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sabang

The contracts in question were awarded under the Democrat Abhisit administration, and Supoth's immediate boss, the transport minister, was BJT- ie a ruling coalition member. There has been utterly no love lost between PT and BJT the last few years for obvious reasons- so why are they trying to implicate PT in this? They would not have been part of this gravy train at all. Notice the not so subtle attempts to divert attention from the Democrats. I also notice the 'dummy' CCTV camera scandal involving the BMA has gone all quiet, and of course we hardly hear about the mystical bomb detectors or the yet to be delivered Ukrainian APC's any more. How interesting that those who directly benefited from the coup's various seem to escape the scrutiny that democratically elected administrations find themselves under, and indeed should rightfully expect.

It is bad enough that the Bangkok press shows blatant and amateurish bias, but you could at least put up with that if it performed it's role of reporting the news. When it starts muddying the waters, and obfuscating matters revolving around a high level corruption enquiry, it's role goes beyond the passive to arguably an accomplice or henchman. They really do 'watch each others backs' in Amart circles, and it is this deep seated culture of corruption that Thailand needs to change. Why do our resident 'anti-Thaksin' brigade solely focus on Thaksin's corruption? I accept he was corrupt, but he was a parvenu, an interloper who basically muscled into long standing corruption scams carved up between various Amart elements. The most lucrative honeypots, of course, revolve around procurement contracts & government departments that do a lot of purchasing, such as the Interior Ministry and Defence. BJT was 'given' (rather, negotiated) the Interior Ministry as a reward for it's treachery- you read that routinely in the Thai media at the time. The tawdry results are no more a surprise than several questionable military procurements post coup. Henchmen expect their due rewards. This particular scandal appears to revolve around the distribution of corruption monies, and I somehow doubt it will purely be an internal BJT spat, given they were the junior member of a tacked together coalition that usurped political power.

We are talking about a deep seated culture of corruption, and that culture resides within Thailand's self styled aristocracy. Parvenu's are merely tolerated, but only if they 'know their place'. Thaksin, with his characteristic arrogance, did not. As I've long said, the most positive longer term developments from the 'Thaksin effect' are likely to be in spite of, not because of, the man.

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probes Aliens

Butterfly

not a smart man for sure, he should have done like everyone else doing, open a bank account under his maid and chauffeur to pour his millions from ill received gains, even the AMLO wouldn't see anything wrong with that, after all, millionaires maids and chauffeur aren't an exception in Thailand

don't those guys ever learn from the master ?

hazz

One of the things that has bothered me about this crime is that the thieves claim to have left so much money behind. Why? unless there were logistical issues; leaving stuff behind is not something you associate with thieves.

That BMJ and PT have bad blood, would not stop an ambitious kleptocrat from having links with both groups. or more precisely the people who were likely to become his new boss when PT won the election and they would be interested getting him under their patronage.

It looks like billion that man was the bag man between the companies paying bribes on the green/purple lines and the people of influence who needed to be paid.
Perhaps he discovered the downside of being the bag man for two separate patronage networks is they both expect you to give them all they are entitled to and you have only one lot to distribute. Then who do you look after, the people who put you in your position or those than can decide wether or not you get to keep it?

Did one of his patrons from the patronage network that lost the election; lost their patience with him, when they discovered they had a way to liberate the cash they were entitled? It might explain why only some of the cash was taken.

The sad thing is that, as with all these stories, in a week or so the press will loose interest, the politicians all get their share of the loot, and billion that man is quietly retired or rehabilitated and hear nothing about ever again.

StrontiumDog

Bangkok Post : NACC officials search Supoj's house

NACC officials search Supoj's house

• Published: 29/11/2011 at 12:00 PM
• Online news:

About 10 officials from the office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) searched the house of suspended permanent secretary for transport Supoj Saplom in Soi Lat Phrao 64 on Tuesday morning, reports said.

Reporters were not allowed insides the premises.

Suspended permanent secretary for transport Supoj Saplom (Photo by Apichit Jinakul)

Mr Supoj was transferred to an active post at the Prime Minister's Office following the Nov 12 robbery of his home.

Suspects arrested for the burglary reportedly told police they took 200 million baht in cash from the house and that they had seen much more money there.

Eleven people were believed to have been involved in the robbery and police have arrested eight of them and retrieved more than 17 million baht cash.

The NACC has impound the money and launched an investigation of Mr Supoj for being unusually wealthy.

Weerasak Chualee, 36, the alleged leader of the thieves, was reported to have fled to Laos and two others were believed to be in hiding along the Thai-Burmese border.

