Ex-grand chamberlain surrenders to face charges
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MONTREE SOTANGKOON has been discharged from his post as grand chamberlain by the Royal Household Bureau and is under police custody after surrendering yesterday to face charges of lese majeste as well as charges of demanding bribes and abuse of power.
He is being detained by the Crime Suppression Division for further questioning, and will be handed over to the Metropolitan Police Bureau for prosecution, national police spokesman Lt-General Prawut Thavornsiri said.
The suspect previously served as an aide to former princess Srirasmi, who had reportedly personally selected him to serve her.
Prawut, meanwhile, did not provide details on the initial statement Montree gave to national police chief General Somyot Poompanmoung when they met briefly at the police headquarters in Bangkok.
Somyot said on Wednesday that police would investigate to see if and how Montree sought profits illegally through racketeering with former Central Investigation Bureau chief Lt-General Pongpat Chayapan, who is also in custody over several charges including lese majeste.
Though he has not been charged officially yet, Montree is suspected of taking bribes, embezzlement and abuse of power, in addition to lese majeste. He is also subject to four arrest warrants issued by four Bangkok-based police stations.
