Seripisut Temiyavet
Encyclopedia
Police General Seripisut Temiyavet (originally Seri Temiyavet, Thai
: เสรีพิศุทธ์ เตมียาเวส, originally เสรี เตมียเวส; born 3 September 1948) was Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police
between February 2007 and April 2008. Appointed Police
Commissioner of Thailand
by a military junta, replacing Kowit Wattana
, the Police Commissioner under deposed Premier Thaksin Shinawatra
. Removed from office in April 2008 by the elected government of Samak Sundaravej under charges of corruption. He was a police officer who gained a reputation from targeting mafia leaders like "Kamnan Poh" (Somchai Khunpluem) and "Por Pratunam" (Phaijit Thammarojphinij).
The junta also appointed him Director of the Airports of Thailand
, along with Chairman General Saprang Kalayanamitr
.
He chairs the Friends of Seri Foundation, which was engaged in controversial loans to junta-appointed Constitution Drafting Committee and National Legislative Assembly member Thanaboon Jiranuwat. He is married to Phatsaweesiri Thepchatri Temiyavet and has 3 children.
As Assistant Director of the 2nd Region Police, Seri was in charge of the 1994 arrest of "Kamnan Poh" in the Khao Mai Kaew land corruption case. In 2003, a court found the influential Kamnan Poh guilty and sentenced him to jail.
Seri rose through the ranks of to become Inspector-General. Under the government of Thaksin Shinawatra
, he was assigned to several high-profile corruption cases, including the longan subsidy scandal, the Bobae mafia case, and the Government Public Warehouse rice screening case. Seripisut came into conflict with Army officer Maj General Khattiya Sawasdipol
of the Internal Security Operations Command
while investigating the "Por Pratunam" gambling den of Phaijit Thammarojphinij. Seripisut filed a libel lawsuit against Khattiya, although Khattiya was acquitted in November 2006. After Seripisut was promoted to Police Commissioner General, Khattiya filed a Bt600million defamation suit against him.
in 19 September 2006. He replaced Kowit Wattana
, who had served as Police Commissioner General under the Thaksin government. There was great speculation about the motivation behind the replacement, as Kowit had earlier arrested several military personnel for alleged involvement in the 2006 Bangkok New Year's Eve bombings.
as Region 9 Commissioner.
from his leadership of King Bhumibol Adulyadej
's Privy Council. Police Special Branch Commander Lt-General Theeradech Rodpho-thong refused to file charges of lèse majesté against activitists who launched a petition, claiming that the law only applied to members of the royal family. Two days later, he was demoted by Seripisut.
. The Special branch cited intelligence reports from two days before the blasts warning that two youngsters from the southern provinces were sneaking explosive devices into Songkhla
. However, the CNS spokesperson claimed that there was reason to believe that the bombs were set off by people who were losing political power, a common euphemism for the deposed government of Thaksin Shinawatra
. Seripisut agreed with the CNS.
Junta critic Maj Gen Khattiya Sawasdipol was convicted for defaming and sentenced to jail for four months in jail after he criticised Seripisut his crackdown on gambling dens.
limits. On 8 February 2007, the Supreme Court upheld Thanaboon's conviction in which Thanaboon was sentenced to 40 months in jail.
by Kühne + Nagel
to Seripisut in his office. Two weeks later, Seripisut's secretaries claimed that the request was lost. The request was later resubmitted to Seripisut's deputies. Khan claimed that the deputies noted that the case was not worthy of investigation. When questioned about the matter by Khan in public, Seripisut said he could not recall meeting with him, but promised to follow up on the matter.
Thai language
Thai , also known as Central Thai and Siamese, is the national and official language of Thailand and the native language of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group. Thai is a member of the Tai group of the Tai–Kadai language family. Historical linguists have been unable to definitively...
: เสรีพิศุทธ์ เตมียาเวส, originally เสรี เตมียเวส; born 3 September 1948) was Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police
Royal Thai Police
The Royal Thai Police are the national police of Thailand.-About:Primary responsibility for the maintenance of public order through enforcement of the kingdom's laws was exercised by the Thailand National Police Department , a subdivision of the Ministry of Interior...
between February 2007 and April 2008. Appointed Police
Royal Thai Police
The Royal Thai Police are the national police of Thailand.-About:Primary responsibility for the maintenance of public order through enforcement of the kingdom's laws was exercised by the Thailand National Police Department , a subdivision of the Ministry of Interior...
Commissioner of Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
by a military junta, replacing Kowit Wattana
Kowit Wattana
Kowit Wattana is a Thai Police General and politician. From 2004 to 2007 he was the Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police. In 2008, he was Minister of the Interior, and since 2011 he has been Deputy Prime Minister under Yingluck Shinawatra...
