Bangkok: The Minister of Justice visited the Bangkok Special Prison to inspect a converted room after finding it was being used to benefit Chinese inmates. Justice Minister Police Lieutenant General Ruttapol Naowarat arrived at the Bangkok Remand Prison this morning to inspect the prison grounds following a raid on November 16th, which uncovered suspicious behavior, including favoritism for some Chinese inmates.
According to Thai News Agency, a joint meeting was held between relevant agencies, including Mr. Yuthana Nakruangsri, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Corrections, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), Prachachuen Police Station, and relevant officials. During this visit, the Minister of Justice will examine a "modified room," a prison guard's room that has been renovated to resemble a reception room. This is the same location where it was alleged that two Chinese women entered a restricted area, not through normal family visits. The fact-finding committee will closely monitor the visit.
Today, the entire area will be inspected, including walkways, crossing points, and the location of CCTV cameras, which were previously found to have had some data erased. Additional evidence will be recovered to confirm the times the inmates entered and exited the unauthorized area, as well as the route the two women took to enter.
Today's investigation is a crucial step before forwarding the information to the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) for further investigation. The investigation will also be coordinated with the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) to investigate any financial transactions that may be linked to wrongdoing by prison officials. Initial findings indicate that approximately six or seven officials were involved on the day of the incident, and all will be individually investigated.
Today's field visit is expected to reveal key facts, including the structure of the converted room, the circumstances surrounding the incident, and the connections between all those involved in the incident.