LM case: Army enters the investigation (Updated)

Latest: The army has launched a probe into reports a major general and a colonel are involved in a high-profile lese majeste case now before police, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said Wednesday.

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Thursday update

LM case: Army enters the investigation

The army has launched a probe into reports a major general and a colonel are involved in a high-profile lese majeste case now before police, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said Wednesday.

"The investigation is under way," Gen Prayut said briefly, adding further questions should be directed to army commander Gen Theerachai Nakvanich.

The officers were reportedly implicated by Suriyan Sucharitpolwong, a well-known fortune-teller known as Mor Yong, a key suspect in a network accused of making false claims involving the monarchy to solicit money from business operators.

An army source said one of the military suspects was a senior officer attached to the Army Secretary Office.

He said the army was looking for solid proof to substantiate the allegations, though the probe was making progress.

A police source said an investigation had found the army colonel implicated in the lese majeste case has fled over the border to Myanmar's Myawaddy township, opposite Tak's Mae Sot district.

Before leaving the country, he withdrew 20 million baht from a bank and transferred the money to a woman in Chiang Mai.

The source said the money is believed to have been solicited from a private company which the key suspects in the case claimed would produce 100,000 T-shirts for distribution in the upcoming "Bike for Dad" event.

The price of the T-shirts was quoted at 280 baht apiece, while the estimated cost was half that. The officers were said to have cited the monarchy to seek support from various business operators.

As for former national police spokesman, Pol Gen Prawut Thavornsiri, his resignation request has been received, but this morning his twitter account (@Dr_Prawut) is active again and he is retweeting announcements from the traffic police.

Wednesday update 2

National police chief Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda has just told the media that former national police spokesman Pol Gen Prawut Thavornsiri has submitted his resignation from the police force since October 29. Because Pol Gen Prawut is a senior officer, the resignation will only become official when approved by His Majesty the King.

According to our online reporters, Pol Gen Chakthip  insisted Pol Gen Prawut had been intent on stepping down (before the LM scandal broke, other media sources say), and had wanted to take advantage of an early retirement programme.

Post Today reports that Pol Gen Prawut has also ended his involvement in the organisation of the December 11 'Bike for Dad' cycling event in honour of His Majesty the King.

Wednesday update

Former national police spokesman Pol Gen Prawut Thavornsiri failed to turn up to work for a second day Tuesday after reporting by telephone that he had returned from his European holiday on Sunday.

But the big news yesterday concerned the lese-majesty case that may or may not involve Pol Gen Prawut.

According to Pol Lt Gen Srivara Ransibrahmanakul, acting deputy national police chief in charge of the investigation, Police believe between 40 and 50 military major generals and colonels could be involved in the high-profile lese-majesty case

The military officials were mentioned in a police file on the case but the armed forces have not lodged a complaint with police about the suspects, Pol Lt Gen Srivara said, so there is not enough solid evidence to seek arrest warrants for any of them.

Monday's story

Prawut fails to turn up for work after overseas trip

Post Reporters

Former national police spokesman Pol Gen Prawut Thavornsiri has returned from an overseas trip but he failed to show up for work Monday.

National police chief Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda said Pol Gen Prawut already phoned him to give notice of his return and he has not resigned from the police service as reported by some media.

Pol Gen Prawut took leave, went on a leisure trip to Europe between Oct 25 and Sunday and was supposed to return to work Monday but he did not show up at his office, where many reporters were waiting.

Pol Gen Prawut was last week removed from his post as police spokesman amid suspicion that his removal was linked with a major new lese-majeste case in which three suspects – Pol Maj Prakrom Warunprapa, Suriyan Sucharitpolwong, a well-known fortune-teller, also known as Mor Yong, and his close aide Jirawong Watthanathewasilp – were arrested. Pol Maj Prakrom was later pronounced dead after he was found hanging in a military jail. Authorities said he had committed suicide.

Pol Gen Chakthip said that investigators have yet to determine whether Pol Gen Prawut is involved in the lese-majeste case. His removal was normal procedure to put the right man in the right job.

The police chief said Pol Gen Prawut did not say anything about resigning.

However, Pol Gen Chakthip said if Pol Gen Prawut fails to return to work after more than 15 days, under regulations, he would be fired.

Pol Gen Chakthip said it is up to the investigators handling the case if they will ask Pol Gen Prawut in for questioning. Pol Gen Prawut was found to have appeared in several photos with the suspects, particularly those taken during the "Bike for Mom" event in August.

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