The police inquiry into the assassination attempt on media mogul Sondhi Limthongkul was delayed because insiders had revealed secret details, deputy national police chief General Thanee Somboonsap said yesterday.
"This case could have been wrapped up sooner but has been slow because some police do not have the spirit of being law enforcers. Some act as whistleblowers and leak secrets. Some are afraid to work after being threatened. So we ended up having few investigators working on the case," Thanee said.
Police had launched a manhunt for two suspected gunmen involved in the attempted hit, amid fears the two might be targeted for killing themselves to ensure they keep silent on the person or persons behind the case, Thanee said.
"The two should report themselves to police because their lives might be in danger," he said.
A court approved arrest warrants on Tuesday for Pol Cpl Worawut Mungsanti and Master Sergeant first class Panya Srihaera.
The two are wanted on charges of premeditated attempted murder and possessing guns in public places without permission.
If police can arrest the two, they could issue more arrest warrants for those involved, Thanee said, adding that police believed the suspects were still in the country.
Worawut is a police officer assigned to the Narcotics Suppression Bureau who was seconded to work at the Department of Special Investigation.
Panya is a non-commissioned Army officer from the Special Warfare Command in Lop Buri.
The charges relate to the bid to kill Sondhi, co-leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy and founder of ASTV, early on April 17.
The Army has not commented on Panya's whereabouts. The police anti-drug unit said
Worawut was absent from work for 14 days. He faces a mandatory disciplinary probe with the threat of a dishonourable discharge, if he fails to report for work today.
Thanee said police did not think Rassami Mekchai, who was found to own the dark-purple pick-up suspected to be used in the attack, was involved in the shooting.
Police are also searching for a Mazda pick-up the assailants used to follow Sondhi's car from his home. They had found there were 800 of this model in the country and links to five of these were still being probed.
Police had yet to find guns used in the attack but said this was not a worry as they had other circumstantial evidence and witnesses that make the case solid.
Thanee said this case was actually the responsibility of the Metropolitan Police Bureau and deputy Bangkok Police Chief as chief investigator but he had had to handle it to make progress. He has not been intimidated or threatened, as he knew how to carry himself.
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban praised police for making progress on a case that was tough.
Asked if he thought police would be able to link high-ranking military officials or police that might be involved in the attack, Suthep said the case was the work of individuals not an institution. He said the fact the two suspects were a soldier and a police officer didn't mean both institutions were involved.
New Politics Party secretary-general Suriyasai Katasila called on the government not to isolate the police team working on the case, saying it must draw a clear line between not interfering and leaving them isolated.
Thanee's team had taken the right path in finding the culprits in the attack of Sondhi, who also believed his attackers were men in uniform, Suriyasai said.
"What we worry about is whether the government will support this police team and make sure that this is not a phoney fight, especially when Thanee has revealed that some investigators let out secrets and there have been high-powered groups trying to intimidate investigators," he said.
"Although Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan have vowed this case is not a phoney fight, we have to see if they give cooperation and support to police. Just before police went to arrest the gunmen, informants leaked the news to the media about the arrest warrants, causing the suspects to become aware and able to escape,"
Suriyasai said.
He said the PM always reiterated about the rule of law and moral principles, so Sondhi's case would be test whether the PM acted as he preached. "By letting Thanee's team be intimidated and threatened, the PM is blurring the line between not interfering and leaving them isolated,'' he said.
Matubhum Party spokesman Muk Sulaiman questioned the timing of the police news on the case, saying news broke just when the government faced adverse publicity about swine flu and the foreign minister.
"This case could have been wrapped up sooner but has been slow because some police do not have the spirit of being law enforcers. Some act as whistleblowers and leak secrets. Some are afraid to work after being threatened. So we ended up having few investigators working on the case," Thanee said.
Police had launched a manhunt for two suspected gunmen involved in the attempted hit, amid fears the two might be targeted for killing themselves to ensure they keep silent on the person or persons behind the case, Thanee said.
"The two should report themselves to police because their lives might be in danger," he said.
A court approved arrest warrants on Tuesday for Pol Cpl Worawut Mungsanti and Master Sergeant first class Panya Srihaera.
The two are wanted on charges of premeditated attempted murder and possessing guns in public places without permission.
If police can arrest the two, they could issue more arrest warrants for those involved, Thanee said, adding that police believed the suspects were still in the country.
Worawut is a police officer assigned to the Narcotics Suppression Bureau who was seconded to work at the Department of Special Investigation.
Panya is a non-commissioned Army officer from the Special Warfare Command in Lop Buri.
The charges relate to the bid to kill Sondhi, co-leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy and founder of ASTV, early on April 17.
The Army has not commented on Panya's whereabouts. The police anti-drug unit said
Worawut was absent from work for 14 days. He faces a mandatory disciplinary probe with the threat of a dishonourable discharge, if he fails to report for work today.
Thanee said police did not think Rassami Mekchai, who was found to own the dark-purple pick-up suspected to be used in the attack, was involved in the shooting.
Police are also searching for a Mazda pick-up the assailants used to follow Sondhi's car from his home. They had found there were 800 of this model in the country and links to five of these were still being probed.
Police had yet to find guns used in the attack but said this was not a worry as they had other circumstantial evidence and witnesses that make the case solid.
Thanee said this case was actually the responsibility of the Metropolitan Police Bureau and deputy Bangkok Police Chief as chief investigator but he had had to handle it to make progress. He has not been intimidated or threatened, as he knew how to carry himself.
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban praised police for making progress on a case that was tough.
Asked if he thought police would be able to link high-ranking military officials or police that might be involved in the attack, Suthep said the case was the work of individuals not an institution. He said the fact the two suspects were a soldier and a police officer didn't mean both institutions were involved.
New Politics Party secretary-general Suriyasai Katasila called on the government not to isolate the police team working on the case, saying it must draw a clear line between not interfering and leaving them isolated.
Thanee's team had taken the right path in finding the culprits in the attack of Sondhi, who also believed his attackers were men in uniform, Suriyasai said.
"What we worry about is whether the government will support this police team and make sure that this is not a phoney fight, especially when Thanee has revealed that some investigators let out secrets and there have been high-powered groups trying to intimidate investigators," he said.
"Although Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan have vowed this case is not a phoney fight, we have to see if they give cooperation and support to police. Just before police went to arrest the gunmen, informants leaked the news to the media about the arrest warrants, causing the suspects to become aware and able to escape,"
Suriyasai said.
He said the PM always reiterated about the rule of law and moral principles, so Sondhi's case would be test whether the PM acted as he preached. "By letting Thanee's team be intimidated and threatened, the PM is blurring the line between not interfering and leaving them isolated,'' he said.
Matubhum Party spokesman Muk Sulaiman questioned the timing of the police news on the case, saying news broke just when the government faced adverse publicity about swine flu and the foreign minister.
The Nation
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