Justice minister thanks him for new case details
KING-OUA LAOHONG & SOMSAK SUKSAI
Justice Minister Sompong Amornwiwat yesterday paid a visit to former police commissioner Chalor Kerdthes in Bangkok Special Prison in what is seen as the latest bid to salvage the relations with Riyadh.
The visit was apparently intended to show Saudi Arabia that Thai authorities are serious about solving longstanding Saudi murder cases which have soured diplomatic ties.
Mr Sompong's 30-minute visit to Bangkok Special Prison, better known as Klong Prem jail, followed talks with the head of the Saudi Arabian diplomatic mission Nabil Ashrim in March.
The justice minister promised to solve the murders of four Saudi diplomats and the disappearance of a Saudi businessman which have strained relations between Bangkok and Riyadh for about two decades.
Pol Lt-Gen Chalor was believed to have information about the Saudi killings, thought to be related to the Saudi gems theft investigation he oversaw.
The former deputy commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau was sentenced to death by the Appeal Court for the murder of the wife of a gems dealer who was involved in the theft of Saudi royal jewellery stolen from the palace of King Faisal by Thai worker Kriengkrai Techamong in 1989.
The Criminal Court also handed down another 20-year jail term to him for embezzlement while he was supervising the investigation into the Saudi gems theft case.
Chalor recently handed over information to the acting chief of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), Thawee Sodsong.
The DSI took over the investigation into the Saudi murders during the Thaksin Shinawatra administration after police investigators made no progress.
Mr Sompong yesterday refused to reveal the details of the meeting with Chalor but said he came to thank the man for the information, which shed light on the cases.
He said Chalor's information was not relevant to the investigation, but expressed confidence that it would lead to revived relations between the two countries.
Mr Sompong, who once served as a labour minister, said he was keen on normalising the soured relations.
"As a former Thai trade and labour representative in the Middle East, I know the region wants our products and we need their oil.
"So, if I have a chance to mend the ties which have been strained for the past 18-19 years, I will not let it slip," Mr Sompong said.
A source said the information which Chalor gave to the DSI could involve witnesses in the disappearance of the Saudi businessman, Mohammad Al-Ruwaili, who went missing days after the murders of three Saudi diplomats in 1990.
The murders were believed to be related to the Saudi gems theft. According to the source, the DSI has disbursed a special budget to fund the re-investigation and solve the mystery.
The case's statute of limitations expires in 2010.
Mr Sompong said he plans to visit the Saudi charge d'affaires to update him on the cases after the Songkran holiday next week.
Chalor said yesterday he believed Mr Sompong's intervention in the cases would make Saudi Arabia appreciate the government's efforts.
Chalor said that the previous governments did not have the political will to restore ties with Riyadh.
"Some people came to me for information but they did nothing. Mr Sompong has stepped in, so I think Saudi Arabia will understand us better," he said.
He himself was ready to be a witness and would do so without conditions. Chalor led a police team to retrieve jewellery stolen in the case.
Many pieces returned to Saudi Arabia were found to be fake.
--------------
What happened
These criminal incidents led to a downgrading of diplomatic ties between Riyadh and Bangkok.
January 1989
Abdullah Al-Maliki, 35, third secretary to the Saudi embassy, was shot dead in front of his home in Soi Pipat 1 off Sathon road. A man was arrested and charged in connection with the murder, but acquitted by the Supreme Court for lack of evidence.
August 1989
Thai worker Kriangkrai Techamong who worked in the palace of Saudi king Faisal Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Saud stole jewellery items, including the "Blue Diamond" worth millions of baht and flew back to his home in Lampang. He was later arrested, charged and convicted of theft.
January 1990
Three other Saudi diplomats - Abdullah A Al-Besri, Fahad A Z Albahli, and Ahmed A Alsaif were shot, execution-style, about five minutes apart. No suspects were arrested.
February 1990
Saudi businessman Mohammed al-Ruwaili, a friend of the slain diplomats, went missing. Riyadh took Thai police to task for his disappearance, for failing to heed its warning about the security of people close to the slain Saudi diplomats.
January 2002
The Criminal Court sentenced Pol Lt Gen Chalor Kerdthes, who supervised the Saudi gems theft case, to life and eight other defendants - mostly police - to long jail terms. Chalor and the other defendants were charged with the abduction and premeditated murder of the wife of gem trader Santi Srithanakhan.
1989-2003
Investigating teams set up to solve the case but police tended to focus on the stolen jewellery and missing gems.
2004
The Thaksin Shinawatra government asked the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to take over the role of investigating the murders from the police.
2008
Justice Minister Sompong Amornwiwat met Saudi charge d'affairs Nabil Ashrim to show him the government was serious about resolving the cases. The DSI set up a panel to look into them.
Discuss
Add this link to...
Tell a friend
Bury
KING-OUA LAOHONG & SOMSAK SUKSAI
Justice Minister Sompong Amornwiwat yesterday paid a visit to former police commissioner Chalor Kerdthes in Bangkok Special Prison in what is seen as the latest bid to salvage the relations with Riyadh.
The visit was apparently intended to show Saudi Arabia that Thai authorities are serious about solving longstanding Saudi murder cases which have soured diplomatic ties.
