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BKK Post, March 19, 1998. SALWEEN S



March 19, 1998. SALWEEN SCANDAL / FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

Police move to arrest Prawat and Vinai 
Fingerprints point to key suspects 
Anucha Charoenpo

Police asked the Interior Ministry yesterday to approve warrants for the 
arrest of Prawat Thanadkha and Vinai Panitnanuban in the 
five-million-baht bribe scandal.

Pol Maj-Gen Vasana Permlarp, deputy commissioner of the Central 
Investigation Bureau, said police have evidence to back charges against 
the deputy forestry chief and logging operator.

"They won't get away with it," he said. "All the evidence points to 
them."

Among the evidence is a record of the withdrawal of five million baht 
from Bank of Ayudhya's Bang Khane branch and fingerprints of Mr Vinai 
and those of the bank staff found on bank notes, he said.

"The prints match those of Mr Vinai and the bank staff. Apart from that, 
we have Mr Vinai's driver to testify against him," he said.

According to Pol Maj-Gen Vasana, the driver said he took Mr Vinai to Mr 
Prawat's house on the day the bribe was allegedly handed over.

In the letter to the Interior Ministry, police said they believed Mr 
Prawat decided to donate the money to the Thai-help-Thai Fund after he 
knew he could not help Mr Vinai.

The bribe, police said, was linked to a number of illegal logs seized in 
Tak. The logs are allegedly owned by Mr Vinai, owner of Saha Vanakij 
Sawmill Co.

Mr Prawat has been accused of violating Article 144 of the Criminal Code 
in accepting a bribe, and Mr Vinai by offering a kickback to a state 
official.

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