Update2: Patpong bust: 700,000 baht a month to officials in 12 agencies

31 กรกฎาคม 2557

Military mafia controlling Patpong rental space caught by military & police taking money from vendors in hotel lobby.

The so-called Patpong Bazaar is tightly controlled on rents and space, and vendors say a military mafia is behind the extortion. (Photo by Patipat Janthong)

Update #2

Police have laid extortion charges against army Maj Gen Jennarong "Seh James" Dechawan and four alleged accomplices accusing them of demanding bribes from Patpong street vendors.

Watch vendors were allegedly each forced to pay 10,000 baht per month to the suspects. Stalls selling bags and leather products were required to pay 5,000 baht each, while stalls selling miscellaneous goods had to fork out 2,000 baht each. The money, totalling 700,000 baht per month, was allegedly divided among officials working in 12 agencies.

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Update #1

A group of Patpong market vendors on Thursday defended a general accused of extorting money from them, claiming Maj Gen Jennarong Dechawan, also known as Seh James, had helped end bribes to influential locals, not taken bribes himself. They said he'd been protecting them for the past two months, which angered the established bribe takers, who set the NCPO on him.

Vendors said they were glad to pay earlier protection money. But, so many officials from various agencies - including the police - started demanding money, the amount they had to pay kept growing. They'd paid bribes of 2,000 baht to employ an alien worker. However, that figure had recently doubled to 4,000 baht. After Seh James got involved, they didn't have to pay their protection money anymore.

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CRIME

General held in Patpong bust

31/07/2014
Wassayos Ngamkham

The Crime Suppression Division (CSD) and the military detained an army general and four civilians in a sting operation yesterday for allegedly extorting money from vendors at Patpong, Bangkok's best known night entertainment strip on Silom Road.

Lt Col Burin Thongpraphai, a staff judge advocate, brought Maj Gen Jennarong Dechawan, also known as Seh James, to CSD headquarters yesterday.

The four civilians were also nabbed following complaints from vendors that the five had extorted cash from them.

The four were arrested after they allegedly received 2,000 baht in cash from a group of vendors in the lobby of the Tawanna Bangkok Hotel on Surawongse Road early yesterday in a sting operation organised by the military and local police.

Maj Gen Jennarong, 55, an expert attached to the office of the permanent secretary for defence, was among the suspects who showed up in the lobby of the hotel early yesterday, police said.

Maj Gen Jennarong's police mug shot: He denied any wrongdoing.

Maj Gen Jennarong denied the allegation.

He said he was present in the lobby to receive complaints from the vendors who asked him to help solve the extortion problem being carried out by an alleged mafia group.

The civilians were identified as Nongnuch Sitthirat, 44, Panthong Siriwan, 40, Janthima Chotekittikasem, 44, and Surat Phoomphuang, 46.

Relatives of Maj Gen Jennarong arrived at the CSD later and told police that they believe the officer was set up.

Maj Gen Jennarong was initially questioned at Bang Rak and then taken to the CSD.

CSD commander Prasopchoke said Maj Gen Jennarong and the other suspects were accused of extorting money from vendors in the Patpong area.

The arrest yesterday complied with the National Council for Peace and Order’s (NCPO's) policy to try and eradicate such problems nationwide.

Under martial law, the civilians will be detained by the CSD.

Maj Gen Jennarong will be held separately at an undisclosed military compound for a period of seven days, Pol Col Prasopchoke said.

The military then will decide if there is enough evidence to press charges, he said.

Pol Col Prasopchoke said the five would be treated fairly.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/crimes/423324/general-held-in-patpong-bust