Organization: Central Michigan University
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.seasia-l
Date:         Tue, 26 Jan 1993 08:30:37 EST
From:         Elliott Parker <3ZLUFUR@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU>
Subject:      TH: Witnesses get protection

=======================  Forwarded  Message  ===========================
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 93 23:03:34+0700
From: Kamol Hengkietisak <kamol@ipied.tu.ac.th>
Subject: Bangkok Post Jan 26: Key witnesses get protection on Saudi cases


KEY witnesses in the three Saudi cases have been given police
protection for fear of attacks by "influential" figures connected
with the case.

Deputy Permanent Secretary for Interior Aree Wong-araya said
yesterday he had ordered police to step up security for individual
witnesses as investigations close in on influential people
suspected of involvement in the incidents.

He said he had ordered police to protect Kriangkrai Techamong, the
Thai national who stole jewellery from a Saudi palace before
returning with it to Thailand.

Sources close to his family said Mr Kriangkrai had left his house
in Lampang about a week ago for Mae Hong Son in fear of his life
after it was reported the case might be revived.

Mr Kriangkrai was released from prison on August 12, last year
after being sentenced for the theft of jewellery worth about 500
million baht from the palace of Prince Faisal Fahad Abdulaziz al
Saud in Saudi Arabia in 1989.

The two other cases which have returned to the limelight are the
murder of four Saudi diplomats in 1989 and 1990 and the abduction
of a Saudi businessman in 1990.

Mr Aree, who chairs a committee screening investigations into the
three cases, said the panel had ordered police to renew all
investigations and find additional witnesses and evidence.

He said the committee's responsibilities include studying the
police investigation reports and overseeing the arrest of everyone
involved in the crimes.

Mr Aree said the panel had ordered police to launch a new search
for the killers of the Saudi embassy staff and any others
involved.

He also said the committee had ordered police to renew
investigations into the suspect originally arrested for the
shootings but later acquitted in court.

Suchart Halabee was acquitted by the Criminal Court for the murder
of three Saudi embassy staff in 1990.

His brother, Suvech, who was also suspected of involvement in the
murder has since been missing without trace.

The panel also asked police to find the abductors/killers of
missing Saudi businessman Mohammed al-Ruwaili, the police station
to which the kidnapping was reported and to locate any witnesses
and document evidence.

Mr Aree said police must find out who was involved in the
embezzlement of the jewellery items after they were seized from Mr
Kriangkrai even if they are senior officials.

He said he could not say now whether police could get enough
evidence to convict any high-level officials suspected of
involvement in the disappearance of the jewellery or whether they
could recover the missing valuables.

The deputy permanent secretary said police found it difficult
concluding the jewellery theft as the incident took place three
years ago.

He said police would do their best and expected them to make some
progress.

Mr Aree said the charging of any senior officials involved in the
case now depended on whether witnesses were prepared to testify.

He said he did not want to say any more as he was worried he might
place the witnesses in danger.

Meanwhile, the Secretary General to the Prime Minister, Tawat
Wichaidit, said the Government would not hide any information or
evidence related to the three cases from  the public.

Dr Tawat said the Government had received evidence into the
jewellery theft to add to the findings of the past three years.

The evidence has already been forwarded to the Police Department.

The evidence reportedly held for almost three years by the PM's
Office Minister from the time of former Prime Minister Chatichai
Choonhavan includes Prince Faisal's letter to Gen Chatichai, a
videotape cassette and a photo album depicting details of the
stolen jewellery.

A police source said the videotape cassette was still with the
PM's Office because the police want experts to examine the
cassette first before receiving it.

Dr Tawat said he was not sure whether the Government had already
gathered all the evidence in the jewellery case.

But he stressed that the Government has to prove to the Saudi
government that it was sincere in solving the three cases to help
improve relations between the two countries.

Thailand has been losing tens of billions of baht annually after
Saudi Arabia tightened its issue of visas to Thai workers.

Dr Tawat said Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai had ordered Deputy
Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan to follow up the cases and work
closely with him.
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