The Corrections Department has approved the transfer of Somchai "Kamnan Poh" Khunploem from the Corrections Department hospital in Bangkok to Chon Buri prison in his home province.
Somchai "Kamnan Poh" Khunploem (Photo by Surapol Promsaka na Sakolnakorn)
Pol Col Suchart Wong-anantachai, the department chief, said he had approved the transfer at the request of Culture Minister Sonthaya Khunploem, Kamnan Poh's eldest son, and his relatives.
Somchai's transfer is allowed under the regulations because Chon Buri prison's security is of a high level, designed to detain convicts serving sentences of 30 years or more.
As for Somchai's chronic illness, Pol Col Suchart said the Chon Buri prison chief can decide to allow him to receive treatment in an emergency outside the facility, as necessary.
The department chief believed Somchai, being elderly and sick, would not try to escape.
He said he had assigned his deputy Korbkiat Kasiwat to supervise the transfer of Kamnan Poh to Chon Buri prison.
Kamnan Poh had been a fugitive for seven years before he was arrested on a warrant to serve prison terms imposed by the Supreme Court for murder and corruption in a land deal involving public land.
He was arrested on Jan 30 while on the way back to Chon Buri after treatment at Samitivej Hospital in Bangkok.
He was initially detained at Bangkok Remand Prison and later transferred to the Corrections Department hospital for emergency treatment when his illness flared up.