Thai police probe truck sticker bribery scandal: 46 types identified
There’s been a new development in Thailand’s truck sticker bribery scandal. The inspector-general of the Royal Thai Police (RTP) Office will likely take 15 days to determine who will be subjected to a disciplinary investigation in connection with the scandal. Pol. Gen. Visanu Prasartthong-osoth announced that an inquiry is being conducted by his office, led by Pol. Lt. Gen. Ditsapoj Issarangkul Na Ayutthaya, acting deputy inspector-general.
The scandal came to light when Move Forward Party (MFP) MP-elect Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn alleged that operators of overloaded trucks bribed officials for special stickers that exempted them from weight checks along the road. Following the allegation, Pol. Maj. Gen. Ekkaraj Limsangkat, commander of the Highway Police Division, was transferred to an inactive post at the Central Investigation Bureau, Bangkok Post reported.
Pol. Gen. Visanu reassured law-abiding truck operators that they would not face harassment or inconvenience, possibly referring to cases of extortion where drivers who refused to pay were subjected to frequent stops by police.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Ditsapoj stated that his panel is collecting additional information to determine who was involved in the alleged truck sticker bribery, as the information provided by Wiroj did not identify any witnesses. He said…
“We’re gathering further information to identify people involved or witnesses. It won’t take long. Initially, we found 46 types of stickers that may be linked to the bribery scandal.”
Approximately 40 highway police officers, who were transferred to the Highway Police Division’s operations centre due to their alleged involvement in the truck sticker bribery case, were reported for assignment yesterday. Pol. Maj. Gen. Jaroonkiat Pankaew, Counter Corruption Division chief, said the officers, facing charges of malfeasance, would be investigated by a committee.
In recent news, 12 highway police officers have been indicted on charges of extortion and misconduct related to the truck sticker bribery scheme. The Ministry of Transport is working on the immediate deployment of IT solutions to effectively address widespread corruption in the long term. Read more HERE.
