BANGKOK, Nov 27 – A specially-formed Royal Thai Police Office committee will scrutinise assets seized from Pol Lt Gen Pongpat Chayapan, former chief of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB).
Pol Lt Gen Prawut Thawornsiri, spokesman of the police office, said the committee would check nearly 20,000 items seized from Pol Lt Gen Pongpat and his accomplices.
Artifacts will be sent to the Fine Arts Department and carved and processed wood items will be sent to the Forest Industry Organization.
More assets are believed hidden at many locations in the country and none had been exported, the spokesman said. Investigators will check fingerprints and DNA samples with the seized assets to find out if there are more offenders linked to the case.
Tomorrow police will seek to prolong the detention of Natthapol, Sitthisak and Narong Akharapongpreecha, Sutthisak Sutthijit and Chakan Pakpoom who were charged with coercing, extortion and illegal detention in connection with crime by the gang of Pol Lt Gen Pongpat, the police spokesman said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said the case concerned individuals and that the public should not develop a negative attitude against the entire police force. He said that the police are being reformed.
Justice Minister Gen Paiboon Koomchaya said he ordered the Department of Special Investigation to check if any known oil smugglers are connected to Lt Gen Pongpat’s network.
