THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Two Energy Ministry officials arrested for allegedly demanding bribe from private company

Two Energy Ministry officials arrested for allegedly demanding bribe from private company

Two officials from the Energy Ministry have been arrested for allegedly seeking money from a private company as a fee to change its status to oil warehousing business at Energy Complex A Building in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district.

Deputy secretary-general at the Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), Phumiwisal Kasemsuk, said on Monday that the office coordinated with police officers to make the arrests.
“A representative of the company had tipped off the PAAC that it had filed to change the business status to oil warehousing business in Chonburi province on July 22 at the Oil Business Safety Division, Department of Energy Business, Ministry of Energy,” said Phumiwisal.
“The official who accepted the petition was Thapanaphong [last name withheld], a professional engineer of the division, who allegedly told the company representative to meet him at a coffee shop and allegedly demanded Bt50,000 from the victim as a fee to process the document within 45 days.

Two Energy Ministry officials arrested for allegedly demanding bribe from private company

“The victim said they negotiated the fee down to Bt20,000 and agreed to pay the money on Monday. Alerted officials from the PACC arrested the suspect, along with Jakchai [last name withheld], a senior professional engineer of Oil Business Safety Division, who also allegedly took part in the racket.
The two were brought to Bang Sue Police Station and were charged with abusing their power as government officials, while PACC officers are investigating the money trail for possible conspirators. The defendants reportedly pleaded that the money was a gift from the business operator.

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