The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has announced the indictment of three senior police officers who were unusually wealthy, with large amounts of assets which were not in line with their government salaries.

The NACC recommended that the Attorney-General ask the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases to confiscate their assets that they believe had been acquired illegally.

Mr. Niwatchai Kasem Mongkol, Secretary-General of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), announced that the NACC has resolved to indict Mr. Boonsuep Praithuan (at that time, Pol. Maj. Gen.) for being unusually wealthy when he was the Commander of the Marine Police, Marine Police Division, Central Investigation Bureau, Royal Thai Police.

Mr Boonsueb was earlier stripped of his police major general rank and royal decorations in December 2015 after being fired from the force for gross disciplinary violations. He was sentence to 6 years in prison along with disgraced former Central Investigation Bureau chief Pol Lt Gen Pongpat Chayapan and five other policemen.

The facts from the investigation found that Mr. Boonsuep Praithuan, while holding the position of Commander of the Marine Police and Commander of the Marine Police, had unusually increased assets due to illegally demanding money from several oil traders every month, depositing money into his and his spouse’s savings accounts totaling 36,770,717.76 baht

The second NACC case

Mr. Niwatchai also announced that the NACC has resolved to indict former Pol. Col. Noppadol Nilmanon, who was the deputy commander of the Drug Interception Division, Narcotics Suppression Bureau, for unusual wealth.

Pol. Col. Noppadol, allegedly deposited the reward money from drug cases by forging documents in 44 cases, having the money transferred into his own bank account, totaling 61,652,888 baht.

Mr. Niwatchai said the formenr police Col had assets that are not related to his income, totaling 10,786,000 baht, consisting of his own bank account, totaling 3,486,000 baht; 6,000,000 baht used to buy a house with land in Rim Kok Subdistrict, Mueang District, Chiang Rai Province; and 2 plots of land deposited with the lord of Tha Sai Subdistrict, Mueang District, Chiang Rai Province, totaling 1,300,000 baht.

The NACC recommended that the Attorney-General petition the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases to seize the assets he had illegally obtained. The NACC report would be sent to The Royal Thai Police to remove him from the police force within 60 days

In the third NACC case

The NACC indicted Pol. Col. Petchraporn Mongphonmuang, the former Deputy Commander of the Drug Interception Division, Narcotics Suppression Bureau, for being unusually wealthy.

The facts from the investigation showed that in 2015-2017, Pol. Col. Petchraporn, while holding the position of Deputy Commander, made several cash deposits into her bank account. Pol. Col. Petchraporn told investigators that she had collected gold from 1995-2005, totaling 120 baht, and sold it gradually between 2011-2012.

She used that money to buy 2 plots of land in Tambon San Phak Wan, Hang Dong District, Chiang Mai Province, totaling 2,200,000 baht, and paid off her debt to the bank totaling 713,200 baht.

However, from checking Pol. Col. Petchraporn’s income between 1995 and 2005, her income sufficient to 120 baht of buy gold as she claimed.

The NACC deemed Pol. Col. Petchraporn unusually wealthy and said she acquired assets illegally while performing her duties or exercising her power in her position, totaling 2,913,200 baht.

The NACC will send the investigation report to the Attorney General to file a petition with the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct, which has jurisdiction to consider and adjudicate the case, requesting that the court order that the unusually wealthy assets be forfeited to the state.

The NACC also sent an order to Central Command of the Royal Thai Police for her dismissal from the police force within 60 days in accordance with the Organic Act on the Prevention and Suppression of Corruption B.E. 2561, Section 122, Paragraph One and Paragraph Three.

Her assets are to become the property of the state in whole or in part, request the court to enforce the execution of other assets of the accused within a period of 10 years according to the Organic Act on the Prevention and Suppression of Corruption B.E. 2561, Section 125.