Fake police caught extorting migrant workers, employers in Bangkok

Petch Petpailin59 minutes agoLast Updated: Wednesday, April 30, 2025

60 1 minute read

Fake police caught extorting migrant workers, employers in Bangkok — Photo via Matichon

Officers arrested a Thai man posing as a police officer who extorted money from migrant workers and their employers at the popular tourist destination Asiatique the Riverfront, in the Charoen Krung neighbourhood of Bangkok

Restaurant owners and business operators in the area questioned officers at Wat Phraya Krai Police Station about the frequency of operations targeting migrant workers after observing repeated inspections at the location.

According to the complainants, a Thai man who claimed to be a police officer visited various restaurants and businesses, engaging with foreign workers, particularly those from Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos.

This individual reportedly demanded around 5,000 baht from each worker, threatening to take them to the police station if they refused to pay. Some workers and business owners complied with his demands, but the repeated nature of his visits raised suspicions.

Police subsequently monitored the area and apprehended the suspect, identified as Police Sergeant Major Jakkapong, at around 8pm on Monday, April 28.

Fake police extorted migrants — Photo via Matichon

He was caught speaking with a migrant worker and attempting to extort money when officers intervened. He was carrying a police identification card stating that he served with the Metropolitan Police Bureau, Region 7.

Jakkapong eventually confessed that he was neither a police officer nor a government official. He admitted to having forged the police ID and made a living by extorting migrant workers at Asiatique.

Fake police arrested for extortion and drug — Photo via Matichon

The suspect also revealed he had crystal methamphetamine in his possession and had used it before arriving at the scene. His confession led to two criminal charges:

Section 162 of the Narcotics Control Act: using a Category 1 narcotic. Penalty: up to one year’s imprisonment, a fine of up to 20,000 baht, or both.
Section 145 of the Criminal Law: impersonating a government official or performing official duties without authorisation. Penalty: up to one year’s imprisonment, a fine of up to 20,000 baht, or both.

Petch Petpailin

Petpailin, or Petch, is a Thai translator and writer for The Thaiger who focuses on translating breakingThai news stories into English. With a background in field journalism, Petch brings several years of experience to the English News desk at The Thaiger. Before joining The Thaiger, Petch worked as a content writer for several known blogging sites in Bangkok, including Happio and The Smart Local. Her articles have been syndicated by many big publishers in Thailand and internationally, including the Daily Mail, The Sun and the Bangkok Post. She is a news writer who stops reading news on the weekends to spend more time cafe hopping and petting dwarf shrimp! But during office hours, you can find Petch on LinkedIn and you can reach her by email at petch@thethaiger.com.