DSI raids to search residences of former executives of the Krabi Oil–Palm Farmers Cooperatives Federation Limited

DSI raids to search residences of former executives of the Krabi Oil–Palm Farmers Cooperatives Federation Limited

       Today (Tuesday, March 22, 2022) the Director-General of the DSI, Mr. Triyarith Temahivong and his Deputy Director-General Pol.Maj. Yuthana Praedam assigned the Director of Crime Relating to Submission of Bids to Government Agencies Bureau Pol.Capt. Surawoot Rungsai and his team to join forces with officers from the Central Institute of Forensic Science (CIFS) for raiding targets in the area of Krabi Province. The aforesaid act resulted from the Board of Special Case’s resolution in its meeting no. 1/2565 on January 25, 2022, approving the case of corruption and embezzlement in the Krabi Oil–Palm Farmers Cooperatives Federation Limited as the special case no. 215/2565, pursuant to Section 21 paragraph two (2) of the Special Case Investigation Act, B.E. 2547 (2004) and its amendment.

       The Krabi Oil–Palm Farmers Cooperatives Federation Limited has its members comprising 13 local cooperatives, 34 networks or associate members or community enterprises, and over 2,000 local people. This case resulted from the complaint to the DSI about the corruption in the aforesaid cooperatives. The DSI, therefore, accepted investigations into this matter. Subsequently, the BSC had its resolution to approve the case of corruption and embezzlement in the Krabi Oil–Palm Farmers Cooperatives Federation Limited as a special case. Investigations revealed that some former executives of the aforesaid cooperatives were likely to be engaged in corruption or conflict of interest and against the order of the registrar causing illiquidity of the cooperatives and leading to temporarily shutting-down the business and the layoffs of its employees, and resulting in massive damage, effects with numerous suffered people. The aforesaid act might be regarded as the offences subject to the Criminal Code and the Cooperatives Act, B.E. 2542 (1999). Therefore, the request for search warrants issued by the Krabi Provincial Court was made to search the residences of former executives of the Krabi Oil–Palm Farmers Cooperatives Federation Limited, 9 locations, comprising

1. the residence of the former chairman of the Board of Directors located in Khiri Wong Subdistrict, Plai Phraya District, Krabi Province
2. the residence of the former general manager located in Ao Luek Nuea Subdistrict,  Ao Luek District, Krabi Province
3. the residence of the former secretary of the Board of Directors located in Ao Luek Noi Subdistrict, Ao Luek District, Krabi Province
4. the residence of the former vice-chairman and member of the Board of Directors located in Phru Din Na  Subdistrict, Khlong Thom District, Krabi Province
5. the residence of the former chairman of the cooperative supervisor located in Ao Luek Nuea Subdistrict, Ao Luek District, Krabi Province
6. the residence of the former member of the Board of Directors located in Thap Prik Subdistrict, Mueang Krabi District, Krabi Province
7. the residence of the former vice-chairman located in Din Udom Subdistrict, Lam Thap District, Krabi Province
8. the residence of the former vice-chairman located in Khlong Thom Tai Subdistrict, Klong Thom District, Krabi Province
9. the residence of the former member of the Board of Directors located in Lam Thap Subdistrict, Lam Thap District, Krabi Province

       The result of searches found bank-books, note-books, oil-palm transiting expense account and oil-palm transportation account, lists of oil-palm transporting offering price, annual reports of cooperatives’ executives (the year related to the ground of the case) documents and information related and beneficial to investigation and inquiry. The Bureau of Crimes Relating to the Submission of Bids to Government Agencies seized/confiscated the said exhibits for inspecting, and accelerating and expanding its investigation and inquiry against a group of persons/entities and offenders furtherly. The DSI publicized the aforesaid case because it is an important case affecting and causing damage to the public and the cooperatives widely.

Dated March 22, 2022