PHUKET: An investigator from the office of the Inspector General of the Thai Royal Police was due on Phuket today as a top-level probe continued into allegations that a tourist was made to pay more than 700,000 baht to lawyers and police on Phuket.
However, claims that Phuket police were involved in any scam were rejected today by Phuket Police Commander Major General Pekad Tantipong.
A well-regarded officer from Chalong, Colonel Boonlert On-Kang, has already been transferred to a desk job at Phuket Police Headquarters in Phuket City, Phuketwan has learned.
Colonel Boonlert was in charge of the case involving South African tourist Gabriel Sequeira, who has told the media in Johannesburg that he was falsely accused of passing fake US dollars on a Phuket holiday last month. ''Basically I had to buy my way out,'' he said.
Mr Sequeira said that he had to surrender his passport to police and was only able to regain the document and fly out once the money had been paid last week, according to a report published in South Africa.
Major General Pekad said today that a check of records at Chalong Police Station revealed that Mr Sequeira was held in a cell for just one night and released the following day, September 3, on 300,000 baht bail. The money was later repaid to Mr Sequeira's lawyer, Major General Pekad said.
At no time was Mr Sequeira's passport surrendered, Major General Pekad said. Immigration officials at the airport would have held him if he had attempted to leave before the case was settled, Major General Pekad said.
A check showed three occasions on which Mr Sequeira converted US dollars to baht at Phuket banks - for $400, $1000 and $1050.
All the $100 notes in the second transaction were fakes, Major General Pekad said, along with some notes in the third transaction. In the man's hotel room, Major General Pekad said, police found another $1480 in fake notes.
Police opted not pursue any charges against Mr Sequeira because they believed he had been supplied with the fake notes from a legitimate source in South Africa and was an innocent party. ''The money that Mr Sequeira says was paid to police appears to have all gone to his lawyer,'' Major General Pekad said.
The lawyer has been interviewed and told poice that he and his associates were paid for their time and the work they put in on the case.
Major General Pekad said all police cells on Phuket had been improved in recent years and were of a sufficiently good standard for holding prisoners for a maximum of 48 hours.
Because of the likely effect of the reports of the case on Phuket and Thailand tourism in South Africa, senior Tourism Authority of Thailand officials have called for a full investigation.
Major General Pekad said the Phuket investigation would be complete and the report would be sent to Bangkok authorities within three days.
However, claims that Phuket police were involved in any scam were rejected today by Phuket Police Commander Major General Pekad Tantipong.
A well-regarded officer from Chalong, Colonel Boonlert On-Kang, has already been transferred to a desk job at Phuket Police Headquarters in Phuket City, Phuketwan has learned.
Colonel Boonlert was in charge of the case involving South African tourist Gabriel Sequeira, who has told the media in Johannesburg that he was falsely accused of passing fake US dollars on a Phuket holiday last month. ''Basically I had to buy my way out,'' he said.
Mr Sequeira said that he had to surrender his passport to police and was only able to regain the document and fly out once the money had been paid last week, according to a report published in South Africa.
Major General Pekad said today that a check of records at Chalong Police Station revealed that Mr Sequeira was held in a cell for just one night and released the following day, September 3, on 300,000 baht bail. The money was later repaid to Mr Sequeira's lawyer, Major General Pekad said.
At no time was Mr Sequeira's passport surrendered, Major General Pekad said. Immigration officials at the airport would have held him if he had attempted to leave before the case was settled, Major General Pekad said.
A check showed three occasions on which Mr Sequeira converted US dollars to baht at Phuket banks - for $400, $1000 and $1050.
All the $100 notes in the second transaction were fakes, Major General Pekad said, along with some notes in the third transaction. In the man's hotel room, Major General Pekad said, police found another $1480 in fake notes.
Police opted not pursue any charges against Mr Sequeira because they believed he had been supplied with the fake notes from a legitimate source in South Africa and was an innocent party. ''The money that Mr Sequeira says was paid to police appears to have all gone to his lawyer,'' Major General Pekad said.
The lawyer has been interviewed and told poice that he and his associates were paid for their time and the work they put in on the case.
Major General Pekad said all police cells on Phuket had been improved in recent years and were of a sufficiently good standard for holding prisoners for a maximum of 48 hours.
Because of the likely effect of the reports of the case on Phuket and Thailand tourism in South Africa, senior Tourism Authority of Thailand officials have called for a full investigation.
Major General Pekad said the Phuket investigation would be complete and the report would be sent to Bangkok authorities within three days.
Wow. Fake notes they were. Being a third party ain't too bad.
Posted by Lena on October 4, 2011 16:43