Australia has granted asylum to a former senior human trafficking investigator, who was subject to death threats and intimidation after exposing the crimes of influential government and security officials.
The intimidation of Pol Maj Gen Paween Pongsirin began during his role as senior investigator into the trafficking of Rohingya Muslims, in a case that involved 153 suspects and 103 defendants (62 of which have been convicted) — likely Thailand’s largest case in the field of human trafficking.
The defendants encompassed senior government, police and military officials, including former army adviser Lt Gen Manas Kongpan who was ultimately sentenced to 27 years in jail for trafficking, taking bribes and transnational crimes.
In 2015, Paween publically reported being intimidated by influential figures connected to the case, both during and after the investigation. Paween told media that senior officers in the Royal Thai Police had refused his pleas for protection. Instead, Paween was transferred from his position as Deputy Commissioner of Provincial Police Region 8 to a position in the Deep South.
In a subsequent interview with Issara News, Paween stated that he believed the position transfer intended to threaten, since his safety would be even more perilous in the Deep South where human trafficking networks are particularly active. During the annual police reshuffling that year, no members of Paween’s trafficking investigation team were granted promotions.
Paween resigned from the Royal Thai Police in November 2015 after fruitless attempts to have an investigation into his position transfer initiated. So ended a lauded police career that had been marked by numerous distinctions, including awards for excellent investigative work by the Office of the Royal Thai Police three years in a row.
While Paween has been granted asylum in Australia, he is yet to receive citizenship.
Paween Pongsirin (Photo from Thairath)