He is now in charge of his most high-profile and complex investigation yet, into human trafficking in southern Thailand.
Gen Paween’s latest case came under orders from Pol Gen Aek Angasananont, Deputy Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police, who ordered him to Padang Basar police station on May 6.
This week Gen Paween spoke with The Phuket News about progress in his biggest case yet, a case that involves 77 people alleged to have been involved in trafficking Rohingyas, a case that the whole world is watching.
So far, 36 bodies have been found. These have been sent to the Prince of Songkhla University in Songkhla for identification and to establish cause of death.
The investigation may go further up the chain of power. That is part of Gen Paween’s job, to spare no one in the government-mandated effort to eradicate human trafficking in Thailand.
He explained, “I was ordered to do this important work even though I work in Region 8. [Much of the investigation is in Songkhla and Satun Provinces, which are in Region 9.]
“The case is very complex because it involves cooperation with many official organisations, such as Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, and the Immigration Police.”
Sounding tired during the telephone interview, he said, “We have been working very hard. We are making arrests, questioning suspects – including local officials – and getting statements from Rohingyas.
He explained that his investigation is only into the trafficking of Rohingyas; it does not involve other smuggled or trafficked Burmese, or Bangladeshis.
It is still a huge investigation. “We have interviewed 114 boat people so far, of whom 55 were definitely Rohingya victims of trafficking. Nine more Rohingyas have yet to be interviewed. Of the total of 64, 60 are men and four are women.”
He explained that Rohingyas are questioned to determine whether they are genuinely victims of trafficking or can be regarded simply as economic migrants. If the latter, they are handed over to Immigration Police. From there on, they are no longer part of Gen Paween’s investigation.
“My job is to manage things in a way that results in all the human-trafficking suspects being arrested.”
As of Monday (May 25), 46 people had been arrested or surrendered to police, including the former president of the Satun Provincial Administration Organisation, Pajjuban “Ko Tong” Angchotiphan, who initially fled to Langkawi in Malaysia but later crossed back into Thailand and surrendered.
They also include a cousin of Ko Tong, and a member of the Provincial Council.
Another 31 suspects were still being sought. Among the 77 suspects are at least seven foreign nationals.
Gen Paween said that so far, Burmese officials have not been tagged as being involved. “No, there are no Burmese officials. Around here [Pedang Besar] we found suspected traffickers who are Rohingyas.
“Lots of business people in Songkla province and Padang Besar in Satun province are involved in human trafficking.
“This is work that involves a great deal of detail and many processes. All witnesses and evidence have to be checked out. We have about 40 police officers questioning witnesses and victims – when necessary through translators – finding the suspects and arresting them, and seizing assets.
“The investigators must collect evidence in many provinces in the South of Thailand, and all of this must be carefully documented and cross-checked.”
Asked how long the trafficking had been going on, Gen Paween said, “Four or five years. It is all very well organised. They have recruiters to source migrants, they have guards, ships’ crews and investors who put up the money.
“Each of the victims is worth B10,000-plus, so that means the organisation can make a lot of money.
“The price of each person differs depending on their physical condition. Traffickers go through them while they are still on the boat and price them by tying ribbons of various colours around their wrists. The prices for women and children are negligible.
“The traffickers sell them in Malaysia – we have found the connections in Malaysia. So far we have found no connections linking the trafficking to Indonesia.”
While waiting for buyers, the Rohingyas were held in the notorious camps in Thailand, along the Thailand-Malaysia border, where mass graves were found last month. Others were held in camps on islands along the Andaman Sea coast, such as the two discovered close to Phang Nga’s tourist hotspot of Khao Lak.
“They were treated very badly, like slaves. They are beaten by the traffickers.” They were also on starvation rations. “They received just rice and boiled or ground peanuts and water – like animals.
“We found that not all the boat people, Burmese, Rohingyas and Bangladeshis, were forced to get aboard the boats, though some were.”
But if they boarded the boats willingly, they soon realised that they were in the hands of evil people.
“Some of them tried to run away from [the detention camps in Thailand]. But they were caught, handed back and beaten or otherwise ill-treated. Some died.”
Asked whether his investigation is likely to drag in Thai figures more powerful than Ko Tong, Gen Paween revealed that “investors” from Ranong, Satun and possibly other places in Thailand are suspected of underwriting the modification of fishing vessels for use in trafficking. Some of the boats were built in Thailand but were later registered in Myanmar.
But, he added, “I can’t tell you any more right now. Let us do our job and we’ll see where it leads.”