PHUKET: A Phuket policeman accused of involvement in a case in which a South African tourist alleged he paid 780,000 baht to ''buy his way out'' has been exonerated, Phuketwan has learned.
Phuket Police Commander Major General Pekad Tantipong, Colonel Boonlert On-Kang and a Phuket lawyer gave testimony in a three- hour hearing before a Parliamentary sub-committee yesterday.
The inquiry was conducted by the Safety and Quality Sub-Committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Tourism, headed by Senator Thanee Thangpakdee.
Details have not been revealed but it is understood that the lawyer told the hearing that the sum paid by tourist Gabriel Sequeira was for work done on Mr Sequeira's behalf at a rate agreed by Mr Sequeira.
Mr Sequeira, accused of passing forged US dollars on a Phuket holiday with his family, later told the Johannesburg Star newspaper on arrival back in South Africa that he had paid 780,000 baht to police and a lawyer before eventually being able to leave Phuket and fly home.
Colonel Boonlert, who headed the investigation of the case, had previously said that police received no money and that 300,000 baht in bail had been refunded to the lawyer when Mr Sequeira was freed.
Colonel Boonlert had been transferred from Chalong Police Station in southern Phuket to Phuket City police headquarters pending the outcome of the investigation.
The call for a thorough explanation of the case came from the office of the Thai Ambassador in South Africa via the London office of the TAT, which oversees the region.
Colonel Boonlert denied any wrongdoing or police involvement in a shakedown. ''If Mr Sequeira paid over any money, then it must have been to his lawyers,'' the colonel told Phuketwan earlier this month.
The colonel said that no charge was pressed against Mr Sequeira on Phuket because police accepted the explanation that he had obtained the US dollar notes lawfully in South Africa without knowing that they were fakes.
Phuket Police Reject Claims of 700,000 Baht 'Tourist Scam'Phuket Police Commander Major General Pekad Tantipong, Colonel Boonlert On-Kang and a Phuket lawyer gave testimony in a three- hour hearing before a Parliamentary sub-committee yesterday.
The inquiry was conducted by the Safety and Quality Sub-Committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Tourism, headed by Senator Thanee Thangpakdee.
Details have not been revealed but it is understood that the lawyer told the hearing that the sum paid by tourist Gabriel Sequeira was for work done on Mr Sequeira's behalf at a rate agreed by Mr Sequeira.
Mr Sequeira, accused of passing forged US dollars on a Phuket holiday with his family, later told the Johannesburg Star newspaper on arrival back in South Africa that he had paid 780,000 baht to police and a lawyer before eventually being able to leave Phuket and fly home.
Colonel Boonlert, who headed the investigation of the case, had previously said that police received no money and that 300,000 baht in bail had been refunded to the lawyer when Mr Sequeira was freed.
Colonel Boonlert had been transferred from Chalong Police Station in southern Phuket to Phuket City police headquarters pending the outcome of the investigation.
The call for a thorough explanation of the case came from the office of the Thai Ambassador in South Africa via the London office of the TAT, which oversees the region.
Colonel Boonlert denied any wrongdoing or police involvement in a shakedown. ''If Mr Sequeira paid over any money, then it must have been to his lawyers,'' the colonel told Phuketwan earlier this month.
The colonel said that no charge was pressed against Mr Sequeira on Phuket because police accepted the explanation that he had obtained the US dollar notes lawfully in South Africa without knowing that they were fakes.
Latest Phuket's Police Commander says a South African tourist who has made claims of bribes spent just one night in a police cell and was never asked to surrender his passport.
Phuket Police Reject Claims of 700,000 Baht 'Tourist Scam'
Phuket Police Chief Probes Riddle of the '700,000 Baht Rip-Off'
Latest Anxious officials in London, Bangkok and Johannesburg have senior police requesting Phuket's Police Commander to make a full investigation into an alleged tourist extortion.
Phuket Police Chief Probes Riddle of the '700,000 Baht Rip-Off'
Phuket Police Accused in 700,000 Baht Holiday 'Ordeal'
Latest The South African media is reporting that a Phuket holidaymaker had to pay more than 700,000 baht to extract himself from a false claim that he had passed fake US dollar bills.
Phuket Police Accused in 700,000 Baht Holiday 'Ordeal'
Sounds good that the police was innocent, not so surprised about that....but which law firm are we talking about here ? The law firm involved should be very interested in making it completely transparent how the large sum was used on defending a guy on a "charge that never was made" and less than a day in the arrest house. .....;-) sounds like a bit of a rip off....
Posted by Bjarne on October 13, 2011 15:27