Seven more people linked to catering deal
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Seven more people have been found linked to a catering deal, which involves a woman who was also part of the alleged debt-collecting and intimidation racket run by former crime-buster Lt-General Pongpat Chayaphan, a senior police commander said yesterday.
Police are looking to see what roles these people played in the catering deals, led by Sudathip Muangnual, who is now in custody, and will take action if their acts are deemed to be criminal, Pol Maj-General Phakkharaphong Phongphetra said.
The catering deals involved the delivery of food to several restaurants. Sudathip is accused of unlawfully winning deals to run the catering scheme by citing royal backing and not offering the lowest price, which has led to her facing lese majeste charges. The catering deals included eateries at two palaces and at Suvaranabhumi Airport.
Separately, the Bangkok military court yesterday issued new arrest warrants for two suspects involved in Pongpat’s racket. They now face lese majeste charges for allegedly falsely telling their lecturers at the National Institution of Development Administration (Nida) that they could not attend lectures because they were busy with errands assigned to them by the palace.
Police spokesman Lt-General Prawut Thawornsiri identified the two men as Nuttpon Suwadi and Chakant Phakphoom, who are already in detention for allegations in relation to Pongpat’s racket.
Prawut said another suspect, Pol Colonel Songsak Khunsri, is on the run and has only a few days left before he is discharged from the police force for being absent without permission.
Songsak is a deputy division commander under the Crime Suppression Division, which comes under the Central Investigation Bureau, which Pongpat led before he was arrested last month.
