As the number of desperate Rohingya and Bangladeshis shuttled through the trafficking operation shot up, so did Manas’ rank in the Thai military. Police followed a money trail that lead straight to Manas, an army hardliner with a passion for bullfighting. Phone and e-banking records from the drivers led to key trafficker Sunan Saengthong, a Ranong politician and businessman who had deposited nearly $600,000 in accounts belonging to Manas. All the while, Manas’ seemingly inexorable rise up the army ranks continued, with his command stretching over increasingly large chunks of the south. Manas was the only military man convicted in last week’s trafficking trial, which saw more than 60 people sent to jail.

Source: The Standard July 23, 2017 11:26 UTC