The Royal Thai Police have ordered an investigation into police processes in Pattani after the alleged ringleader of an oil smuggling operation in the southern region was released despite having a jail sentence to serve.
Sahachai Jiansermsin, or "Joe Pattani", was arrested in the Huai Khwang area on Nov 5 after the Songkhla Provincial Court approved a warrant for his arrest in February for conspiring to launder money.
The 53-year-old wasn't held in detention and police no longer know of his whereabouts after they searched his house two days after his arrest.
Besides the warrant issued by the Songkhla Provincial Court, Sahachai was also wanted on a warrant from of Pattani Provincial Court over a charge of falsifying official documents in 2014, which sentenced him to one year and nine months in prison.
But after he was sent to the prosecutors on that occasion, Sahachai was not taken to the Pattani Provincial Court as legal procedures could not continue because a record of his warrant could not be found in the system. Somehow, during this process, Sahachai managed to escape.
In light of this, national police chief Suwat Jangyodsuk yesterday instructed Provincial Police Region 9 (PPR9) to scrutinise what happened and report back within three days.
Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej, commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, said police contacted the Pattani Provincial Court to recheck for the warrant but nothing was found. Therefore, Sahachai was sent to the Songkhla Provincial Court on Nov 5, Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop said.
It was found that the Appeal Court Region 9 had upheld the court's decision and issued the warrant against him on May 26, 2015, and sent the arrest warrant to Pattani Provincial Police and Ban Laem Police.
After the warrant was discovered, Crime Suppression Division police were sent to Sahachai's house on Nov 7, but he was not found.
Police now believe he might have left the country, Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop said. "I'm not sure what caused the mistake in the police and court system," he said.