, the Police Commissioner under deposed Premier Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra is a Thai businessman and politician, who was Prime Minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006, when he was overthrown in a military coup....
. Removed from office in April 2008 by the elected government of Samak Sundaravej under charges of corruption. He was a police officer who gained a reputation from targeting mafia leaders like "Kamnan Poh" (Somchai Khunpluem) and "Por Pratunam" (Phaijit Thammarojphinij).
The junta also appointed him Director of the Airports of Thailand
Airports of Thailand
Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited is a large Thai public company, which handles several national airports. Its headquarters are in Don Mueang District, Bangkok....
, along with Chairman General Saprang Kalayanamitr
Saprang Kalayanamitr
General Saprang Kalayanamitr is a retired officer of the Royal Thai Army, Assistant Secretary-General of the Council for National Security, Commander of the junta's 14,000-man anti-protest force, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Airports of Thailand , and also Chairman of the Boards of TOT...
.
He chairs the Friends of Seri Foundation, which was engaged in controversial loans to junta-appointed Constitution Drafting Committee and National Legislative Assembly member Thanaboon Jiranuwat. He is married to Phatsaweesiri Thepchatri Temiyavet and has 3 children.
Education and early career
Seri graduated from the 8th class of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School and graduated in the 24th class of the Thai Police Cadet Academy. He took part in anti-communist operations in the Northeast, where he became close friends with Manoon Roopkachorn. Because of this association, he was purged from the police after the NPKC Coup of 23 February 1992. He was later rehabilitated and allowed back into the police force.As Assistant Director of the 2nd Region Police, Seri was in charge of the 1994 arrest of "Kamnan Poh" in the Khao Mai Kaew land corruption case. In 2003, a court found the influential Kamnan Poh guilty and sentenced him to jail.
Seri rose through the ranks of to become Inspector-General. Under the government of Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra is a Thai businessman and politician, who was Prime Minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006, when he was overthrown in a military coup....
, he was assigned to several high-profile corruption cases, including the longan subsidy scandal, the Bobae mafia case, and the Government Public Warehouse rice screening case. Seripisut came into conflict with Army officer Maj General Khattiya Sawasdipol
Khattiya Sawasdipol
Khattiya Sawasdipol , alias Seh Daeng , was a major general in the Royal Thai Army, assigned to the Internal Security Operations Command. He claimed to have helped the United States spy on North Vietnam during the Vietnam War, and to have taken part in the CIA-financed "Secret War" against the...
of the Internal Security Operations Command
Internal Security Operations Command
The Internal Security Operations Command is a unit of the Thai military devoted to national security issues. It was responsible for suppression of leftist groups during the 1970s and 1980s during which it was implicated in numerous atrocities against activists and civilians. The modern ISOC was...
while investigating the "Por Pratunam" gambling den of Phaijit Thammarojphinij. Seripisut filed a libel lawsuit against Khattiya, although Khattiya was acquitted in November 2006. After Seripisut was promoted to Police Commissioner General, Khattiya filed a Bt600million defamation suit against him.
Police Commissioner General
In 5 February 2007, Seripisut was appointed Police Commissioner General by the military junta that had overthrown the government of Thaksin ShinawatraThaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra is a Thai businessman and politician, who was Prime Minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006, when he was overthrown in a military coup....
in 19 September 2006. He replaced Kowit Wattana
Kowit Wattana
Kowit Wattana is a Thai Police General and politician. From 2004 to 2007 he was the Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police. In 2008, he was Minister of the Interior, and since 2011 he has been Deputy Prime Minister under Yingluck Shinawatra...
, who had served as Police Commissioner General under the Thaksin government. There was great speculation about the motivation behind the replacement, as Kowit had earlier arrested several military personnel for alleged involvement in the 2006 Bangkok New Year's Eve bombings.
Purging of the police force
In his first staff reshuffle, Seripisut transferred Metropolitan Police Commissioner Viroj Chantarangsi to the provinces in the Lower North. Those close to former Commissioner Kowit Wattana and deposed Premier Thaksin Shinawatra were transferred to inactive posts. At the same time, he promoted police officers with close connections to him to powerful posts. Viroj, a classmate of Kowit, was replaced by Adisorn Nonsi, a former close aid of Seripisut. Pol Lt-Gen Thawornsak Thepchatree, an elder brother of Seripisuth's wife, was appointed adviser to the National Police Office. Pol Lt-Gen Jettanakorn Napeetaphat, who is married to the sister of Prime Minister Surayud's wife, replacing Pol Lt-Gen Adul Saengsingkaew in dealing with the South Thailand insurgencySouth Thailand insurgency
An ethnic separatist insurgency is taking place in Southern Thailand, predominantly in the Malay Pattani region, made up of the three southernmost provinces of Thailand. Violence has increasingly spilling over into other provinces...
as Region 9 Commissioner.
