Chon Buri police commander and seven of his subordinates were transferred to the operations centre of the Royal Thai Police with immediate effect today (Saturday), pending a fact-finding probe into an allegation of extortion made against them.
The national police, Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittipraphat, appointed one of his deputies, Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, to head the investigation.
Pol Gen Kampol Leelapraphaporn, commander of the Chon Buri provincial police, is among ten people, including seven other police officers and two civilians, accused by six people of extorting about 140 million from them.
The complainants, who were accused of operating an online gambling website, filed a complaint with the Khu Khot police in Pathum Thani province yesterday (Friday).
Police spokesman Pol Maj-Gen Archayon Kraithong said today that none of the eight officers have been charged yet, nor are they under arrest, pending the outcome of the investigation.
The complainants have only been identified as “Taninwat”, “Setthawut”, “Apirak”, “Chakkrit”, “Pattana” and “Kiattisak”.
Due to the high profile status of the officers being implicated, Khu Khot police have reported the case to the Royal Thai Police for advice.
In the complaint, the victims allege that, on May 23rd, police arrested Taninwat at a housing estate in Khlong Sam Wa district in Bangkok and took him to Kan Na Yao police station for questioning.
Separate police teams also raided two houses in Bang Yai district in Nonthaburi, but could not find their targets, Setthawut and Apirak. A Line message was sent to Setthawut, who was then in Singapore, to contact a “Mr. Ton” on his return to Thailand and Setthawut was shown an arrest warrant.
Taninwat was later escorted by police to Chon Buri, to meet with Pol Maj-Gen Kampol, who allegedly told Taninwat that the charges against him could be settled, depending on the amount of money he could offer.
Taninwat was subsequently put in an interrogation room with other police officers. Then a civilian entered the room, identified only as “Phisit”, allegedly to discuss the amount of money required to settle the case. Phisit allegedly demanded 120 million baht, but the amount was eventually bargained down to 65 million.
At about 11pm on the same night, Taninwat was taken from the provincial police head office to Bang Lamung police station, together with Phisit who was joined by the second civilian, identified only as “Veera”.
Both civilians allegedly instructed Taninwat to contact his associates to find the 65 million baht to settle the case. About 65 million baht was raised, but one of the civilians demanded an additional 20 million from Setthawut, after his return from Singapore.
Altogether 65 million baht was paid in two tranches, one at a housing estate in Khu Khot in Pathum Thani and the other at a temple in Mae Sruey district in Chiang Rai on June 24th. Taninwat was granted bail that night and he was driven home by one of the two civilians.
The other 20 million baht was paid to Phisit by Setthawut at a hotel in Pattaya on May 26th.
Another 30 million baht was paid to Veera, the other civilian in the gang, at a store in Bang Lamung district of Chon Buri by another extortion victim, Chakkrit, on May 27th.
