Chiang Rai News
Robbers Find $41Million Baht in Thai Officials Home
Somboon Riyaten, 40, reported to police in Chiang Rai, while Wanankrit Butkanha, 40, Bunseub Jomkan, 44, and Wuthichai Panthawari, 33, were arrested and some Bt16.5 million seized, police said yesterday.
Three more men have been arrested and two surrendered yesterday – including the alleged mastermind – after a gang broke into the home of the top Transport Ministry official last week and made off with millions of baht.
The money was part of more than Bt1 billion (S$41 million) that the suspects claim to have found at the home of Transport permanent secretary Supoth Sablom.
Somboon Riyaten, 40, reported to police in Chiang Rai, while Wanankrit Butkanha, 40, Bunseub Jomkan, 44, and Wuthichai Panthawari, 33, were arrested and some Bt16.5 million seized, police said yesterday.
The alleged ringleader, Chayathat Jannachai, 34, also turned himself in to police along with his mother, Chutima Janphong, who previously served as Supoth’s secretary.
Both were questioned by police, but Chayathat reportedly denied any wrongdoing. Police sources said Chayathat was angry with Supoth, who allegedly fired Chutima six months ago. They believe he plotted the burglary to expose Supoth.
Earlier, two other men were arrested with gold and cash worth almost Bt3 million. They told police they believed more than Bt1 billion – assumed to be ill-gotten – was stashed at Supoth’s mansion.
Police believe more than 10 people were involved in the crime.
They said they had been contacted by Lersak Wiriyakrasap, 51, from Kanchanaburi, about turning in Bt1.5 million in cash that he was holding on request for one of the burglars.
Pol General Panupong Singhara, a deputy police chief, said that four men had confessed to conspiring to do the robbery and that four others were still at large – Weerasak Chualee, 36, one of the suspected gang leaders, Pongsak Namwong, 35, Kamnuan Meknoi, 38, and Prapan Ruangkrua, 32.
Panupong said the gang leader had divided the stolen money up among many people in various places. Police have publicly announced that anyone keeping money for the gang to return it to police or face legal action.
Panupong said Chayatat, 33, had been the key police informant. He surrendered late yesterday.
Police found that Chayatat, who was close to Bunseub, had asked Bunseub to recruit members to take part in the crime. Bunseub contacted the gang leader to search for more men.
Panupong said police had not found any evidence implicating state officials, but did find that one of the suspects, Singthong, alias Seh Kai, was often called by gang members as Seh, denoting a military rank, even though he was not a military official.
Somboon said he was a farmer in Chiang Rai and approached by Singthong to do some work in Bangkok. He said he accepted the job, without knowing it was to rob Supoth’s house.
He only knew about the burglary when he and five others broke into Supot’s house. He said he went into the living room and saw three paper boxes in the closet with a lot of money. He took one box, which contained Bt3 million in cash, and saw two bags in a trolley, which he believed were filled with cash.
He said Weerasak, the gang leader, asked for Bt50,000 out of the Bt3 million he got from the box before they fled.
Following last week’s break-in at his Bangkok home, Supoth was transferred to an inactive post on Friday. He is now the subject of probes into his wealth by the National Anti-Corruption Commission and the Anti-Money Laundering Office.
A Transport Ministry source said the break-in at Supoth’s house was plotted by a former official upset at Supoth for transferring her to an inactive post at the Highways Department. The angry ex-official who later left the post was allegedly a close aide who knew Supoth “inside out”. The pair had conflicts later.
“Many people believe the conflict between the two made the ex-official plot the burglary to expose Supoth’s [alleged] wrongdoings. The burglars accepted to commit the crime, as they believed they would only be jailed a few years [if caught]. The burglary would link those involved with the money,” the source alleged.
Police in Wiang Kaen District of Chiang Rai Province have arrested a 50 year old man after the threatened to rape a 20 year-old woman and the proceeded to murder her 2 and half month old baby.
Police with doctors from Wiang Kaen Hospital and the Chao Luang Wiang Kaen Welfare Association were summoned to the scene of the incident to a 2-story cement house, Village No. 2, Tha Kham Subdistrict, Wiang Kaen District of Chiang Rai
On arrival they found Ms. Chanikarn, age 20, in a state of distress crying uncontrollably beside her 2 and a half month baby girl (Linlada) that was dead on the floor.
After calming Ms. Chanikarn, the child’s mother, said that at approximately 2:30 p.m she was out to collect diapers that had been dried in front of the house, while her 2 and a half month old daughter was sleep on the ground floor of the house.
She said she was suddenly approached by a Mr. Lee, about 40 years old, who lived on the opposite side of the road. He came towards her and grabbed her arm and threatened her saying if she didn’t sleeping with him he will go and kill his daughter.
Miss Chanikan refused and ran away, then Mr. Lee then walked into the house and grabbed Ms. Linlada’s leg, smashing the child’s head against the cement floor of the house. The infant died immediately.
Mr. Lee then just walked away and returned to his own home, leaving Miss Chanikan and her dead baby.