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung told parliament last week that the cash kept at Mr Supoj's home had come from corruption involving the Purple Line and Red Line electric train projects in Bangkok and that the Nov 12 robbery was a result of a related conflict.

He said this morning that he had been informed by the chief of Region 4 Provincial Police that there might be "good news" concerning alleged gang leader Weerasak from Lao police soon.


Anti-graft officials search the house of suspended permanent secretary for transport Supoj Saplom in Bangkok on Nov 29, 2011. (Photo POST TODAY)

__________________
"Slavery is the daughter of darkness; an ignorant people is the blind instrument of its own destruction; ambition and intrigue take advantage of the credulity and inexperience of men who have no political, economic or civil knowledge. They mistake pure illusion for reality, license for freedom, treason for patriotism, vengeance for justice."-Simón Bolívar

StrontiumDog

^ Better late than never eh?

I'm sure lots of evidence will still be lying around

No reporters allowed.... interesting..... nothing to point at I guess

hazz

^I suppose they have been waiting for the all clear before raiding

Bobcock

^ as if....what a shocking allegation

hazz

^I know I should be ashamed of myself

crippen

At what point does unusually wealthy start?? 1 bill bht, 2 bill bht?

Scaramanga

... cleaning up Yingluck Shinawatra diarrhea?

Scaramanga

These guys are paid about 120,000 Baht a month max so to accumulate 1 Billion entails a vast amount of overtime or he is on the take

hazz

^civil servants only get half pay for overtime; so its even harder than you think

SteveCM

Interesting bit of legal background on "unusual wealth" - key point being that it's for the person under investigation to prove that it was obtained legitimately.


Unusual Wealth - Knowledge - Price Sanond - Lawyers in Bangkok, Thailand

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has the authority to initiate investigations into whether a person holding a political position or a state official is “unusually wealthy” under Chapter 7 of the Anti-Corruption Act, B.E. 2542, which was amended in April 2011. “Unusual wealth” essentially means wealth that is acquired improperly in connection with the exercise of government powers.

If the NACC believes that a person holding a political position or a state official under investigation (the “Subject”) is about to transfer, transform or conceal an asset relating to unusual wealth, the NACC can issue an order temporarily freezing that asset. If such an order is issued, the Subject needs to prove that the frozen asset is not related to his or her unusual wealth under investigation; otherwise, the NACC may continue to freeze the asset until the NACC determines that the accusation is groundless or a competent court renders a final judgment dismissing the case. (§ 78)

Persons holding political positions and certain senior officials are generally required to submit to the NACC a report identifying their assets and liabilities (including those of their spouse and children who have not reached the age of capacity) when they take and leave office. Some positions also require the submission of such reports every three years while the position is held. Those reports could be used by the NACC when a person holding a political position or a state official is accused of unusual wealth. (§ 75)

If the NACC concludes that the Subject is unusually wealthy, the NACC will request the Attorney-General to file a court motion for forfeiture of the person’s assets related to the unusual wealth. (§ 80) The Subject has the burden of proof to convince the court that his or her assets were obtained legitimately. (§ 81)

Apart from asset forfeiture, the NACC may conduct a parallel investigation to determine if there was any malfeasance or submission of a false assets and liabilities report by the Subject, either of which could result in criminal liability or disciplinary action.

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“.....the world will little note nor long remember what we say here....."

StrontiumDog

TAN_Network TAN News Network

NACC confiscates documents from Transport perm-sec's home; Supoj due to give testimony to police on Dec 7

StrontiumDog

^ Documents? But no piles of cash

StrontiumDog

NACC gets 'useful information' - The Nation

NACC gets 'useful information'

THE NATION November 30, 2011 12:27 pm

Anti-graft agency undertakes search of Suphoth's residence

A team from the national anti-graft agency yesterday searched the vast residence of suspended Transport permanent secretary Suphoth Sublom in connection with an investigation into possible irregularity.

Officials from the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) arrived at Suphoth's mansion in Bangkok's Wang Thonglang district at around 6.30am when they immediately began collecting pieces of evidence, said NACC assistant secretary Worawit Boonsuk.

He said the agency had obtained a search warrant from court, adding that local police were also involved in the search.

No media workers were allowed inside the compound during the search, which went on for several hours.

Suphoth's home has two detached buildings within an area of about seven rai (2.76 acres). About 10 luxury cars were parked inside the compound.

Worawit yesterday said "some useful information" was found during the search of the two buildings but he declined to discuss the matter in detail. He also said the NACC would summon Suphoth for further questioning soon.

