PHUKET: Five soldiers carrying rifles were arrested by mistake on Phuket while undertaking a unique mediation technique for settling a dispute by foreigners over money, the holiday island's media were told yesterday.
The explanation of the ''misunderstanding'' came from Major General Treenachak Jindangeng, chief of Military Circle 41, who said it was ''a special case.''
Ignoring the usual mediation process through the courts or police stations, soldiers under his command allegedly acted on a request from a Ukrainian plaintiff to clear a debt problem.
The unusual process could have ended nastily.
Phuket police did not know they were dealing with the Army on an authorised mission when the five soldiers were arrested in connection with an alleged scam to extort $500,000 from a Ukranian couple.
Major General Treenachak explained the unusual nature of the operation at a media conference on Phuket yesterday, with Governor Nisit Jansomwong and senior Phuket police sitting in as observers.
The Army had merely responded to a request for help, fearing that an international criminal gang could be at work on Phuket, the major general said.
''We invited both sides to discus the issue in mediation,'' he said.
Ukranian couple Maryna Iermakova, 32, and Igor Iermakov, 37, appear to have been abducted on Phuket as part of the ''mediation'' process.
The couple were taken to a ''safe house'' in the eastern Phuket district of Paklok, where ''mediation'' took place, the major general said.
''We didn't do anything, they were talking in their language,'' the major general said.
The couple had accumulated a large debt and said they were going to pay it back: ''We don't want bad people to stay on Phuket.''
Major General Treenachak said the soldiers involved were alerted by a foreigner - later identified as Ukrainian businessman Vladinmir Efladoff - that a transnational criminal was hiding in Phuket.
Efladoff wanted the Army to investigate, under martial law, on a special-case basis because of fears the ''criminal'' might flee.
The unusual Army mediation process became a potential street shootout when Maryna Iermakova was told to go to a bank to withdraw cash while her husband had to remain with the soldiers and their friends.
She went instead to Chalong Police Station and, in her confusion about the mediation process, told officers that she and her husband had been kidnapped by armed men who were now demanding $500,000.
The police sent Mrs Iermakova back to her captors and were waiting in hiding at the bank when a convoy of cars descended to make a withdrawal soon after.
Those arrested were Prawat Eadyao, 36, Miss Oranuch Tiyapongpattana, 40, Kemtichai Pansao, 32, Bandan Innmang, 35, and Somporn Chaisit, 58. All were released on 100,000 baht bail.
Freed at the behest of the major general were soldiers Sergeant Kachepong Boonmee, 43, Sergeant Wichiern Suknoon, 42, Lance Corporal Sumit Choibamrung, 49, Ritthichai Promtongkeaw, 22, and Pisit Keawwihok, 26.
The present state of the mediation process is not clear. An investigation by the Army is thought to be underway.
The explanation of the ''misunderstanding'' came from Major General Treenachak Jindangeng, chief of Military Circle 41, who said it was ''a special case.''
Ignoring the usual mediation process through the courts or police stations, soldiers under his command allegedly acted on a request from a Ukrainian plaintiff to clear a debt problem.
The unusual process could have ended nastily.
Phuket police did not know they were dealing with the Army on an authorised mission when the five soldiers were arrested in connection with an alleged scam to extort $500,000 from a Ukranian couple.
Major General Treenachak explained the unusual nature of the operation at a media conference on Phuket yesterday, with Governor Nisit Jansomwong and senior Phuket police sitting in as observers.
The Army had merely responded to a request for help, fearing that an international criminal gang could be at work on Phuket, the major general said.
''We invited both sides to discus the issue in mediation,'' he said.
Ukranian couple Maryna Iermakova, 32, and Igor Iermakov, 37, appear to have been abducted on Phuket as part of the ''mediation'' process.
The couple were taken to a ''safe house'' in the eastern Phuket district of Paklok, where ''mediation'' took place, the major general said.
''We didn't do anything, they were talking in their language,'' the major general said.
The couple had accumulated a large debt and said they were going to pay it back: ''We don't want bad people to stay on Phuket.''
Major General Treenachak said the soldiers involved were alerted by a foreigner - later identified as Ukrainian businessman Vladinmir Efladoff - that a transnational criminal was hiding in Phuket.
Efladoff wanted the Army to investigate, under martial law, on a special-case basis because of fears the ''criminal'' might flee.
The unusual Army mediation process became a potential street shootout when Maryna Iermakova was told to go to a bank to withdraw cash while her husband had to remain with the soldiers and their friends.
She went instead to Chalong Police Station and, in her confusion about the mediation process, told officers that she and her husband had been kidnapped by armed men who were now demanding $500,000.
The police sent Mrs Iermakova back to her captors and were waiting in hiding at the bank when a convoy of cars descended to make a withdrawal soon after.
Those arrested were Prawat Eadyao, 36, Miss Oranuch Tiyapongpattana, 40, Kemtichai Pansao, 32, Bandan Innmang, 35, and Somporn Chaisit, 58. All were released on 100,000 baht bail.
Freed at the behest of the major general were soldiers Sergeant Kachepong Boonmee, 43, Sergeant Wichiern Suknoon, 42, Lance Corporal Sumit Choibamrung, 49, Ritthichai Promtongkeaw, 22, and Pisit Keawwihok, 26.
The present state of the mediation process is not clear. An investigation by the Army is thought to be underway.
If this had happened in my country the readers of the news would jump to the conclusion that a huge corruption case has surfaced, as this can happen in central and south America, where sometimes gangs and army overlap.
Posted by Ms Barroso on December 21, 2014 09:49
Editor Comment:
Thank goodness it couldn't happen here.