The Chon Buri provincial police commander, Pol Maj-Gen Kampol Leelaprapaporn, was questioned for more than three hours this afternoon (Sunday) over an allegation that he and other officers had extorted about 140 million baht from alleged members of an illegal online gambling gang.

An informed police source said the commander has been charged with malfeasance in office, accepting bribes and extortion, in accordance with Sections 157, 149 and 309 of the Criminal Code respectively.

Pol Maj-Gen Kampol refused to talk to a large gathering of reporters as he left the interrogation. He was escorted by several plainclothes officers to a waiting car, which whisked him away from the Police Club on the Vibhavadi Rangsit highway in Bangkok.

As many as 12 police officers, including Kampol, are suspected of involvement the alleged extortion.  Two civilians who were also allegedly involved have fled to a neighbouring country and Thai police have asked their counterparts in that country to return them to face charges.