The NACC yesterday sought to confiscate Bt18 million in cash allegedly robbed from Suphoth's home on the night of November 12, according to NACC member Preecha Lertkamolmas.

The anti-graft agency had earlier confiscated Bt15.9 million retrieved by police from the alleged robbers. Suphoth had reportedly told police that Bt5 million had been robbed in the heist. Preecha said yesterday that Suphoth would be summoned to explain about the source of his money.

Meanwhile, Tongthong Chandrangsu, who heads the Transport Ministry's fact-finding committee into Suphoth's case, said yesterday that his panel had obtained no special recommendation from Transport Minister Sukampol Suwannathat. He said the fact-finding team would summon Suphoth to defend himself against corruption allegations.

In a related development, the Senate committee on transport yesterday held an inquiry into Suphoth's case.

The panel's chairman, Senator Kecha Saksomboon, said senior police officers told the committee that all except three of the alleged robbers involved in the heist at Suphoth's home have been arrested. Police would question Suphoth again next week about the robbery.

Kecha said his panel would also summon representatives from the NACC and the Anti-Money Laundering Office, as well as Suphoth, as part of its inquiry into the alleged corruption.

Metropolitan Police commissioner Lt-General Winai Thongsong said yesterday that police had an appointment with Suphoth on December 7, when the Transport Ministry's suspended top bureaucrat was expected to explain about his money involved in the heist.

Winai said that police have confiscated Bt18 million from the alleged robbers and that the money was being kept at the Wang Thong Police Station. He added that the NACC would examine the confiscated cash with a written request.

The Metropolitan Police chief also dismissed as groundless a rumour that the alleged mastermind Virasak "Ko" Chualee, believed to be in hiding in Laos, had been arrested by Laotian police. He said Thai police were tracking down the fugitive believed to be in hiding near the Thai-Lao border.

hazz

What i admire most about thai's that partake in the crime of curruption is the great lengths they all go to avoid any ostantatious displays of unusual wealth to avoid being noticed.

ENT

The fall guys have turned themselves in with 19 million baht, or so.

The big fish have the rest of the initially reported 200<700 million < 1 billion Baht haul.

The biggest fish magically and mysteriously takes the biggest bite, ensuring crumbs for the followers who become decoys.

That big fish is sitting still somewhere.

1 billion -20mil = 980 mil Bht missing.
Or,
700 mil - 20mil = 680 mil Bht ''
Or,
200 mil - 20 mil = 180 mil Bht. ''

Tom Sawyer

Look - there can't be many except the hardliners who really believe that we'll see a "western style" democracy rise from this any time soon. But for me? I'll take the people's choice over the shrill cry of the fat chink families anytime - especially the fat chink women. Let it unravel as it's going to -- no matter what anyone wants. I hope the people rise up and take their country. It's theirs - as brown as they are.. it's theirs

__________________
My mind is not for rent to any God or Government, There's no hope for your discontent - the changes are permanent!

StrontiumDog

Bounty for fugitive in Suphoth case - The Nation

Bounty for fugitive in Suphoth case

The Nation December 1, 2011 1:00 am

A Bt200,000 bounty has been offered for the capture of the alleged ringleader, reportedly on the run in Laos, who took millions of baht during the burglary at Transport Ministry permanent secretary Suphoth Sublom's house earlier this month.

A senior commander, Police-Col Yanyong Wej-osoth, said "wanted" posters for Weerasak Chuelee, featuring the Bt200,000 bounty, had been distributed in the Tha Khaew area along the Mekong River. Six teams of Thai police working with Lao police expect to apprehend Weerasak soon.

The National Anti-corruption Commission (NACC) will today reveal details of assets found in Suphoth's home, after an inspection was completed on Tuesday, said senior NACC official Methee Krongkaew. A large number of documents, bank transaction slips and a computer were seized for inspection from Suphoth's home.

Bobcock

Not your cup of tea eh Tom?

Funny thing is they never see how fucking awful their hair looks from the back, the front is disgusting, but the back......hahahaha........

FarangRed

That was long gone

ENT

The "ringleader" of the gang is not hiding in Lao.

Fact.

ENT

The "de rigueur" hair-style of a hi-so wannabee Thai lady, ...wife of a kamnan, or a Puai Iai family or even worse, a police chief or a mayor or governor, up the Amataia scale of things, all the way to ancient lineages competing and slyly pushing for power.

Have you noticed, that viewed from behind, these ladies often exhibit a bald spot!

Ah well, face is all to some.

noelbino

That's a big house he lives in!!!!