Thailand's former national police chief, Somyot Pumpanmuang, has admitted borrowing 300 million baht from a brothel owner involved in the Victoria's Secret Massage case and wanted for human trafficking, among other things.
However, he did not know where the money of this brothel owner, Kampol Wirathepsuporn, came from, although he had been his friend for 20 years. Kampol is wanted for human trafficking and prostitution, including minors. He has been on the run since the arrest warrant in January.
When the army seized power in 2014, Somyo was appointed national police chief. He borrowed money from Kampol and allegedly paid it back. Somyot is now questioned about Kampol, who ran a number of large brothels (massage parlours). The brothel owner is also accused of various prostitution-related crimes.
Somyot stepped down as police chief in 2015 and is now the president of the Football Association of Thailand.
His immediate predecessor at the Football Association, Worawi Makudi, was suspended for five years from all domestic and international FIFA activities in 2016 for ethical violations, including counterfeiting.
Somyot also stated that his job as police chief was actually a 'side job' (Literally he said it on his English 'sideline'). His real passion was trading the stock market.
Before becoming a police chief, he was on the board of a gold mining company.
I could hardly believe my eyes when I read in the Bangkok Post: national police chief as a part-time job……… The fact that you can end up in the highest position in the police organization with that attitude also says something about the appointment procedure.
Cornelius,
As with Trump, the most important requirement for a high-ranking appointment in Thailand right now is loyalty (to a person, not to the law or country)
Tino,
It's not JUST like with Trump it's everywhere and with some more than others, only with some it's more "fun" than others to raise it, it just depends on who you want to read it from.
It says nothing more and nothing less than that, in fact, everyone can at least suspect, namely nepotism. The fact that you can hardly imagine such a thing testifies to a correct mentality, although, not meant negatively, also somewhat naive. The allocation of nice and well-paid jobs by the 'elite' to each other is of course not only reserved for Thailand. Also in the Netherlands, both in politics and business. A course at Nyenrode, for example, guarantees a network for the future. Management, members of the Executive Board and supervisory directors at companies who mutually appoint each other. Can also have a positive effect when there are competent people in the right place. But I have very strong reservations about this former Thai police chief. With his statement, as I read in Tino Kuis' response, that his position was actually a part-time job, he tries to play down his share. But everyone will realize that this position is very important, which requires special qualities and a full commitment of soul and salvation.
Yesterday evening I read the book Unequal Thailand (Unequal Thailand), which describes, among other things, networking: people from the business community, higher officials, etc. who are studying together. The study itself is not the most important aspect, but sitting together in a class with others who are high in the tree. The contacts you make there may come in handy later on. It does not necessarily have to be corruption, for example, a finger on the pulse can be very beneficial for a politician or senior official to come up with good legislation that benefits the country as a whole. But of course there are also favors that you can question or what is downright corrupt.
Of course, the detested job carousel is also connected to that. And someone who gets a high position because of connections and not because of knowledge, experience or passion… doesn't seem like the most ideal candidate. A cop who gets the job because of the benefits and not because he wants to improve society is not something that makes me happy.
Later in the book, the strange combination of private versus state-owned company is discussed. Including the creative constructions of the PTT (petroleum Thailand), which is largely state-owned. PTT and has daughters of her own. Sometimes PTT or a subsidiary falls under state ownership, sometimes not. Often it just depends on what is most beneficial for the management & friends. And then there are people who, for example, have a position in terms of both a controlling or parliamentary person and are also a member of the board. Often in several companies. Then there is a conflict of interest.
Certainly not a strange story here about this senior police officer. Or rather, because Prayuth had promised to eradicate all corruption and such wrong practices in the interest of the country. The strong leader who will put things in order without parliamentary or democratic fuss. Then you must have taken major steps in 3-4 years, almost an entire cabinet term. Alive the junta, Thailand is in good shape and the future looks fantastic. Stories like this will soon be a thing of the past!
In the Netherlands, the FvD calls this the party cartel, pushing nice jobs towards each other (nice in the sense of well-paid jobs). Well, that happens on a large scale in Thailand, of course. I'm not surprised. Since Prajut came to power, this has become the rule rather than the exception.
So now it appears that candidates are screened under the current regime. The only question arises: in what way.
A stock trader who borrows from a wanted criminal without knowing??!! And then police chief as a SIDE JOB (holiday job).
And now the chief of the football association, whose predecessor was fired for counterfeiting, among other things. Did that TBH 300 million Baht possibly also come from this counterfeit money.
Another juicy story.
300 million baht??? Swallow…
Now I understand that you can easily collect your retirement visa at a visa office without meeting the requirements.
I read the whole story in the news last week.
Now do you understand how I have not been so positive about the RTP Corps device for a long time .
By the way , with crooks you catch crooks .
Jan Beute
About 30 years ago I was good friends with the head of one of the so-called “golden” police stations in Bangkok. With a rank of colonel, he earned about 1 baht a month. After the necessary whiskeys he told me that he personally earned another 30,000 million Baht a month from the gray circuit, or more than 1x his normal salary. With a general, this ratio is even more skewed. Sideline? In fact, this applies to all senior officials in important positions. How else can they all be dollar multimillionaires.
Thirty years ago, petervz! Have you borrowed any money or watches from that man?
After almost four years of strong action by Prayet, applauded by many expats, corruption has now almost been eradicated and Thailand is on the way to becoming a true Thai democracy.
Those high officials are all dollar multimillionaires through inheritances and because they married rich women 🙂
555, already had a watch at the time, so borrowing was not necessary
An amount of more than 7,790,000 euros for a loan? my question is that amount of 300.mln. right?
kindly confirm this,
Regards, Pascal
The amount is correct
The amount appears to be correct. But yes, what can you do in this country for such an amount? However?
What is even more worrying: he would have already paid it back. The question then arises: where did he get that money from? From a good friend who has passed away?
Oh well, at that level people lend each other those kinds of amounts rather easily.
Or from counterfeiting at the football association?
The old police chief was heard and resigned is what I gather from the above. Apparently he was given the space to do so and no official investigation was started with adverse consequences for him. A missed opportunity because these types do not belong in a police organization and it makes you think again.
Incidentally, in my opinion it is a bad thing that at a higher managerial level “externals”, ie people who have not grown up in the police force, are appointed to these kinds of positions. Also takes place in the Netherlands. They lack an essential basis and a great sense of involvement and are often in these places for the short term. So the term side job is understandably used in this context, but very reprehensible. Police work, at all levels, requires great involvement and a sense of wanting to do justice to what is crooked. That is certainly not the case for everyone.
Yes and if you have read the telegraph of the past week, there is also a lot of messing around with our government in the Netherlands, so everything is limited anywhere in the world, but once you are at the club you just look the other way whether it is about democracy or about corruption .