waerth Posted August 23, 2013 Report Share Posted August 23, 2013 http://www.khaosod.co.th/en/view_newsonline.php?newsid=TVRNM056STFNRGM1TVE9PQ== Police Officers Who 'Kidnaps' Italian Engineer Under Arrest (23 August) Following complaints from an Italian expat who claimed he had been kidnapped by a group of police officers in Bangkok, the police have arrested 2 officers in connection with the crime. Previously, Mr. Danilo Devito, 40, told the police he had been stopped by 2 Thai nationals and 1 ′central Asian′ individual dressed in police uniform as he was using an ATM in Soi Nana, the areas traversed by many foreigners in Bangkok. According to Mr. Devito, the trio told him he was under arrest because he was using a fake debit card. He was then escorted to meet with 2 other senior ranking police officers who coerced him to pay 2 million baht in exchange with a release without any charge. Mr. Devito said he negotiated the payment to only 1 million baht, and he was later locked up in Sawasdee Hotel at Soi Sukhumwit 57. He said he had a chance to escape on 20 August, when the kidnappers let him contact his relatives in Italy to transfer the ransom, which he instead used the opportunity to tell them in Italian that he had been kidnapped and urged them to contact the Italian Embassy in Bangkok. The Metropolitan Police, after they had been reported by the Embassy, eventually rescued Mr. Devito. The police said they were looking for 4 police officers and 1 Uzbekistani man. Today, Pol. Maj.Gen. Parinya Chansuriya, Vice Commander of the Metropolitan Police, told the reporters that 2 of the suspects have been arrested, and the police are looking for 3 other suspects, presumed to still remain in Thailand. According to Pol.Maj.Gen. Parinya, Pol.Sen.Sgt.Maj.Sathit Chansoam and Pol.Sgt.Maj.Puripas Chuenjampa, both from Thong Lo Police Station, were the arrested suspects. However, he said, Pol.Lt. Wirat Indrayod and Pol.Lt.Akranet Muthawan, both from Lumpini Police Station, and Mr. Muhiddin Sharipov are still in hiding. The vice commander said that he had ordered the 4 police officers to be expelled, and charged all suspects with robbery and kidnapping for ransom. The 2 arrested policemen would be detained at the Criminal Court prison and the police will oppose their request for a release on bail, he said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted August 23, 2013 Report Share Posted August 23, 2013 They shouldn't mess with Danny Devito. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekong Posted August 23, 2013 Report Share Posted August 23, 2013 Somethings about this tale do not ring true. Firstly why would an expat be using an ATM on Soi Nana of an evening. Call me paranoid but I prefer to use an ATM at a branch of a bank during business hours then if there was an issue with my card I could deal with it there and then in the branch. I would never take a bank / debit / credit card out with me of an evening, not only Soi Nana but even if I was just out around my local soi, then lock my cards in my home safe before venturing out, loosing 20K THB would piss me off but loosing a debit card would piss me off more. Secondly why held at a hotel in Sukhumvit 59, the alleged offence took place in the Lumpini Police District so detention should have been at Lumpini Police Station on Wireless Road or if a visa issue at Immigration Detention Centre on Suan Phlu, not some frigging hotel in a different police district Suk 59 is Tong Lor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waerth Posted August 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2013 They took the Italian to a hotel because they were doing something fishy. Which is why the police officers were arrested and 2 more hunted down. The police themselves take this very seriously. I work with the Thai police from time to time. Just yesterday I had a discussion with a major on this issue. He gave me a one hour angry monologue how he hates these officers whom search tourists, take money from them etc. He repeated something I have already known for years. NO police officer below the rank of Captain is allowed to search you. No police men in a group of 1 or 2 or 3 is allowed to do that. There should be at least 6 or 7 present apart from the ranking officer whom should be at least a captain. You ARE allowed to refuse a search if these conditions are not met. The police man should then take you to the nearest police station where you should be searched then in the presence of a ranking officer, at least Captain rank and with 6 or 7 other policeman present (this is to prevent the situation where they plant drugs on you, they can never do that when so many are present). If the policeman refuse to take you to the station, they are either FAKE cops, or cops moonlighting and abusing their uniform. These crimes usually get committed by lower ranking police man, LT or lower. As the higher ranking ones are usually the graduates from the police academy and get send to another station every 2 years. Only a few higher ranking ones than LT are non commissioned and native to the station. All the lower ranking ones are usually at the same station for all of their lifes and the ones in the position to commit these crimes because they are the ones on street duties. Most Captains and up have totally no control (and they admit it in shame) over what their "juniors" are up to and the ins and outs of who gets protection from the station or pays money to the station. There is a certain etiquette to the corruption, strange as it may sound. And this, kidnapping and searching people on the street business is certainly against this, and the higher ups (at least the ones that I know) are usually totally against it and will hit their people hard if found out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekong Posted August 23, 2013 Report Share Posted August 23, 2013 Waerth, I do not disagree with you one bit, any expat knows that there is police corruption and for many bad eggs there are a few good eggs, we just don't talk about it in public. Now I am not a brave man, far from it, but if I was being held in hotel in a police district outside the jurastction of my alleged offence I would have made a run for it to my embassy at the first opportunity and not waited a few days, Why did the alleged defendant negotiate his fine down to 1 Millo Bant, can one not smell a rat here of course he was guilty of some crime, innocent guys don't negotiate their fine down to 25,000 Euros well not from where I come from anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boo Radley Posted August 23, 2013 Report Share Posted August 23, 2013 This recent update from today's Thai Daily News names all 5 suspects including the Uzbekistan national, along with posting up their photos. Two Police Sergeant Majors from Thonglor Police Station have already been arrested but have made only a partial confession, that while they may have appeared in the hotel's CCTV footage of the incident, they weren't actually directly involved in the kidnapping. Meanwhile, Police Major General Parinya Chansuriya, Bangkok Metropolitan Police Commissioner, stated that he's ordered all police units to be on the look out for the suspects and for their immediate arrest due to the damage they have done to the police's reputation. He's already ordered them expelled from the force due to the overwhelming evidence already available. http://www.dailynews...th/crime/228123 (23/08/13 @ 12:38pm) The Uzbekistan guy was captured this afternoon and claims he had been working as a translator for the 2 Lumphinee Police Lieutenants. One of the Lumpinee Police Lieutenants contacted the police today and says he will give himself up in 2 days time. http://www.dailynews.co.th/crime/228235 (23/08/13 @20:52 pm) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekong Posted August 23, 2013 Report Share Posted August 23, 2013 This begs the question, why were thonglor police involved in an alleged arrest in Lumpini police district. I am not denying the incident did happen, been here long enough to realise the shit that does go down but out of District Police, Uzbeki nationals and an Italian prepared to pay EUR 25,000 tea money. The more I read there are more questions than answers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waerth Posted August 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2013 A foreigner, even me whom has been here for close to 15 years, would not know the difference between a Lumpini and a Thonglor officer . I would recognize if they were metro police or crime suppression W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waerth Posted August 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2013 They were out of district, because they were out on the prowl for easy money. Stopping foreigners on the street probably and try to get money out of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekong Posted August 23, 2013 Report Share Posted August 23, 2013 But the foreigner in question was an expat not a tourist, even as a law abiding citizen (stop laughing at the back) I do know which district controls which area, The EUR 25,000 question to me is why did the Italian national agree to pay 1 Million Baht, yes there is corruption involved but the victim was not a complete innocent in my eyes. Call me a cynic but certain things about this don't ring true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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