PHUKET: Three businessmen named in the crime-busting Phuket Target 11 list went to police today to begin legal suits against the Department of Special Investigation.
One of the men says he runs a tour-counter business that has an office at Phuket International Airport next door to the newly-opened Crime Crisis Centre.
All three men say they are innocent of any allegations connecting them to Phuket ''mafia.''
The men, all linked to tour-counter operations, question the DSI action in naming them publicly without first presenting evidence.
Thammawat Wongjalernyot and Siwa Singyong went to Phuket City Police Station today to launch their legal action while San Jalernjid was reported to be taking similar steps in Bangkok.
Their names, plus the names of Patong Mayor Pian Keesin and his son Prab Keesin, were contained in a hand-written list of 11 individuals and taxi or tuk-tuk groups presented to the media yesterday.
DSI Chief Major General Tharit Pengprasert was launching a campaign to end scams, rip-offs and extortion against tourists on Phuket.
If successful, the campaign will be extended to other tourist destinations in Thailand, including Pattaya and Chinag Mai.
Khun Thammawat said he ran a tour counter operation at Phuket International Airport for 10 years until June when the contract with AoT was ended for reasons that had never been explained.
He also ran a photo-taking operation for visa applications at the airport.
''We've never had any problems,'' he said, ''until the conflict with the AoT.
''I wonder how come the DSI said I am on the Phuket Target 11 list? Where is the evidence?
''Who gave them the information that they acted upon? Did they investigate the person who gave them the information?
''How does the DSI know the person who gave them the information is not part of the 'mafia'? If this allegation is not true, the DSI will have to admit publicly that they got it wrong.''
Khun Siwa said his tour-counter operation at Phuket airport was next to the Crime Crisis Centre, which opened just yesterday.
''I heard about my name being on the list from the media,'' he said today. ''I was shocked. Where is the evidence? This has damaged our business.''
Last night, Prab Keesin said the DSI needed to define whether the ''mafia'' were the people who paid graft or the people who took the money.
He appeared to be challenging the DSI to look at the 14 government organisations commonly believed to take bribes from Patong businesses.
Patong Mayor Pian Keesin has yet to make a public comment about being named in the Phuket Target 11 list.
One of the men says he runs a tour-counter business that has an office at Phuket International Airport next door to the newly-opened Crime Crisis Centre.
All three men say they are innocent of any allegations connecting them to Phuket ''mafia.''
The men, all linked to tour-counter operations, question the DSI action in naming them publicly without first presenting evidence.
Thammawat Wongjalernyot and Siwa Singyong went to Phuket City Police Station today to launch their legal action while San Jalernjid was reported to be taking similar steps in Bangkok.
Their names, plus the names of Patong Mayor Pian Keesin and his son Prab Keesin, were contained in a hand-written list of 11 individuals and taxi or tuk-tuk groups presented to the media yesterday.
DSI Chief Major General Tharit Pengprasert was launching a campaign to end scams, rip-offs and extortion against tourists on Phuket.
If successful, the campaign will be extended to other tourist destinations in Thailand, including Pattaya and Chinag Mai.
Khun Thammawat said he ran a tour counter operation at Phuket International Airport for 10 years until June when the contract with AoT was ended for reasons that had never been explained.
He also ran a photo-taking operation for visa applications at the airport.
''We've never had any problems,'' he said, ''until the conflict with the AoT.
''I wonder how come the DSI said I am on the Phuket Target 11 list? Where is the evidence?
''Who gave them the information that they acted upon? Did they investigate the person who gave them the information?
''How does the DSI know the person who gave them the information is not part of the 'mafia'? If this allegation is not true, the DSI will have to admit publicly that they got it wrong.''
Khun Siwa said his tour-counter operation at Phuket airport was next to the Crime Crisis Centre, which opened just yesterday.
''I heard about my name being on the list from the media,'' he said today. ''I was shocked. Where is the evidence? This has damaged our business.''
Last night, Prab Keesin said the DSI needed to define whether the ''mafia'' were the people who paid graft or the people who took the money.
He appeared to be challenging the DSI to look at the 14 government organisations commonly believed to take bribes from Patong businesses.
Patong Mayor Pian Keesin has yet to make a public comment about being named in the Phuket Target 11 list.
Please keep on going Ed, we are many who have a great interest in following the topic of DSI's activities.
Posted by Sherlock on August 10, 2013 13:08