Thai tourist police officer, partner held over ‘protection money’ racket
A special task force from the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA) swooped in and arrested a senior tourist police officer and his accomplice for allegedly collecting protection money from local entertainment businesses.
The senior sergeant major was caught along with Manas (last name withheld), a 46-year-old Suphanburi-native, in the parking lot of a Nonthaburi shopping mall on Thursday night.
Ronnarong Thipsiri, chief of the department’s law-enforcement division, said the department had been alerted of two men pretending to be members of DOPA’s special taskforce and collecting “protection” money from bars and pubs in Nonthaburi’s Bang Yai area. The two men had reportedly been threatening to shut down businesses that refused to pay them a 3,000-5,000 baht monthly fee.
“We tracked down and ambushed the two men after learning that they were meeting at the parking lot on Thursday night. The arrests were made without the use of any force,” Ronnarong said.
Shortly after the arrest, National Police chief Pol General Suwat Jangyodsuk sacked the police officer immediately and ordered the Tourist Police Bureau to set up a committee to conduct a disciplinary investigation as soon as possible.
“I have also told the Nonthaburi police chief to personally supervise the criminal charges in this case to ensure a fast and transparent investigation,” he said. “The Royal Thai Police will not protect police officers who have broken the law.”
