Two senior engineers, working for Thailand’s Energy Business Department, have been arrested at their office by anti-corruption officials for allegedly demanding bribes from an oil business related company, to facilitate the processing of paperwork.

The two engineers were identified as Mr. Chakchai Tangpratchayakul and Mr. Thapanapong Pasonpat, both specialists attached to the Oil Business Safety Division of the Energy Business Department.

The sting operation was jointly conducted by officials from the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission’s Office and anti-corruption police, after they received a complaint from a private company alleging that one of the engineers, Mr. Thapanapong, had demanded a 20,000 baht bribe to facilitate paperwork concerning oil storage.

According to the complainant, an official from the company went to the Energy Business Service Centre on July 22nd to submit paperwork for changes to their oil storage business.

Later, Mr. Thapanapong, who accepted the paperwork, asked for a meeting with the company’s representative at an undisclosed coffee shop, during which the official allegedly demanded 50,000 baht as a service fee to speed up the paperwork process, claiming that the money would be delivered to his boss to get the paperwork approved.

The alleged bribe was, however, negotiated down to 20,000 baht. This was to be handed over at the office of the two engineers today, after the completion of the documentation.

The two engineers were taken to Bang Sue police station to face charges of bribery.