Sakon nakhon: The Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), in collaboration with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), has apprehended the mayor of a Sakon Nakhon province and his associates on charges of extortion. The mayor allegedly demanded money from contract employees in exchange for the renewal of their contracts.
According to Thai News Agency, the investigation was directed by Phumiwisan Kasemsuk, Secretary-General of the NACC, and executed by a team including Pol. Lt. Col. Siriphong Sritula, who acted as Deputy Secretary-General. The operation involved Mr. Jirawat Suphap, Director of NACC Region 4, and senior investigator Mr. Sawat Nasomfan, alongside officers from the Central Investigation Bureau and the Anti-Corruption Division. The coordinated effort led to the arrest of the mayor and a civilian at a hotel in Sakon Nakhon province for extorting money from contract employees.
The PACC Region 4 was alerted by a victim who reported that the mayor had been demanding payment from contract employees for renewal of their contracts. The mayor reportedly convened a meeting with about 50-60 contract employees, confiscating their communication devices. He claimed a budget shortfall necessitated a reduction in employment rates and instructed employees wishing to renew their contracts to meet him individually. During these meetings, the mayor allegedly demanded 25,000 baht from each employee as a condition for contract renewal. The victim, after negotiating a payment plan and making payments through an intermediary, filed a complaint with the PACC.
The joint investigation by the PACC, ACC, and NACC uncovered evidence of the extortion scheme. It was revealed that the accused communicated the demand for payment via written messages to avoid verbal exchanges. The payments were then collected by a friend of the mayor, identified as Accused 2.
Following the victim's complaint, investigators from Sub-Division 3 of the Anti-Corruption Division collected evidence and secured arrest warrants from the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases Region 4. The coordinated effort by the PACC, ACC, and NACC resulted in the planned arrest and legal prosecution of the suspects involved.