Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

 

A police sergeant and his civilian accomplice have been charged, after allegedly detaining and extorting a 21-year-old man for 7,000 baht, in an incident that has prompted strong condemnation from senior provincial police officials.

 

The incident occurred late at night on the Hod-Doi Tao Road when the victim, returning from a social gathering, stopped to urinate at the roadside. He was then approached by two men, one later confirmed to be a police officer, who accused him of driving under the influence. The pair allegedly forced the man into a vehicle, drove him around the Doi Tao Lake area, threatened him with a weapon and demanded a 20,000 baht payment to “settle” the matter.

 

Following nearly four hours of negotiations, the suspects allegedly reduced the demand to 7,000 baht, which the victim’s relatives later delivered. The victim was released shortly afterward.

 

Police Major General Yutthana Kaenchan, Commander of Chiang Mai Provincial Police, revealed that warrants had been swiftly secured and that the arrests were carried out on the evening of 26 May, by a joint task force from Hod and Doi Tao police stations, comprising more than 15 officers.

 

The primary suspect is a 35-year-old police sergeant facing multiple serious charges, including abuse of authority, kidnapping, unlawful detention, extortion, and corruption. The second suspect, a 26-year-old, is accused of supporting the officer’s criminal conduct and faces similar charges.

 

Both suspects were arrested in front of Hod Police Station and have since been remanded for prosecution at the Region 5 Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct.

 

CCTV footage obtained from the area near Ban In Subdistrict Administrative Organisation captured key moments of the crime. At 01:43, the suspects were seen transporting the victim from Ban Dong Dam, while the final clip at 04:41 shows them returning after securing the extorted payment and releasing the victim.

 

Police Major General Yutthana stated that both suspects have confessed to the charges, citing financial motives. He confirmed that the police officer has been suspended from duty pending disciplinary and legal proceedings.

 

The Commander added that an internal review is underway to determine responsibility among the officer’s superiors. “We are investigating the chain of command, from the superintendent down to deputy inspectors, to assess how this behaviour was allowed to occur under their supervision,” he said.

 

The case has intensified scrutiny on police conduct and supervision within the province. Authorities pledged full transparency and firm action against all those found culpable.

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Khaosod 2025-05-28.

 

 

 

Another bent copper extorting money i can't believe it  probably get a transfer to another post this is just the tip of the iceberg