Four police officers removed over alleged abduction of Chinese nationals
Royal Thai Police orders criminal and disciplinary action against four officers accused of abducting and extorting five Chinese nationals in Sa Kaeo.
The Royal Thai Police has removed four officers from service pending investigation after they were accused of abducting and extorting five Chinese nationals in Sa Kaeo, as investigators widen the probe into possible links with transnational crime and online scam networks.
Pol Lt Gen Trairong Phiwphan, Deputy Inspector-General of the Royal Thai Police and police spokesman, said national police chief Pol Gen Kitrat Phanphet had ordered firm legal and disciplinary action against the officers, stressing that the force would not tolerate any abuse of authority.
He said the alleged conduct was a serious breach of law, police discipline and professional ethics, adding that all parties involved must be investigated without exception.
Chinese nationals rescued in Sa Kaeo
The case emerged after immigration police and several other units rescued five Chinese nationals from a house in Wang Mai subdistrict, Wang Sombun district, Sa Kaeo province, on May 17.
Four police officers and one civilian were later arrested in connection with the case.
Pol Lt Gen Trairong said Sa Kaeo Provincial Police had immediately launched criminal proceedings against the suspects, while the officers’ parent agency had moved to remove the four officers from service pending investigation to ensure transparency and public confidence.
Criminal charges and serious disciplinary action
Wang Sombun police have charged the four officers with jointly detaining others, abuse of authority by state officials, coercion to obtain assets, and malfeasance in office.
The civilian suspect has been charged with supporting state officials in the commission of offences.
All five suspects were taken to Sa Kaeo Provincial Court for their first round of detention on May 19. Pol Maj Gen Thaworn Dulayawit, commander of Sa Kaeo Provincial Police, is personally supervising the investigation.
The Royal Thai Police said the disciplinary process against the four officers would proceed decisively alongside the criminal case.
Wider probe into possible crime networks
Police are also expanding the investigation to determine whether other individuals were involved and whether the incident was linked to a wider organised network.
Pol Lt Gen Trairong said another police officer had been mentioned in connection with the case and was being sought for questioning. If evidence shows involvement, he said, both criminal and disciplinary action would be taken directly and without exception.
He stressed that even if the five Chinese nationals were suspected of illegal conduct, state officials had no right to act outside the law.
Cross-border and online scam links under review
Initial inquiries found that the five foreign nationals had allegedly entered Thailand illegally and had frequently crossed the Thai-Cambodian border.
Investigators are now checking whether they have any links to transnational criminal networks or online scam syndicates.
The Royal Thai Police said all units had been instructed to enforce the law strictly while protecting the safety of the public and tourists of all nationalities.
The force also insisted that Thailand remained safe and would not be allowed to become a base or transit route for transnational criminal networks.
The case began on May 17, when immigration police and other agencies rescued five Chinese nationals from a house in Sa Kaeo province. Four police officers and one civilian were later arrested. The officers have since been removed from service pending investigation, while police are pursuing both criminal charges and serious disciplinary proceedings.