Criticism of Prem Tinsulanonda
Seripisut came under fire for his role in a petition to remove General Prem TinsulanondaPrem Tinsulanonda
General Prem Tinsulanonda is a retired Thai military officer who served as Prime Minister of Thailand from March 3, 1980 to August 4, 1988. He now serves as the Head of the Privy Council of the King of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej....
from his leadership of King Bhumibol Adulyadej
Bhumibol Adulyadej
Bhumibol Adulyadej is the current King of Thailand. He is known as Rama IX...
's Privy Council. Police Special Branch Commander Lt-General Theeradech Rodpho-thong refused to file charges of lèse majesté against activitists who launched a petition, claiming that the law only applied to members of the royal family. Two days later, he was demoted by Seripisut.
Relationship with the junta
Seripisut often sided with the Council for National Security (CNS) rather than his own staff. After numerous bombs were exploded simultaneously on 27 May 2007 in Haad Yai, the police Special Branch claimed it was confident that the explosions were linked to the southern insurgencySouth Thailand insurgency
An ethnic separatist insurgency is taking place in Southern Thailand, predominantly in the Malay Pattani region, made up of the three southernmost provinces of Thailand. Violence has increasingly spilling over into other provinces...
. The Special branch cited intelligence reports from two days before the blasts warning that two youngsters from the southern provinces were sneaking explosive devices into Songkhla
Songkhla
Songkhla is a city in the Songkhla Province of southern Thailand, near the border with Malaysia. As of 2006 it had a population of 75,048...
. However, the CNS spokesperson claimed that there was reason to believe that the bombs were set off by people who were losing political power, a common euphemism for the deposed government of Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra is a Thai businessman and politician, who was Prime Minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006, when he was overthrown in a military coup....
. Seripisut agreed with the CNS.
Junta critic Maj Gen Khattiya Sawasdipol was convicted for defaming and sentenced to jail for four months in jail after he criticised Seripisut his crackdown on gambling dens.
Friends of Seri Foundation controversy
Seripisut is the Chairman of the Friends of Seri Foundation and involved in controversial loans made to businessman and junta-associate Thanaboon Jiranuwat. Thanaboon's construction business was losing money, and he received an 18% interest-rate loan from Seripisut's foundation in September 1996. Thanaboon wrote 14 cheques worth 300,000 baht each to the foundation as repayment. Thanaboon's banks returned the cheques unpaid, and Seripisut sued Thanaboon. Thanaboon was acquitted by the Criminal Court but convicted on appeal. He later appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing the loan agreement violated the foundation's objectives and regulations, and that the interest rate was above Bank of ThailandBank of Thailand
- History :The Bank of Thailand was first set up as the Thai National Banking Bureau. The Bank of Thailand Act was promulgated on 28 April 1942 vesting upon the Bank of Thailand the responsibility for all central banking functions...
limits. On 8 February 2007, the Supreme Court upheld Thanaboon's conviction in which Thanaboon was sentenced to 40 months in jail.
Kuehne and Nagel Tax Evasion controversy
On 8 March 2007, Akbar Khan submitted a request to investigate alleged tax evasionTax evasion
Tax evasion is the general term for efforts by individuals, corporations, trusts and other entities to evade taxes by illegal means. Tax evasion usually entails taxpayers deliberately misrepresenting or concealing the true state of their affairs to the tax authorities to reduce their tax liability,...
by Kühne + Nagel
Kühne + Nagel
Kuehne + Nagel is a global transportation and logistics company, based in Schindellegi in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-Company history:...
to Seripisut in his office. Two weeks later, Seripisut's secretaries claimed that the request was lost. The request was later resubmitted to Seripisut's deputies. Khan claimed that the deputies noted that the case was not worthy of investigation. When questioned about the matter by Khan in public, Seripisut said he could not recall meeting with him, but promised to follow up on the matter.
Removal from Office
Seripisut was removed from office on April 2008 by the elected government of Samak Sundaravej under charges of corruption. His supporters, however, claim that these charges are put-up jobs to punish him for prosecuting many cases against the militarily deposed former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.See also
- Sonthi Boonyaratkalin
- Council for National Security
- Surayud ChulanontSurayud ChulanontGeneral Surayud Chulanont is a Thai political figure. He was the Prime Minister of Thailand and head of Thailand's Interim Government between 2006 and 2008...
- Kowit WattanaKowit WattanaKowit Wattana is a Thai Police General and politician. From 2004 to 2007 he was the Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police. In 2008, he was Minister of the Interior, and since 2011 he has been Deputy Prime Minister under Yingluck Shinawatra...