TARIT Pengdit, former head of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), has been dismissed from state service for being unusually rich – and there is no way he can appeal against his punishment, senior government officials said yesterday.

The prime minister’s secretary-general Vilas Arunsri said yesterday he issued an order to dismiss Tarit on April 3 at the suggestion of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), which found former DSI chief had acted corruptly.

The NACC had informed the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, as Tarit’s direct supervising agency, that he was found to be “unusually wealthy”, after amassing assets of Bt346.6 million without proper explanation while serving as DSI director-general, Vilas said.

Vilas noted that Tarit had been moved through an order of the National Council for Peace and Order from the DSI to the Prime Minister’s Office, which is part of the PM’s Secretariat, on May 24, 2014.

Tarit was later appointed as an adviser attached to the PM’s Office on June 27, 2014. So, Vilas said, it was his authority as the PM’s secretary-general to decide whether to follow the NACC suggestion.

Cannot appeal, Wissanu says

Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said Tarit could not appeal against the move by the PM’s Secretariat as the disciplinary punishment was carried out in compliance with an NACC order, which is regarded as final.

If a dismissal comes from disciplinary action, the sacked official may appeal |to the Civil Service Commission’s |Merit System Protection Board, he explained.

Tarit told The Nation yesterday that he would fight his dismissal in line with the justice process, but said he did not want to discuss the matter further.

“I have learnt about the news, but I don’t want to give an interview now. What I can say is that I will fight this through the justice system,” he said.

Vilas explained in a statement yesterday that Tarit’s dismissal came after the PM’s Secretariat discussed the case with the NACC, the Civil Service Commission and the Council of State.

He said the three agencies affirmed that his office had authority to dismiss Tarit from government service.

The statement said Tarit had been found to have amassed unusual wealth while serving as head of the DSI, so the PM’s Secretariat was required by Article 80 (4) of the 1999 Corruption Prevention and Suppression Act to dismiss him from state service.

Meanwhile, the NACC also found that Tarit had transferred Bt100 million of his assets to close associates.

That information was disclosed |by NACC commissioner Preecha Lertkamolmart on Sunday following an investigation into the former DSI chief’s wealth.

Last month, the anti-graft agency voted unanimously to endorse the finding that Tarit had unlawfully amassed assets worth Bt346.6 million. It then froze Bt90 million of his assets.

Preecha said the agency would conduct a further investigation into the matter. If the former DSI chief could provide documents supporting the legitimacy of his assets, they would be returned to him, he said.

The daughter, who is now 19, was a minor at the time she was victimised.

The trouble began after she tried ‘yaba’ – methamphetamine – at the encouragement of another woman, who had rescued her from the threat of a physical assault. Her drug-taking was recorded and used to blackmail her, her mother said.

“She was told if she did not agree to sell her body to senior officials, she would be prosecuted for drug offences,” said the mother, who asked to remain anonymous to protect her daughter’s identity.

Seeking justice for her daughter, she found out that several other girls had fallen into the same trap. She claimed that a procurement gang sends members to bully a target and threaten to attack her, then assigns another member to act as a saviour. When the targeted female trusts the fake saviour, she exposes herself to blackmail.

Although these crimes have been taking place for years, the story, which seems at times like a sordid movie plot, is only now starting to be exposed to the public in Mae Hong Son.

The 43-year-old mother, who was formerly an informant for anti-narcotics police, has now sought protection from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security in Bangkok out of concerns for her safety.

“After I lodged complaints with the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division [ATPD], I noticed that someone had followed me and tapped my phone,” she said.

The mother then decided to speak to media in the hope they would be able to help bring attention to her daughter’s case and ensure the delivery of justice.

Boonyarit Nippawanich, chair of the Deputy District Chief Federations of Thailand, asked the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) yesterday to take over the case from police.

“Damaged parties are now worried that they may not get justice given that the accused include a policeman and several senior government officials,” he said. Boonyarit is also the deputy district chief of Mae Sariang in Mae Hong Son.

Word has also spread that the suspects have raised a large amount of money, which is meant to influence authorities to dismiss the case.

Deputy police spokesman Pol Colonel Krissana Pattanacharoen said any policeman who violated the law would not be spared.

An anonymous source said the ATPD team would go to Mae Hong Son soon with warrants to arrest many suspects.

Deputy National Police Commissioner Pol General Srivara Ransibrahmanakul confirmed that police were in the process of seeking an arrest warrant for one suspect and of gathering evidence to seek arrest warrants for other alleged accomplices too.

The source said it was very likely that Assoc Prof Sawat Saengbangpla, who previously chaired the CU Savings Cooperative and allegedly lured more than 100 victims into investing in a scam, had put his assets in the name of others.

According to the source, Sawat does not live with his legally-married wife and their child.

Several lecturers were victims in an alleged scam by Sawat, police have said.

“There are more than 160 victims with estimated damages of over Bt1.4 billion,” Crime Suppression Division commander Pol Maj General Suthin Sappuang said yesterday.

“One of the victims has lost as much as Bt70 million,” he added.

Sawat is now on the run.

“We will try to get him,” Suthin said, adding that police were also in the process of gathering further evidence to determine whether Sawat had any accomplices.

Meanwhile, Justice Ministry permanent secretary Charnchao Chaiyanukij yesterday ordered the Department of Special Investigation to analyse pyramid schemes over the past decade and come up with measures to educate the public about such frauds.

“We have to raise people’s immunity against such scams,” he said.

Charnchao also urged people to study investment options well before putting money into any schemes.

“Following an announcement by the Ministry of Commerce, committee members came to Phuket to ‘inspect’ local durians in Kamala,” said Kamala subdistrict chief Kamnan Yuttasak Yayee.

“Each tree produces fruits with their own unique taste, which are delicious and fragrant,” he observed.

Officials now plan to enhance the quality benchmark of durian to the same standard as Phuket pineapples and pearls.

They also intend to classify Phuket durian as a Geographical Indication (GI) product – items that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.

The annual yield of the fruit is about 4-5 tonnes, mostly between May and June.

“The upgrade will enhance the value of the fruit and help locals generate more income” said Yuttasak.

He added that officers from the Department of Intellectual Property would help accelerate the process of registering durian as a GI product.

“There are more than 160 victims with estimated damages of over Bt1.4 billion,” Crime Suppression Division commander Pol Maj General Suthin Sappuang said yesterday.

“One of the victims has lost as much as Bt70 million.”

Assoc Prof Sawat Saengbangpla, who previously chaired the CU Savings Cooperative, has claimed he established a lottery cooperative and invited several CU lecturers to invest.

But Sawat is now on the run.

“We will try to get him,” Suthin said, adding that police were also in the process of gathering further evidence to determine whether Sawat had any accomplices.

Meanwhile, Justice Ministry permanent secretary Charnchao Chaiyanukij yesterday ordered the Department of Special Investigation to analyse pyramid schemes over the past decade and come up with measures to educate the public about such frauds.

“We have to raise people’s immunity against such scams,” he said.

Charnchao also urged people to study investment options well before putting money into any schemes.