Mr Sompong's 30-minute visit to Bangkok Special Prison, better known as Klong Prem jail, followed talks with the head of the Saudi Arabian diplomatic mission Nabil Ashrim in March.
The justice minister promised to solve the murders of four Saudi diplomats and the disappearance of a Saudi businessman which have strained relations between Bangkok and Riyadh for about two decades.
Pol Lt-Gen Chalor was believed to have information about the Saudi killings, thought to be related to the Saudi gems theft investigation he oversaw.
The former deputy commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau was sentenced to death by the Appeal Court for the murder of the wife of a gems dealer who was involved in the theft of Saudi royal jewellery stolen from the palace of King Faisal by Thai worker Kriengkrai Techamong in 1989.
The Criminal Court also handed down another 20-year jail term to him for embezzlement while he was supervising the investigation into the Saudi gems theft case.
Chalor recently handed over information to the acting chief of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), Thawee Sodsong.
The DSI took over the investigation into the Saudi murders during the Thaksin Shinawatra administration after police investigators made no progress.
Mr Sompong yesterday refused to reveal the details of the meeting with Chalor but said he came to thank the man for the information, which shed light on the cases.
He said Chalor's information was not relevant to the investigation, but expressed confidence that it would lead to revived relations between the two countries.
Mr Sompong, who once served as a labour minister, said he was keen on normalising the soured relations.
"As a former Thai trade and labour representative in the Middle East, I know the region wants our products and we need their oil.
"So, if I have a chance to mend the ties which have been strained for the past 18-19 years, I will not let it slip," Mr Sompong said.
A source said the information which Chalor gave to the DSI could involve witnesses in the disappearance of the Saudi businessman, Mohammad Al-Ruwaili, who went missing days after the murders of three Saudi diplomats in 1990.
The murders were believed to be related to the Saudi gems theft. According to the source, the DSI has disbursed a special budget to fund the re-investigation and solve the mystery.
The case's statute of limitations expires in 2010.
Mr Sompong said he plans to visit the Saudi charge d'affaires to update him on the cases after the Songkran holiday next week.
Chalor said yesterday he believed Mr Sompong's intervention in the cases would make Saudi Arabia appreciate the government's efforts.
Chalor said that the previous governments did not have the political will to restore ties with Riyadh.
"Some people came to me for information but they did nothing. Mr Sompong has stepped in, so I think Saudi Arabia will understand us better," he said.
He himself was ready to be a witness and would do so without conditions. Chalor led a police team to retrieve jewellery stolen in the case.
Many pieces returned to Saudi Arabia were found to be fake.
--------------
What happened
These criminal incidents led to a downgrading of diplomatic ties between Riyadh and Bangkok.
January 1989
Abdullah Al-Maliki, 35, third secretary to the Saudi embassy, was shot dead in front of his home in Soi Pipat 1 off Sathon road. A man was arrested and charged in connection with the murder, but acquitted by the Supreme Court for lack of evidence.
August 1989
Thai worker Kriangkrai Techamong who worked in the palace of Saudi king Faisal Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Saud stole jewellery items, including the "Blue Diamond" worth millions of baht and flew back to his home in Lampang. He was later arrested, charged and convicted of theft.
January 1990
Three other Saudi diplomats - Abdullah A Al-Besri, Fahad A Z Albahli, and Ahmed A Alsaif were shot, execution-style, about five minutes apart. No suspects were arrested.
February 1990
Saudi businessman Mohammed al-Ruwaili, a friend of the slain diplomats, went missing. Riyadh took Thai police to task for his disappearance, for failing to heed its warning about the security of people close to the slain Saudi diplomats.
January 2002
The Criminal Court sentenced Pol Lt Gen Chalor Kerdthes, who supervised the Saudi gems theft case, to life and eight other defendants - mostly police - to long jail terms. Chalor and the other defendants were charged with the abduction and premeditated murder of the wife of gem trader Santi Srithanakhan.
1989-2003
Investigating teams set up to solve the case but police tended to focus on the stolen jewellery and missing gems.
2004
The Thaksin Shinawatra government asked the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to take over the role of investigating the murders from the police.
2008
Justice Minister Sompong Amornwiwat met Saudi charge d'affairs Nabil Ashrim to show him the government was serious about resolving the cases. The DSI set up a panel to look into them.
Discuss
Add this link to...
Tell a friend
Bury
ThailandBuzz is a web application that allows you to submit an article that will be reviewed by all and will be promoted, based on popularity, to the main page
abhisit vejjajiva
anupong paojinda
ayutthaya
bangkok
bangkok governor
bank of thailand
chamlong srimuang
chart thai
chiang mai
corruption
don mueang airport
galyani vadhana
government house
narathiwat
noppadon pattama
pad
pattani
people power party
people's alliance for democracy
phuket
ppp
preah vihear temple
princess galyani vadhana
samak
samak sundaravej
somchai
somchai wongsawat
stock exchange of thailand
suvarnabhumi airport
thai airways
thai boxers
thai politics
thai society
thailand
thais
thaksin
thaksin shinawatra
tot
yala
yongyuth tiyapairat
ไทยแลนด์บัซซ์ เวอร์ชั่นภาษาไทย
Comments