Tourist cop and associate deny extortion - charges laid and bail denied

[webfact]

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Thai Rath reported on developments in the case of an alleged extortion racket of bars and clubs in Bangkok by a tourist policeman and his associate. 

 

The pair were picked up in a sting opposite Central Westgate in Nonthaburi yesterday, as reported on ASEAN NOW.

 

Yesterday morning the policeman - Sen Sgt Maj Phuwamet Hiranwongwaradol and Manas Suksong were interrogated for two hours by Bang Yai deputy Lt-Col Somchai Orraphakdee.

 

The policeman was charged with extortion and offences related to abusing his position while Manas was charged with extortion and impersonating an officer.

 

 

They denied extortion but they admitted collecting money.

 

Yesterday it was reported that 100,000 baht was found in Manas's car after the sting, so it was hard to deny that, notes ASEAN NOW.

 

But they said that the ringleader of the racket was a man called Pae, 44, who the policeman met during his time at the tourist police in Pattaya.

 

 

Pol Maj-Gen Phaisan Wongwatcharamongkhol, chief of the Nonthaburi police, said the man they were referring to was Suwan Mongkholphanichakul or Pae, 44. 

 

His address in Bang Bua Thong is known and an arrest warrant is being sought. The chief promised justice for all. 

 

Relatives of the tourist policeman turned up with 200,000 baht money to bail him out but this was denied.

 

He was handed over to the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission along with his tourist police car.

 

Both men were pictured leaving the station in handcuffs. 

 

-- © Copyright  ASEAN NOW 2022-07-09

 

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[Kenchamp]

I wonder if toes of a more senior cop were being trod on because it's a well known fact that most bars and entertainment places have to pay the cops to be "left alone".

[Pedrogaz]

Quelle surprise.....double penalty for not pleading guilty.....so transferred twice?

[generealty]

So they have just given the ringleader ample time to escape overseas by mentioning an arrest warrant is being sought. How long does that take - 10 minutes ? So why the need to mention it in advance ????

[GaWalker]

22 minutes ago, generealty said:

So they have just given the ringleader ample time to escape overseas by mentioning an arrest warrant is being sought. How long does that take - 10 minutes ? So why the need to mention it in advance ????

It seems to me the reason there’s so much corruption in land of smiles is because half the Police are spending all their time investigating the other half, leaving no police to to serve the community 

[bristolgeoff]

One time in pattaya i saw in a bar,it was afternoon.2 police come in had a chat and bottle of coke of course.I left was down the road a bit saw the officers carrying a bottle of johnny walker black towards the police station.They were not trying to hide it and walked calmly towards beach rd.In cnx my friend had a bar and he had a evenlope with 1500 for the police to collect every mth.He made no secret of this fact and every bar had that standard price .Everyone knows the brown evenlope exist,no point hiding this fact

[Spock]

Pattaya police used to be the scum of the earth, bedecked in gold jewellery and obviously with earnings way beyond their salaries. No surprise that this cop should have originated from there ranks. 

[Andrew65]

He must have been taking time off extorting money from tourists for discarding fag ends, which I thought was the main function of the TP.

[shackleton]

Nothing new to report bribery is a way of doing business here

Brown envelopes the favoured choice 

[mikeymike100]

"The chief promised justice for all."

Well there's a contradiction in terms!   ????

[rudi49jr]

8 hours ago, Kenchamp said:

I wonder if toes of a more senior cop were being trod on because it's a well known fact that most bars and entertainment places have to pay the cops to be "left alone".

My thoughts exactly. Someone higher up didn’t get their cut and ratted them out. Or maybe it’s just that age-old Thai adage: “a misunderstanding”. 

[RichardColeman]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

 

Pol Maj-Gen Phaisan Wongwatcharamongkhol, chief of the Nonthaburi police, said the man they were referring to was Suwan Mongkholphanichakul or Pae, 44. 

 

His address in Bang Bua Thong is known and an arrest warrant is being sought.

Meanwhile Pae is probably doing a runner after being named by the police. Absolute joke of a police force

[gerritkaew]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

Relatives of the tourist policeman turned up with 200,000 baht money to bail him out but this was denied.

confiscatie this money also!!

 

You know for to get bail in thailand you must kill someone !!

[garyk]

What is this a joke, this guy is in every police station in Thailand. 

[hotchilli]

21 hours ago, webfact said:

They denied extortion but they admitted collecting money

Well I doubt if they see it as extortion.. just their god given right.

[mikebell]

On 7/9/2022 at 7:06 AM, webfact said:

But they said that the ringleader of the racket was a man called Pae, 44, who the policeman met during his time at the tourist police in Pattaya.

Another feather in Pattaya Plod's cap. Rotten to the core, 'serving & protecting' only themselves.

[zzaa09]

Too many layers of policing.

[BangkokReady]

On 7/9/2022 at 7:17 AM, Kenchamp said:

I wonder if toes of a more senior cop were being trod on because it's a well known fact that most bars and entertainment places have to pay the cops to be "left alone".

How did the police find out about it?  Presumably the businesses contacted some other cops and told them there was some double-dip extortion going on.

 

We have to assume that the standard "tea money" that allows businesses to function properly go all the way up the chain.

[Maybole]

On 7/9/2022 at 8:41 AM, shackleton said:

Nothing new to report bribery is a way of doing business here

Brown envelopes the favoured choice 

I would not call it bribery, I think the correct term is extortion!

[smiggley]

When I had a bar in Pattaya I had a few police come in saying I had to pay, I told them all I only pay the top cop and for them to sort that out. It worked as I only paid one cop once every month.