More surprises in Ying Kai case (Updated)

The Foreign Ministry has confirmed the official passport of "Ying Kai", a woman suspected of lodging false complaints against her former employees, was issued following a request by the Prime Minister's Office.

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Tuesday update

Ying Kai's state passport 'dates from Yingluck era'

Prangthong Jitcharoenkul

Wassayos Ngamkham

The Foreign Ministry has confirmed the official passport of "Ying Kai", a woman suspected of lodging false complaints against her former employees, was issued following a request by the Prime Minister's Office.

A probe found she held an official passport when she worked under the secretary of the minister of the Prime Minister's Office under the Yingluck Shinawatra government, said Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai.

Montha Yokrattanakan, 56, known as Ying Kai, has made headlines after she was accused by her former housekeepers of lodging false theft complaints against them.

Police found Ms Montha used both regular and official passports to travel.

Mr Don said Monday the Department of Consular Affairs issued an official passport to Ms Montha upon a request by the PM's Office in 2014. The passport expired on March 22 this year.

Ms Montha worked as part of a team under Sathien Viponmaha, secretary of PM's Office Minister Santi Prompat.

Meanwhile, national police chief Chakthip Chaijinda is zeroing in on officers associated with Ms Montha.

Pol Gen Chakthip said as for reports that some officers were behind Ms Montha's claims, an investigation will be carried out, he said.

Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) commissioner Thitirat Nongharnphithak said the CIB and the Metropolitan Police Bureau are working on the case, and the outcome should be known by next week.

Yesterday, investigators examined Ms Montha's condominium to recreate the incident when Ms Praphawan and her parents allegedly stole the valuables.

Based on CCTV footage capturing Ms Praphawan's family at the condominium, the family did not have enough time to break into Ms Montha's room to steal the valuables, according to CSD deputy chief Chakrit Sawasdee.

Referring to Ms Montha's complaint that 400 baht weight in gold bars and three million baht in cash disappeared, Pol Col Chakrit said that amount of valuables was likely to weigh more than 10kg and it was unlikely the family members were able to carry the bags containing these items.

Ms Montha led the media to her condominium on Monday. She said Ms Praphawan fled the condo through the fire exit, asking why she had done so if she was innocent.

Also on Monday, three women in Chiang Mai's Mae La Noi district petitioned the Department of Special Investigation in the province to take legal action against Ms Montha.

According to the petition, sent by the assistant chief of Mae Sariang district, the women said Ms Montha persuaded them to work as maids, promising a salary of 7,000 baht and to sponsor their studies. After they took the jobs, they were denied studies and payment.

One of them returned home but Ms Montha demanded her family pay 30,000 baht, which they did for fear that she would be jailed.

Monday's story

CSD probes con-game suspect's passports

Wassayos Ngamkham

The Crime Suppression Division (CSD) is launching an investigation to find officials who helped "Ying Kai", a woman suspected of lodging false complaints against her former employees, obtain an official state passport.

CSD deputy chief Chakrit Sawasdee said Sunday the initial investigation found Montha Yokrattanakan, 56, known as Ying Kai, used both regular and official passports to travel to several countries including China, Myanmar, Laos and Japan.

Pol Col Chakrit said the CSD sent a letter to the Foreign Ministry's Department of Consular Affairs, asking who was responsible for issuing Ms Montha's official passport and which documents were submitted. Officials found to have been involved will be summoned by police, he said.

On June 21, Praphawan Jaikla, 19, and her parents, accompanied by lawyer Songkan Atchariyasap, chairman of the Network Against Acts that Destroy Kingdom, Religion and Monarchy, submitted a petition with the CSD against Ms Montha.

Ms Praphawan said that after she turned down a job Ms Montha offered in Hong Kong, Ms Montha filed a complaint with Pracha Chuen police, accusing her and her family of stealing valuables worth more than 10 million baht while they worked at Ms Montha's home in Chatuchak on March 18 last year. Ms Praphawan denied the allegation.

Other people who claimed to have experienced similar treatment also have lodged complaints with the CSD against Ms Montha.

At least five former employees have faced similar complaints from Ms Montha. One was jailed for one-and-a-half years. Ms Montha has denied fabricating complaints against former staff.

Pol Col Chakrit said the Pracha Chuen police overseeing Ms Montha's cases against her former employees would testify with CSD authorities today, adding the CSD was in the process of questioning all victims and witnesses and gathering evidence.
The probe found that of the three Pracha Chuen police investigators overseeing Ms Montha's cases, two remained at the station while another had been transferred to Tha Kham station, a source said.

The official passport is for people travelling on official state business, and police believe Ms Montha must have got hers through an influential person.

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