Aranyaprathet Officials Caught on CCTV Discussing Wrongful Arrest

PUBLISHED: 19 Jan 2024 at 21:02

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Six voice recordings have been released, revealing a conversation among Aranyaprathet police officers acknowledging their wrongful arrest of Panya Khongsaenkham for the murder of Buanhan Tansu, a 47-year-old woman.

Khongsaenkham was taken into custody shortly after the discovery of his wife’s body on January 12 in the border town of Sa Kaeo province. However, subsequent video evidence from a security camera showed that she had been abducted and attacked by five young individuals.

It was later discovered that a group of men had forcefully coerced Khongsaenkham into confessing to the murder of his wife by beating and restraining him, and ultimately placing a black bag over his head.

The released audio recordings, reportedly recorded on January 13, captured the conversations of the Aranyaprathet officers admitting their mistake in identifying the wrong suspect.

Pol Lt Col Nititorn Pimkhum, the lead investigator in the case, can be heard in each clip discussing the suspect’s identity.

In the first recording, lasting 54 seconds, Pol Snr Sgt Maj Piyabut Singwong, who was responsible for reviewing the CCTV footage, informs Pol Lt Col Nititorn that the video evidence does not implicate Khongsaenkham. He describes how the footage clearly shows five teenagers chasing, assaulting, and stomping on the victim.

The second voice recording, approximately one minute long, captures a panicked conversation between Pol Lt Col Nititorn and Pol Maj Nitirat Srisawat, who was in charge of bringing Khongsaenkham to the provincial court for detention. Nititorn expresses concern that their plan has gone awry and that the detention order needs to be put on hold. However, Maj Nitirat explains that the warrant has already been submitted.

In the third clip, Pol Lt Col Nititorn and Pol Snr Sgt Maj Piyabut further discuss the details of the video evidence, including the timeline of the incident.

Piyabut confirms that the footage clearly shows the five teenagers on motorcycles, captured by municipal and 7-Eleven security cameras, searching for the victim in the area. When they spotted her at approximately 1:30 am, they abandoned their bikes and pursued her on foot.

The fourth clip captures Pol Lt Col Nititorn instructing Pol Snr Sgt Maj Piyabut to send the CCTV footage to the investigation room. The fifth recording consists of a discussion to reconfirm the timeline depicted in the footage.

In the final recording, Pol Maj Nitirat informs Pol Lt Col Nititorn that the court had approved the warrant for Khongsaenkham’s detention at 11 am. Nititorn expresses frustration, while Maj Nitirat acknowledges the trouble they are now facing.

Some individuals have speculated that the leaked clips were intended to demonstrate that the police had only recently obtained the CCTV footage and were attempting to rectify their mistake in arresting Khongsaenkham. However, despite being aware of their error, the police continued to detain him for an additional two days until January 15.