Highway weighbridge officials arrested in huge bribes scandal

Payments made since 2015, tens of millions of ringgit involved

Pol Maj Gen Gen Jaroonkiat Pankaew, deputy commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, left, talks to Noppadon Saen-ngai, 57, head of the Department of Highways spot check special unit, right, during his arrest on charges of demanding and receiving bribes from operators of overloaded trucks. (Photo supplied/Wassayos Ngamkham)
Noppadon Saen-ngai, 57, the head of the Department of Highways ‘ place test specific system, speaks to Pol Maj Gen. Jaroonkiat Pankaew, left, during his arrest on suspicion of demanding and receiving gifts from truck drivers who are overloaded. ( Photo supplied/Wassayos Ngamkham )

Two routes officials in charge of weighing facilities and an accomplice have been arrested and accused of demanding and receiving gifts from truck drivers who are overloaded.

During a series of raids on Tuesday morning, officers from the Counter Corruption Division (CCD ) and those from the National Anti-Corruption Commission ( NACC ) made the arrests.

The focused on 11 sites in seven regions- in Ayutthaya, Chaiyaphum, Phetchabun, Nakhon Pathom, Chon Buri, Chiang Mai and Bangkok.

They took into prison Noppadon Saen-ngai, 57, mind of the Ubon Ratchathani weighing place, &nbsp, Anek Khamchom, 59, brain of Nakhon Ratchasima’s Dan Khun Thot weighing place, and Thongchai Temfom, 38, a citizen who reportedly acted as a mediator.

According to Pol Maj Gen. Jaroonkiat Pankaew, deputy commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau ( CIB ), Mr. Noppadon also served as the head of the” spot check special unit” under the Department of Highways.

He and his partners were listed in the Regional Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct arrest permits. Fees include dereliction of duty, accepting gifts as state officers, and malfeasance in business.

Additionally, government summoned Prathin Phochairat, 39, the bank account owner reportedly receiving pay bills. He faces similar&nbsp, expenses. &nbsp,

A group of vehicle and crane operators were detained after filing complaints with different state agencies next season, accusing highways officials and civil complicities of demanding bribes from them, according to Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat.

Then-prime secretary Srettha Thavisin ordered an investigation, which led to the arrests on Tuesday night.

According to Mr. Noppadon and Mr. Anek, they reportedly demanded money from the truck technicians. According to the CIB assistant commander, Mr. Thongchai was given the task of negotiating the gifts.

At least 30 truck operators in the Northeast, Central Plains and lower North had paid money to the offenders for several years, he alleged.

More than 3 million ringgit in bribes were transferred to the senior officials involved in the transaction, according to Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat, according to Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat.

The three defendants who had been apprehended differently in Chaiyaphum and Phetchabun regions had already been identified and had been detained by authorities who had presented their case and had obtained court acceptance.

The defendants were being transported to Bang Pa-in and Wang Noi weighing facilities in Ayutthaya province, where they had practices that would also be searched for more information.

Researchers looking at the money trail found that about 126.46 million baht, believed to be pay cash, had pssed through a bank accounts of Mr Thongchai, one of the offenders since 2015, a police source said.

&nbsp, The investigators also found that 31 payments totalling 3.16 million ringgit had been made from Mr Thongchai’s bank accounts to a personal profile of Mr Noppadon, the important think.

The majority of the reward had been withdrawn, and the perpetrators had received funds in the interim. Mr Noppadon’s bank account even received additional payments of 13.23 million ringgit. 5.52 million ringgit had been transferred from Mr. Anek, the mind of the Dan Khun Thot weighing place and also one of the three offenders.

Further research into Mr. Anek’s income trail revealed more about truck operator bribe theft.

Each controller had transferred about 5, 000-100, 000 ringgit a quarter to his bank accounts from 2020 to 2023, or about 11.46 million baht, the officers source said.