The Highway Police Division (HPD) will set up a committee to look into a recent attempt by a senior official at the Excise Department to lobby the HPD to avoid taking legal action against a tanker carrying illegal oil.
Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat Pankaew, commander of the Anti-Corruption Division (ACD), also acting as HPD commander, said the HPD police last Saturday stopped and seized an oil tanker for inspection on Phetkasem Road in Prachuap Khiri Khan and found the oil it transported was illegal.
Following the seizure, the unnamed senior Excise Department official called the HPD team and asked for a favour to let the tanker driver go and release the tanker, which the team refused to do, said Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat.
The Excise Department official then tried contacting Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat’s team asking for help to agree to a negotiation, he said.
Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat said as soon as he learnt about the caller’s intention, he immediately refused to meet that person.
“Now is time for everyone at the HPD to join hands in shaking off our bad reputation and build a new one to regain public trust,” he said.
He was referring to an ongoing investigation into the “sticker bribery” scandal of highway lorries disclosed by Move Forward Party (MFP) MP-elect Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, who cited information supplied by Land Transport Federation of Thailand chairman Apichart Prairungruang.