Eight officers being investigated for colluding with civilians to shake down online gambling suspects
The Chon Buri provincial police chief is among eight senior officers who have been moved to inactive posts for allegedly colluding with civilians to extort 140 million baht from online gambling suspects.
National police chief Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas on Saturday ordered the transfer of the eight officers to the Royal Thai Police (RTP) operations command centre, said Pol Lt Gen Archayon Kraithong, the RTP spokesman.
The affected officers are Pol Maj Gen Kamphon Leelaprapaporn, 54, chief of Chon Buri police; Pol Lt Col Narongrit Wasuphan, deputy Chon Buri chief; Pol Lt Col Sathian Ratchapongthai, deputy superintendent at Nong Kham station in Chon Buri; Pol Maj Pornthep Phetnuan, investigation chief at Wang Chan station in Rayong; Pol Col Damrong Onta, superintendent at the Cyber Investigation Bureau (CCIB); Pol Maj Nakhonrat Nonseelad, Pol Lt Col Pathomphong Meeyu and Pol Capt Somboon Butdalert.
Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, the deputy national chief, has been named to head a special investigative panel that will look into the case, said Pol Lt Gen Archayon.
The panel will include investigators from Provincial Police Regions 1 and 2, who will be tasked with gathering evidence. Any officers found guilty would face immediate and serious disciplinary action because the case has badly tarnished the image of police, said Pol Lt Gen Archayon.
Authorities are also investigating two civilians — Phisit “Ton” Nakhisornpanee and Veera “Boy” Nasap — believed to be linked to the eight officers. They are suspected of having been tasked with dealing with gambling suspects.
So far, however, no arrest warrants have been sought, the spokesman said.
Pol Lt Gen Archayon Kraithong, spokesman for the Royal Thai Police, briefs reporters on Saturday about the transfers of eight senior police accused of allegedly extorting money from online gambling operators. (Photo: Police TV)
The investigation has made some progress. The financial records of the officers and six people suspected of involvement in online gambling operations are being examined for possible links, said the spokesman.
The transfers came after six people on Thursday filed a complaint with the Khu Khot police station in Pathum Thani, accusing Pol Maj Gen Kamphon and his team of trying to extort 140 million baht from them.
According to the complainants, a team of Chon Buri police officers with warrants arrested them during raids on three locations in Bangkok and Nonthaburi at around 1pm on May 23.
Some complainants were subsequently taken to the Khannayao police station in Bangkok before being taken to Chon Buri to meet Pol Maj Gen Kamphon at his office.
In accounts that have circulated widely on social media, the Chon Buri police chief was quoted as saying to one of the suspects: “There is a way out, Phae. How much do you love the police commander? Write it down (the sum of money).”
A police source said Pol Gen Surachate would examine security camera recordings from the office of the Chon Buri chief as well as premises that police raided and where extortion attempts allegedly took place.
The source said one of the eight transferred officers had already reported to his immediate commander, Pol Lt Gen Worawat Watnakhonbancha, the CCIB commissioner. The seven others reportedly planned to report to the RTP on Saturday.
The Chon Buri police chief not long ago received an award from the national police chief. Acknowledging a photo that was circulating online, Pol Lt Gen Archayon said it was taken at an event held to recognise 39 outstanding officers for traffic management during the New Year and Songkran holidays.