When police went to Mr. Lee’s home he immediately confessed killing the infant and was taken to Wiang Kaen Police Station for further questioning. Under caution he told police that he was sexually attracted to Miss Chanikan‘s and when her husband leave for work he took the opportunity to approach her.
He said when he saw her husband leave he crossed that road and found Miss Chanikan in the yard alone, he then threatened her to sleep with him, saying he would kill her child if she didn’t have sex with him. However when she refused he flew into a fit of rage walked into her home and murdered he baby. He said he was out of control with rage.
After killing the infant he walk across the street to his home and waited for the police to arrive. The police have charged him with premeditated murder and attempted rape. He is being held without bail at the local remand center.
Meanwhile, Miss Chanikan and her family were preparing a religious burial ceremony for the child.
Other Chiang Rai News:
Machete Wielding Man Shot an Killed by Police in Chiang Rai
https://www.chiangraitimes.com/chiangrai-news/machete-wielding-man-shot-an-killed-by-police-in-chiang-rai/
CHIANG RAI: Prime Minister Settha Thavisin has authorized the establishment of an emergency cyber center operated by the Royal Thai Police to combat transnational crimes committed by call center gangs along the Thai border in Chiang Rai province.
On July 19, Prime Minister Settha Thavisin directed the Center to combat information technology crimes. The Royal Thai Police (Royal Thai Police) will crack down on call center gangs in Myanmar, Laos, and along the border.
His directive comes as call center gangs ratchet up their scams to defraud people of their money, causing concern among Thais and jeopardizing the country’s economic and social stability.
Pol. Gen. Kittirat Panphet, Deputy Commander and Director of the Police Crime Suppression Division, Assigned Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai Pitanilabut, Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Police/Deputy Director of the Police Crime Suppression Division, has launched the operation ‘Bombing the Thieves’ Bridge’ in collaboration with the CAT Office, G., mobile phone network operators AIS DTAC TRUE NT, and local security agencies to cut the mobile phone signal and WiFi internet that criminals illegally use to deceive Thai citizens.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai stated that they will begin pressing the first action of the ‘Explosion of Thieves’ Bridge’ in Chiang Rai Province toward the thieves’ base of operations in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone.
The territory surrounding King Roman in Laos. King Roman is now a full-service entertainment destination with an airport that welcomes travelers from Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar, he explained.
According to Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai, this operation will have no influence on honest people along the Thai border, and it will only target cyber criminals.
They will also increase the arrest and prosecution of unlawful service towers, such as SIM booths, which allow gangs register SIM cards to swindle the people. Dealing with criminal organizations of foreigners and Thais who band together to deceive and damage Thais.
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) suspended more than three million SIM cards on July 16 because the holders had not verified their identities with their mobile phone operators by the deadline, in accordance with the NBTC’s measures to combat alleged fraudsters’ mule accounts.
The names of the holders of 80 million mobile phone numbers used for mobile banking transactions did not match the names associated with the mobile banking accounts.
The NBTC would require mobile phone companies to authenticate SIM card holders and the names of their mobile banking accounts. The verification procedure is expected to be completed by the end of September this year.
In addition, the NBTC and Royal Thai Police have collaborated to combat illegal telecom towers throughout the country’s borders, disconnecting signals at 465 places, altering antenna direction at 470 towers, and dismantling antennas at 179 locations.
They are certain that the move will disrupt contact center gangs and other types of technology-based crime.
Other Chiang Rai News:
Machete Wielding Man Shot an Killed by Police in Chiang Rai
https://www.chiangraitimes.com/chiangrai-news/machete-wielding-man-shot-an-killed-by-police-in-chiang-rai/
Police in Mae Chan, Chiang Rai, shot and killed a 28-year-old man who allegedly attacked a police officer with a machete. The officer was slashed in the right leg with the machete.
According to police, the culprit, known only as Mr. Toon, had been harassing local villagers in Mae Chan district, Chiang Rai, threatening them with a knife and using violet insults.
The village headman arrived on the scene to try to calm Mr. Toon, but he was shouting hysterically and taking swipes at him with the machete, so he contacted the police.
When the responding officer arrived at the site about 9 p.m., he attempted to calm the man, but he instead assaulted the officer, slashing his right leg with the machete. In self-defense, the cop had to fire his gun at Mr. Toon, striking him in the chest.
Mr. Toon and the policeman were taken to Mae Chan Hospital, where Mr. Toon died of a gunshot wound. Pol Sgt. Sutthikiat Phanomphraisakul was released from the hospital after receiving numerous stitches for his injuries.
Local police received a tip around 9.30 p.m. yesterday that a guy was causing mayhem in the village. When authorities arrived, they discovered 28-year-old Toon strolling along a public road, holding a large knife and threatening people. Mae Chan district officials attempted to contain the incident.
During a search of Mr. Toon’s home, authorities discovered methamphetamine consumption equipment. Locals told authorities that the man was addicted to Yaba (Methamphetamine) and an alcoholic.
The authorities are conducting an inquiry to determine Toon’s motivations and whether any underlying issues contributed to his violent outburst.
Other related news:
Chiang Mai Police Offer Cash Reward After Officer Killed
https://www.chiangraitimes.com/crime/chiang-mai-police-offer-reward/
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