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Thailand’s National Police Chief Takes Over Triad Kingpin Case
Thailand’s national police chief, has announced that he will lead the investigation into a criminal Triad syndicate linked to Chinese businessman and suspected crime boss Chaiyanat “Tuhao” Kornchayanant.
Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas stated that the move is in response to former politician and massage parlour tycoon Chuvit Kamolvisit’s criticism of the investigation. He claims that police have been too slow to respond.
He claimed that Mr. Chuvit continues to leak information to the public about a Chinese gang allegedly involved in the matter, as well as bribery in the immigration service. Mr. Chuvit also accused the police of dragging their feet with the investigation.
“I will closely supervise and direct the investigation to avoid misunderstandings about what Mr. Chuvit said regarding the police investigation,” Pol Gen Damrongsak said.
“I am convinced that this investigation is genuine, not staged as accused.”
Previously, Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, the deputy national police chief, was assigned to supervise the investigation, which was being handled by a police investigation team led by the Metropolitan Police Bureau commissioner, according to Pol Gen Damrongsak.
In terms of the investigation’s progress, he stated that nine key suspects, including Mr Chaiyanat, have been apprehended thus far.
He also refuted Mr. Chuvit’s claim that only six people had undergone urine drug tests on Oct. 26 when police raided the Jinling pub in Bangkok, kicking off this investigation.
He said 104 people tested positive for drugs at the scene, but only 77 were later confirmed by Thanyarak Hospital drug tests, and that 66 of them admitted to using drugs while the rest denied any wrongdoing.
According to him, one of the 77 drug suspects fled, while the rest are being prosecuted.
“Police are broadening their investigation, seizing assets associated with the gang, and tracking more suspects suspected of involvement,” he said.
Meanwhile, former politician Mr. Chuvit Kamolvisit said this week that he had finished detailing the foundation of a Chinese criminal syndicate linked to Chaiyanat “Tuhao” Kornchayanant.
He also stated that he would end his two-month investigation into the gang to “monitor the police” investigation into his findings. Saying that he has complete faith in the national police chief, Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas.
“It is good for [Pol Gen Damrongsak] to do this as his last major case before leaving office,” he wrote on Facebook.
Following a delay in the issuance of a money laundering warrant against Mr Tuhao, he said he did not trust an investigation team led by Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, the deputy national police chief, and Pol Lt Gen Thiti Saengsawang, the MPB commissioner.
Mr. Chuvit went on to say on Facebook that because there is no oral evidence to back up this accusation, Mr. Tuhao has a good chance of proving his innocence.
“If this case is resolved in an unfair manner,” he continues, “society will undoubtedly criticize Thailand’s justice system.”
Due to his concerns about the case, Mr. Chuvit also requested that the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) include him as a co-witness. He stated that because the case is international, the Attorney-General should be in charge of it.
Mr. Chuvit also stated in the post that he had not given the police any false information, and that eyewitness accounts supported his story.
“In fact, 90% of the details from my exposé were used as evidence by the police,” Mr. Chuvit claimed.
