Organization: Central Michigan University
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.seasia-l
Date:         Mon, 9 Nov 1992 08:13:19 EST
From:         Elliott Parker <3ZLUFUR@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU>
Subject:      TH: Chavalit looks into prostitute's murder

=======================  Forwarded  Message  ===========================
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 92 00:33:24+0700
From: Kamol Hengkietisak <kamol@ipied.tu.ac.th>

INTERIOR Minister Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh flew to Songkhla
yesterday to meet officials in charge of the investigation into
the case of a young woman forced into prostitution who was
murdered at the provincial hall last Tuesday.

Before leaving for the province Gen Chavalit told reporters he
wondered why the investigation was taking such a long time and he
was going to have a "first-hand look" at the case.

He said the investigation should already have been completed
because everything was clear and the incident took place in a
provincial hall.

"I will have to thoroughly question the officials myself," Gen
Chavalit said.

Gen Chavalit said that he wanted people to stop talking about the
prostitution problem, especially in Bangkok, because it is a
"deep-rooted" problem and he has already asked police to tackle
it.

"This problem has to be slowly solved. It does not concern
officials alone.

"Some people willingly become prostitutes because poverty still
exists in Thai society," he said.

But if officials take the problem seriously the situation will get
better, he said.

The New Aspiration Party leader was accompanied on his trip to
Songkhla by deputy party leader Veera Musikapong.

Gen Chavalit said he has done what he thought was right to solve
the prostitution problem and does not think it will affect his
party in the region.

Before returning to Bangkok late last night Gen Chavalit went to
the brothel where Pasaravara Samrit was forced to work before she
was murdered at Songkhla Provincial Hall last Tuesday.

The brothel has since been closed by police.

Gen Chavalit, along with Interior Deputy Permanent Secretary Aree
Vongaraya, also met senior police officials, where they were
briefed about the reports of the investigation into the murder
case.

The minister said that from reports given him, Pasaravara was
killed at 4 p.m. and the alleged killer, the son of the brothel
owner, waited with the dead body in the bathroom till it was dark.

He then threw the girl's body near a provincial hall building
where it was found early the next morning.

Gen Chavalit said that the investigation of the case will be
concluded within the seven-day time limit set -- November 10.

He said the alleged murderer arrested by the police is not a
scapegoat, because they have valid evidence to prove his guilt.

But Gen Chavalit said that if any policemen are found to be
involved in the incident, he would take serious action against
them so that this does not happen again.

Responding to Phra Phayom Kalyano's comment that the person who
really knows about the problem should be brought to solve the
problem, and Police Chief Sawat Amornvivat should be sacked, Gen
Chavalit said if that is to be done then we may have to sack
people endlessly.

Gen Chavalit added that this is not the problem of lawmen alone,
but a problem of society, and as long as the social problems are
not solved, the situation will remain the same.