Thai general turns himself in on trafficking charges
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Bangkok (dpa) - A senior Thai military officer wanted in connection with the trafficking of Rohingya refugees turned himself in to police Wednesday.
Lieutenant General Manas Khongpaen quickly walked through assembled reporters at the National Police headquarters in Bangkok and went into a back room to meet police chief Somyot Pumpanmuang to hear the charges.
The general was to be taken to Songkhla province, where the charges were filed in court.
Manus was wanted for allegedly aiding human trafficking rings which profited off the exodus of Rohingya Muslim refugees from Myanmar.
It is the first time a senior military officer has been implicated in the trafficking of refugees. Previous arrests have targeted local police and village officials.
The Rohingya are at the centre of an international humanitarian crisis.
