Ex-princess's parents detained after confessing

Ex-princess's parents detained after confessing

Bail denied for lese majeste charges

Apiruj Suwadee, right, and his wife Wanthanee, the parents of Thanpyuing Srirasm Suwadee, are brought to the Criminal Court in Bangkok on Friday as police seek approval for their detention there. (Photo by Apichart Jinakul)
Apiruj Suwadee, right, and his wife Wanthanee, the parents of Thanpyuing Srirasm Suwadee, are brought to the Criminal Court in Bangkok on Friday as police seek approval for their detention there. (Photo by Apichart Jinakul)

Police jailed the parents of Thanpuying Srirasm Suwadee on Friday after they confessed to charges of lese majeste and arranging false statements to put a woman in prison more than a decade ago.

Apiruj Suwadee, 72, and Wanthanee Suwadee, 66, reported to the Crime Suppression Division and made a confession, police said. They met Pol Maj Gen Thitirat Nonghanpitak, acting commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, and Pol Col Akradet Pimolsri, acting commander of the CSD.

Pol Col Akradej said police summoned the couple on Friday after finishing their investigation report. Police took them to the public prosecutors who successfully opposed their release on bail, as the case concerns the royal institution.

Pol Maj Gen Thitirat said that the couple confessed voluntarily and was not forced to do so. Pol Col Akradej said that the couple confessed because police presented them with strong evidence.

Mrs Wanthanee said that she confessed everything and had not meant the things she said to get her in legal trouble. She insisted that she continued to respect the royal institution and was grateful for its mercy and support for her daughter, the former princess, and her family.

Mr Apiruj said he was already aware that he had acted negligently and past news reports about him damaged the royal institution.

Early in February Mr Apiruj and Mrs Wanthanee denied they had others make false statements which resulted in the imprisonment of Sawita Maneechan, 32, in December 2003.

Ms Sawita, a native of Wat Phleng district in Ratchaburi province, earlier told police that in 2003, when she was 20, her grandfather came to know Mr Apiruj. She said Ms Wanthanee accused her of having an affair with her husband.

Ms Sawita denied the accusation, saying it arose from personal differences with Ms Wanthanee.

She claimed the couple used their influence to force her uncle, who was a police officer, to file a complaint against her with Ratchaburi police on fraud charges relating to money she had allegedly borrowed from him.

She had to admit to the offence, even though she was innocent, out of fear of threats by the couple, she said.

After the case was tried in the Ratchaburi court on in December 2003, she was sentenced to two years in jail, she said. The sentence was commuted to one year and six months.

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