Abuse of privledge?

Friday August 27, 05:30 am

On a train to Surin 2 weeks ago Senator Chuchai losses / foregts his mobile phone. Same train, same day, my buddy forgets his mobile. We report it to the Surin Station Master.

Sunday, August 29, 20:30

We board train. Senator Chuchai boards train.

Train staff have already been allerted as to the 2 forgotten mobile phones. Train staff are confident they have both phones on board but they are locked in a secure room and will be presented to us on Monday monrning as we enter Bangkok proper. This promised to me from not only trian staff but a police captain on board the train (three stars and crown on his shoulders.)

Monday, August 30th

Morning comes early- 4:45 it is explained to me that Senator Chuchai has claimed both phones as his -although he has only reported lossing one. The phones were never even brought to us to view. My friends' phone is a Motorola V-600. The golden god of mobile phones at Bt18,000. It's silver with a flip top. Senator Chuchai has reported losing a black mobile phone- no details provided to us.

The police captain explains that Senator Chuchai explained that the other phone (the silver one) was his wife's phone which she amazingly lost on the same day and same train as he did- as did my friend.

Monday to Wednesday Aug 30 to Sep 1

Repeated calls and a fax to Senator Chuchai at his homes in Bangkok and Surin as well as Parilment House go unreturned. I call in on a very senior aquainatace in the Thai Senate. He assures me he will leave a message for the senator at the administration of the large meeting hall. I am thankful and appologetic for having to bother the destinguished genetleman with this request.

Thursday, September 2

Senator Chuchai returns my calls in the afternoon. I have a very polite and respectful phone conversation with him. I explain the above and that we are worried he may have accidentally taken the wrong phone. Did the phone belong to his wife as the police captain confidentally explained to me? No, he said. It belonged to a Senator from Sisaket that was traveling with him at the time. Strange, I think. Repeated questions to him to identify the model of the silver phone go unanswered. He never does answer and changes the topic repeatedly or asks me to identify the phone- which I do.

September 5th 20:45

I sit with my wife on the train before it departs to Surin and the waitress who has been so helpful through all of this recognizes me (I take this train about 3-4 times a month so some staff sort of know me.) She explains that she confirmed with Nophadol (the train attendant that found my friend's phone 2 weeks ago) that he indeed did find and turn in this phone that day and that she and the other staff were confident it was my friend's phone and that they were all surprised and shocked that the MP from Surin had opted to claim both phones.

Absolutely floored me. But all the people on the train seemed to think this was typical behavior for a senator. If this guy has my buddy's phone, this is so shameful. Abuse of privledge (Thai MP's can not be proscuted while in office) and how low can you go as a senator to steal sombody elses phone? Chuchai must be a real lowlife. What a peice of work! I hope it's all a mistake, but it looks bad.

Yea, I am writting the PM about his boy- Senator Chuchai is TRT MP.

He didn't.

(I know, I know, I know!)

If you know anyone in the Democratic Party- my buddy would like to speak to them and provide them with details for use in the upcoming election.

Umm, Thank you good vibes. But Onlynx is a long time resident of Thailand, like my self and while you are are correct that the police captain on the train will do nothing, a formal police report in Thailand is documented proff that someting has gone missing or be stolen and that a formal statement has be given to police- which can be used to further any real police investigation later. So that is why I replid to Onlynx with an "I know I know I know!" because a report is is what should have been done and it was my failure not to direct my friend to do this.

BTW, After 10 years in the Kingdom I have never seen a cop take notes, like they do in the states. This is just not practiced. Reports are done, statments are taken but notes? Never seen it happen.

Take this to the Bangkok Post, maybe they'll print the story. You never know !