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Published on January 31, 2008

It is becoming increasingly apparent that horrendous techniques were used on their victims, including beatings and electrical torture on pregnant women and a couple with their eight-month-old baby.

Along with progress being made and new details being revealed, a Border Patrol police commander who was a superior of the alleged ring leader Pol Captain Nat Chonnitiwanich was yesterday temporarily suspended after he turned himself in to Bang Phlat police on Tuesday night.

Lt-Colonel Surakit Khlai-udom, a deputy chief of Border Patrol 41, has been charged with four serious offences including armed robbery, kidnapping people under the age of 15 and criminal conspiracy. He returned Bt50,000 after his surrender to police - the amount thought to be robbed from the victims and given to him by alleged ringleader Nat.

Prachuap Khiri Khan Prison had earlier released the names of five drug-convicted inmates, including three women, whom they say could have been victimised by the police ring. None of them have been physically released and no reports about them speaking up were available at press time yesterday.

One inmate was earlier released from a prison in Samut Prakan on similar grounds.

A policeman victim of Nat's ring is Lieutenant Saranyoo Surin-rangsee, an officer with the Narcotic Suppression Bureau's Division 2 who has been suspended following his arrest by Bang Khen police in a raid led by Nat last October.

Saranyoo and his two men are being charged for having five amphetamine tablets in their possession, "solid evidence" allegedly invented by Nat.

Maj-General Auayphorn Jintakanont, chief of Division 2, said his three men acted as buyers in a drug bust to trap drug dealers, but Nat conducted a surprise raid on the set-up and allegedly framed the three officers as suspects.

In Nakhon Si Thammarat, a woman yesterday filed a complaint with Chang Klang police accusing Nat and his accomplices of kidnapping her son Charnnarong Chinaraj, his wife and their eight-month-old baby to force their confession that they were drug dealers.

Tuenjai Chinaraj said the ring members forced him to sign a confession saying he had 500 amphetamine tablets after arresting him and his wife along with their baby at his home on May 13 last year. He said he was also beaten repeatedly.

A woman also filed a complaint with Bang Phlat police accusing Nat and his men of kidnapping her sister Somsri Norasri and sister-in-law Bussakorn Rattanakham from their apartment on October 27. Both women said they were tortured and forced to sign a confession of drug possession.

Manthita said a ring member known as "Chao" gagged Somsri while using a stun gun on Bussakorn. Both women were forced to withdraw money from ATM booths before they were charged with drug dealing. They are now in Bang Kwang Prison awaiting trial while Bussakorn had been sentenced to a six-year term and a fine of Bt200,000.

The Nation