1.01 The Royal Thai Police

Our Thing: An Organized Crime Podcast

Welcome to the first episode of Our Thing.

We kick off with an investigation prompted by an experience I had with the “Thai Mafia” while studying abroad. What began as a simple question (who rules Thailand’s underworld?) became a trip down the rabbit hole as I encountered increasingly difficult questions. When I followed the money and asked who the real boss was I discovered – the Royal Thai Police.

Show Notes

Adventurous Kate – a Night with a Thai Mafia Don

http://www.adventurouskate.com/a-night-with-a-thai-mafia-don/

“Cheating a part of Thai National Mindset”

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Corruption-is-part-of-Thai-mindset-30228576.html

Internal Ombudsman: Police are the most corrupt institution in Thailand

http://www.pattayamail.com/news/ombudsman-royal-thai-police-found-to-be-most-corrupt-11502

Transparency International: Corruption country profile: Thailand

http://www.transparency.org/country#THA

Andrew Drummond – Thailand a Haven for Foreign Criminals

http://www.andrew-drummond.com/2015/01/thailand-haven-for-foreign-criminals.html

Chiang Mai Street Gangs and Violence Prevention

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/IJ23Ae02.html

Human Rights Watch report (2008) on extrajudicial killings attributed to Thaksin Shinawatras 2003 war on drugs

http://www.hrw.org/news/2008/03/12/thailand-s-war-drugs

3000$ is the price of justice in Thailand

http://www.traveller.com.au/3000-the-price-of-thai-justice-bhp8

Jomdet Trimek, Rangsit University, Embezzlement, Bribery, and Protection money in the Royal Thai Police force

http://rjsh.rsu.ac.th/download/RJSH-Vol1-No2_49-53_Jomdet-Trimek.pdf

TIME article on Increasing Police Harassment of tourists

http://time.com/3674200/thailand-tourism-police-corruption-shakedown-extortion/

Andrew Drummond on the Koh Tao Murder case

http://www.andrew-drummond.com/2014/10/koh-tao-methodical-investigation-or.html

Sean McAnna – Statement to telegraph.co.uk after being threatened

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-crgOK3QOw

Koh Tao Headman offer 1million baht reward for information implicating his family

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/koh-tao-headman-offers-one-million-baht-cash-evidence-proves-family-implicated-tourist-murder

Thai PM apologizes for Bikini comment after Koh Tao murders

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/18/us-thailand-britain-murders-idUSKBN0HD1QY20140918

Bangkok Post: 50,000 baht reward for information on Koh Tao killers

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/433155/b50000-reward-for-koh-tao-killers

Mike E’s travel blog opinion piece on the murders

http://mikeestravels.com/2014/09/25/the-dark-side-of-thailands-island-paradise/

Thai forensics expert criticizes the case

http://www.irrawaddy.org/burma/respected-thai-forensics-specialist-criticizes-koh-tao-murder-investigation.html

2007: Thailand lacks accreditation to process DNA

http://www.forensic.sc.mahidol.ac.th/proceeding/49_Samart.pdf

Koh Tao taxi cab driver threatened, beaten for false confession

http://prachatai.org/english/node/4373

Burmese Migrants charged with murder of British backpackers

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2887498/Trial-two-men-charged-murders-British-holiday-makers-Hannah-Witheridge-David-Miller-Thailand-start-today.html

Police construct “bizarre reenactment” of Koh Tao murders with Burmese suspects

http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/10/03/bizarre-re-enactment-has-suspects-in-motorcycle-helmets-and-flak-jackets-acting-out-thailand-beach-murders/

Migrant Workers Rights Network Indiegogo campaign for accused Burmese youths

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/justice-koh-tao-murder-case

The Guardian: The dark side of Koh Tao

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/nov/23/briton-thailand-murder-hannah-witheridge-david-miller-mystery-mafia-fear

Man hangs himself with hands tied behind his back on Koh Tao

http://www.samuitimes.com/french-man-found-dead-koh-tao-incident-treated-suicide-not-homicide/

Photo: Koh Tao “suicide”

https://democracyforburma.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/10854397_311205955756092_1985442758507651844_o.jpg

CCTV footage outside AC bar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_N0bBnorW4