mo]

Of course, it is political and would be directed at those expendable souls who are thought to be disloyal (potential trouble-makers) to the current government.

[wazza]

Token sacrificial lamb.

Refused perhaps to share a % of his alleged gains perhaps.

[vlad]

Tip of the iceberg wont be long before he sings like a canary.

[Khun Paul]

Only 50 , saints preserve us, what about the other 200,000 then