“Are you Thai?”

That was the first question Thai cops had when a former senior officer who investigated human trafficking fled to Australia to seek asylum.

Pol. Maj. Gen. Paween Pongsirin arrived in Melbourne a few days ago and told the Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC) yesterday he feared for his life because influential figures in the Thai government, military and police implicated in the illicit trade want him dead.

“There are some bad police and bad military who do these kind of things,” Paween told the broadcaster. “Unfortunately, those bad police and military are the ones that have power.”

His former colleagues’ response?

“He only said good things about himself [to the media] and damaged our country’s reputation. I’d have to ask him if he’s Thai or not,” said Pol. Lt. Gen. Taesa Siriwato, Commander of Provincial Police Region 8, where Paween was deputy commissioner until he resigned last month.

Thai police are considering suing the senior officer for defamation over his comments.

Speaking at a press conference this morning at police headquarters in Punpin district, Suratthani, Taesa called Paween an “undisciplined officer” for not obeying orders, according to Nation TV.

As a senior police officer, Paween’s comments to the media had damaged the country’s reputation and the morale of the Thai police force, he said.

And adding salt to the wound,Taesa said he wouldn’t be offering Paween his job back anytime soon.

“As his former direct commander, I refuse to take Paween back to work. If he feels that he didn’t receive justice, he could make a complaint to the Royal Thai Police.”

Royal Thai Police chief Jakthip Chaijinda told reporters that he did not know why Paween fled but said a legal team was checking whether his comments were defamatory.

“I don’t know the reason why he had to go and speak about this issue but he should not talk about this because it could damage the country,” said Jakthip.

Paween resigned from his post in November saying an order to transfer him to Thailand’s south would expose him to revenge by members of trafficking syndicates still at large.

Suspects he was investigating for trafficking were influential in the region, he said, and could target him. His resignation raised serious questions over Thailand’s commitment to end the human trafficking and protect its officers.

Thailand’s crackdown on lucrative smuggling gangs followed the discovery in May of 36 bodies in shallow graves hidden deep in a mountain near the Thailand-Malaysia border, which sparked international outcry.

Thailand has brought a case against 88 suspected human traffickers but examination of some 500 witnesses in the case could take as long as two years.

Paween was listed as a key witness to testify against officials and other individuals facing criminal charges over their alleged involvement in trafficking.

Jakthip said there were no issues with the trafficking case and that Paween was the only police officer to raise allegations of intimidation.

Story: Reuters/ Coconuts Bangkok

Related:

Cops suggest former trafficking investigator in fear of his life is leaving country ‘for a holiday’

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