Army linked to people smuggling | Bangkok Post: news

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Army officers linked to Rohingya smuggling

Published: 20 Jan 2013 at 00.54
Online news: Local News

SONGKHLA - Army officers from the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) are alleged to be involved in the smuggling of Rohingya migrants into Thailand, a police investigation has found.

Army commander in chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha has confirmed the officers' involvement to the Bangkok Post Sunday.

A high ranking police source involved in the case said the investigation found the trafficking of Rohingya migrants - mostly from Myanmar's Rakhine state - to Malaysia via Songkhla had been going on for several years and was under the control of some military officers with ranks from major to colonel.

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DonAleman
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Discussion 10 : 20 Jan 2013 at 10.5610
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Ho Nit, great idea but who, who would board a ship 3/4ths under water ?
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rockderk
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Discussion 9 : 20 Jan 2013 at 10.029
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'Songkhla Governor Grisada Boonrach threatened to take disciplinary and legal action against district chiefs and other local officials found to be involved in the smuggling of Rohingya migrants into the country.' If this guy just found out about it, he should be fired. The most disturbing thing to me is the 'fishing fleet audit' reportedly under way. This is what happens: Boat captain way off shore gets a relayed message; "They're checking your area" Now what do you think the captain would do with the slaves he has on board, hmmm? Officials arrive and find no illegal workers. Fishing fleet in the clear.
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tcr
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Discussion 8 : 20 Jan 2013 at 09.488
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Hmmm....let's see. Corrupt politicians, corrupt police, corrupt government officials, corrupt army, corrupt businesses. Have I missed anything??? Amazing the general population puts up with this.
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watchdog
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Discussion 7 : 20 Jan 2013 at 09.267
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This has been going on for years, and the first step in ending this is airing these horrendous practices in public. Were seeing more things to come to light these days, and that is why the authorities have pressed so hard for laws like the Cyber-Crime Act and have tried to beef up the MICT in a futile effort of reversing the flow of information that will ultimately undermine the current status quo (red and yellow) and make Thailand a better place for all.
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rebel4ever
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Discussion 6 : 20 Jan 2013 at 09.086
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As usual, the worst what for these army smugglers can happen is a replacement...or it will be silenced over time. I have a big why! Why are corrupt police, military officers, civil servants and politicians not banned FOR LIFE from an official position like done in most democratic controlled countries? When committed a crime here, which this is, then the consequences are minimal.
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abbub
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Discussion 5 : 20 Jan 2013 at 08.555
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Again something I have been writing (and often refused) about the men in uniform.

All gangsterism, all organized crime has at the top:

corrupt officials
politicians
police
military officers
big businessmen masquerading as legitimate, upstanding citizens.

Follow the money. The real money, not the low-level foot soldier punks doing the dirty work; all expendable to help bamboozle the population into believing those at the top of the pyramid are the good guys.
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geoffo
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Discussion 4 : 20 Jan 2013 at 08.494
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The single biggest weakness of Thailand today is the lack of respect for the law. Every country has problems but strong countries( US , China, Germany etc etc ) all have one thing in common and that is a respect for and fear of the law.

Look no further than this article for proof of the lack of substance in Thai justice .

The local governor "threatens" to take disciplinary action.In most countries the suspects would already be in lock up if suspected of trafficking.
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pquinlan
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Discussion 3 : 20 Jan 2013 at 08.423
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Does anyone really believe that this stops at the level of colonel?
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pete
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Discussion 2 : 20 Jan 2013 at 06.592
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“Thailand alone does not have the capability to either transfer the Rohingya migrants to a third country or to stop them from migrating illegally through Thailand to other countries, he said”.
It would appear that with some help from the military and other ‘high ups’ they do have the capability. If these poor migrants paid for the journey, follow the money trail. Local police corruption also facilitates such vile forms of human trafficking, so if it turns out that police, military and politicians are involved one doubts there will be prosecutions, but as the world’s media is watching this one, maybe some minnows will have to take
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nitnoi
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Discussion 1 : 20 Jan 2013 at 02.271
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The army officers of Isoc has been trafficking these people for several years and its never been detected. Well done job Sir!. The central government in BKK must have been busy looking another way. Out of sight; out of mind. Thailand ALONE doesn't have capability to do this . It always needs expertises to run the country .May be some advices from some readers should be considered. Hire Non-Thais to run the country, start from the top bananas and see what happen.
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