Had Manas not been involved in human trafficking, he could have still enjoyed a remarkable military career. But in 2010, he was posted to Ranong province where he met Suwan – who ran a legitimate seafood trade in the open, but was involved in human trafficking behind the scenes. The transfer records became evidence to implicate Manas in human trafficking that spanned several southern provinces. The court found that Pajjuban had used his connections not just for legitimate businesses but also illegal for human trafficking. Banjong was at the helm of the Padang Besar Municipality for several years until the human-trafficking scandal exposed his dark side.

Source: The Nation Bangkok July 19, 2017 18:00 UTC