A senior Commerce Ministry official accused of stealing three paintings from a hotel in Japan could face dismissal, a Foreign Ministry source says.
Suphat: Charged with theft
The official, identified by Japanese media as Suphat Saquandeekul, deputy director-general of the Department of Intellectual Property (DIP), was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly stealing the paintings worth about ¥15,000 (4,600 baht) from a hotel in Kyoto.
The Foreign Ministry source said Kyoto police had told the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Osaka that the detained official would appear in court for indictment today and that the consulate staff would be allowed to see him at the Kyoto police station.
The arrest came after hotel staff on Monday discovered that three paintings decorating the aisles of the hotel's ninth and tenth floors were missing, according to Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun.
Footage from closed-circuit television cameras showed the Thai guest taking them, it says.
After being alerted, police searched Mr Suphat's bag when he was about to check out and found the three paintings inside.
Speaking at a news conference about the case Wednesday, Thosapone Dansuputra, director-general of the DIP, said the Thai embassy in Tokyo and the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Osaka were aware of the arrest and were ready to offer the official consular assistance.
Coordination with relevant agencies was under way, Mr Thosapone said.
Once Mr Suphat returns to Thailand, he would be questioned about the matter, the DIP chief said.
The official will face a disciplinary probe on his return and that the severest punishment would be dismissal if he is found guilty of theft.
According to Mr Thosapone, Mr Suphat, who graduated from Nagoya University, went to Japan to attend two intellectual property conferences between Jan 16 to 25.
Mr Thosapone said the official's alleged offence is a personal issue and it is unlikely to tarnish the image of Thai officials. (Story continues below)
Officials of the Department of Intellectual Property express their determination to work honestly and transparently. (Photo from the department's Facebook page)
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said relevant agencies would step in to probe the issue. He said he had no details about the case.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Sek Wannamethee said the Thai embassy and the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Japan are ready to assist the official by offering interpreters and lawyers.
EARLIER REPORT:
The Commerce Ministry official arrested in Japan for the alleged theft of three cheap paintings from a hotel is a deputy director-general of the Intellectual Property Department.This was revealed at an afternoon media briefing by the department's director-general, Thosapone Danmsuputra, after the news broke on Wednesday morning.
Without directly naming the deputy, Mr Thosapone responded to reporters’ questions by saying that the deputy previously received a scholarship to study in Japan and was sent to Japan.
The described qualifications and gender of the deputy fit the profile of Suphat Saquandeekul, who earned both a bachelor and a master's degree at Nagoya University. He is aged 60 years and due to retire at the end of September.
The department has only two deputy director-generals, one woman and one man.
Mr Thosapone said the department would wait for the full details of what happened before deciding what to do. A request had been sent to allow a Thai official to visit the suspect on Thursday.
Responding to questions, the director-general said it was hard to believe that his deputy had been arrested in Japan. He was a really capable man and dedicated to his work.
The deputy director-general had sought and been allowed permission to travel overseas and was due to return on Thursday. His schedule was to attend a meeting on the intellectual property of the government sector and another meeting at a university in Japan, from Jan 20-25.
The Commerce Ministry issued a statement on Wednesday afternoon stating it had received a report from the Foreign Affairs Ministry that Japanese authorities had detained a Thai suspect who is a deputy director-general of the ministry.
The ministry had instructed the Thai Trade Centre in Osaka to work closely with the Thai embassy in Tokyo and Thai Consulate Office in Osaka to provide assistance and seek a visit to the suspect.
The statement said if the accused official returns to Thailand, the ministry will have more information. If the fact indicates that he is guilty then disciplinary measures will follow.
The ministry said it was policy to supervise officials in their jobs and to uphold the discipline of the civil service. However, the accused official should be given the opportunity to defend himself against the accusation, which is the process under disciplinary procedures, the statement said.
Deputy Commerce Minister Sonthirat Sonthijirawong and commerce permanent secretary Wiboonlasana Ruamraksa said on Wednesday morning that the case will be investigated.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said he was aware of the reported incident and that appropriate officials would investigate it.
The news spread rapidly across social media, and the Facebook page of Department of Intellectual Property received a flood of comments, particularly about a photograph of the department's officials expressing their determination to work honestly, which had been uploaded to the page only on Monday.
Some Facebook users wanted the department to announce clearly how it will handle the case and protect the integrity of the agency. Some said the incident brought shame on the whole nation, but others saw it more as a personal issue for the official involved.
Japanese media reported on Wednesday that Tokyo police had arrested a Thai man suspected of stealing three paintings worth 15,000 yen (4,600 baht) in total from the hotel on Tuesday.
The arrest came after hotel staff discovered that the three paintings decorating the corridors of the hotel's 9th and 10th floors were missing. Surveillance camera footage showed the Thai guest taking them, it was reported. The suspect was identified only as a senior official of the Commerce Ministry.