Suphoth insists Bt5m taken from home
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Suspended Transport Ministry permanent secretary Suphoth Sublom has stuck to his story that there was only Bt5 million in cash in his recently burgled home, despite the fact that more than Bt18 million was taken from the suspects arrested in the case, Wan
Suphoth said he had been keeping the Bt5 million at his Bangkok home to be used as a dowry for his daughter’s marriage.
After two hours of questioning by police yesterday, station chief Pol Colonel Thawat Wongsanga said police would need to produce own evidence to find out about the exact amount of money the eight suspects said they took from during their heist on November 12.
“Police do not yet fully believe in Suphoth’s claim that Bt5 million of his money was lost,” Thawat said.
It has not been decided whether Suphoth would be charged with making a false statement, as there was not enough evidence to prove that his statement was a lie, he said.
The results of an examination of latent fingerprints found at Suphoth’s home would be expected by this month.
A coming questioning of Suphoth and the eight suspects in custody would not be needed as both sides insisted on their statement, over two different amounts of money kept at Suphoth's home, he added.
In addition to separate investigations by the National AntiCorruption Commission and the AntiMoney Laundering Office into the sources of the reported Bt18.1 million, Wang Thong Lang police are conducting a parallel investigation into the matter.
Bangkok police chief Pol LtGeneral Winai Thongsong said Suphoth’s statement is clearly at odds with the Bt18.1 million found in the suspects’ possession and now in police custody.
Police are closing in on alleged ringleader Weerasak Chuelee, who believed to be on the run in Laos, and would soon question maids working at Suphoth’s home who were tied up by the burglars, Winai said.
