A police senior sergeant major faces the sack and legal charges after being suspended for allegedly demanding bribes through entertainment venues in Nonthaburi.
The officer was named as Pol Sen Sgt Maj Phuwamet Hirunwongwaradol, 37, who is a squad leader at Neighborhood 1 of Tourist Police Division 1 .
Pol Maj Gen Apichart Suriboonya, the tourist police deputy key and spokesman, mentioned the officer had been assigned on Thursday night to patrol the Prawet, Bang Rak and Thong Lor areas of Bangkok but reportedly drove a police car to Bang Yai district in Nonthaburi.
He has been allegedly accompanied by Manus Suksom, 46, who have drove another vehicle and posed being a tourist police officer. Both then collected bribery payments from entertainment venues in the area upon Thursday night.
Police followed the two suspects and arrested them within the car park of Main Plaza West Gate shopping mall. The arresting officers also grabbed 100, 000 baht in cash including marked banknotes given to some entertainment sites by police after they received a tip-off about police using bribes.
After the arrest, the Tourist Police Bureau issued a declaration apologising for the officer’s conduct.
Pol Lt Gen Sukhun Prommayon, main of the Tourism Law enforcement Bureau, has ordered Pol Sen Sgt Maj Phuwamet’s suspension system. The suspect can face criminal charges and a disciplinary probe.
Mr Manus will be billed with impersonating the police officer and extortion. Pol Sen Sgt Maj Phuwamet offers served as a visitor police officer since 2010.