Police officer removed and two sergeants detained pending investigation
A police officer allegedly involving in extorting money from a shop owner has been removed to headquarters while two sergeants have been put into detention for 30 days, city police chief Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit Thoopkrajang said Monday.
The incident hit the headlines today, as it took place in front of a television journalist who was talking to the owner of the men’s clothing store at the time.
Banjong Cheewamongkonkarn, a journalist with Nation TV, wrote on his Facebook page on Sunday that he was talking to the owner of the Bovorn Fashion shop in the Si Phraya area when two police officers walked into the shop. One of them demanded of the owner: “Do you have the present money?”
The owner told them to return later as the time was not right. He finally told police about Banjong after they refused to go. They looked stunned and one of them said, “My boss in fact receives more money than me and other [officers]. The money I collect is for the boss - we get a very small sum.” However, both officers left the shop. The incident was recorded by the shop's security cameras.
Kamronwit said an investigative panel would be set up to look into the allegation. Bang Rak police station would launch a probe into the case before submitting a report to headquarters.
Meanwhile Pol Gen Adul Saengsingkaew, commissioner general of Royal Thai Police refused to comment, saying he would wait for results of the investigation. When asked to comment on the policeman’s claim that the money was for the boss, he repeated that he wanted to wait for the results of the investigation.
