Ex-royal aide slapped with charges for lese majeste
Exprincess personally chose Montree, Also found linked to Pongpat scandal
POLICE yesterday obtained arrest warrants for grand chamberlain Montree Sotangkoon, an aide to former princess Srirasmi, for lese majeste and three other charges related to allegedly exploiting his position for personal gains.
The document submitted to court for the warrant alleged that Montree had demanded Bt5 million in a kickback from the sale of a plot of land and embezzled a sum of money citing royal connections. He is also accused of pushing two former ministers into making him a director of PTT and CAT Telecom, which were under their jurisdiction at the time.
Wrongly citing royal connections
Royal Thai Police chief General Somyot Poompanmoung said yesterday that ex-energy minister Pichai Naritphan and ex-information and communications technology minister Anudith Nakornthap confirmed that Montree pushed for the posts while claiming close connections to the monarchy.
This makes Montree liable to lese majeste charges under Article 112 of the Criminal Code, Somyot said.
Montree, now 53, who was reportedly personally chosen by the former princess to serve her, already faced warrants at four police stations.
In those warrants, he faced four charges related to lese majeste, 148 for demanding bribes or profits as a state official, 149 for embezzlement and 157 for malfeasance.
Police are expected to parade Montree at a press conference today after the Royal Household Bureau hands him over to police.
He will be formally charged with the crimes after being presented to the press at the police headquarters by the national police chief.
The authorities will also inspect the suspect’s assets and subsequently freeze or seize them before handing them over to the Anti-Money Laundering Office, Somyot said.
He said Montree’s arrest was related to the much-heralded takedown of former Central Investigation Bureau chief Pongpat Chayapan, who is a relative of the former princess.
However, the link between the two men will be revealed once Montree is questioned by the police, he added.
