Chicken factory extortion scandal rocks Thai police force

A scandal erupted in Nakhon Pathom as eight officers from Samkwaipuak Police Station face suspension over allegations of extortion totalling 200,000 baht.

Eight police officers in Nakhon Pathom have been suspended from the force following accusations of attempting to extort 200,000 baht from the owner of a chicken processing factory. The scandalous affair unfolded when the factory owner, enraged by the officers’ demands, aired her grievances on social media and filed a complaint with provincial authorities.

Police Major General Suwan Chiewnawinthawat, head of Nakhon Pathom police, swiftly took action, signing an order yesterday to suspend the implicated officers pending a thorough investigation.

The factory owner, who documented her ordeal on the Sai Mai Must Survive Facebook page and with local police, recounted a troubling encounter with the law enforcers. On March 29, the officers descended upon her factory, alleging the presence of illegal migrant workers. Despite presenting what she believed to be all necessary documentation, the officers persisted in their accusations, even threatening legal reprisals.

According to her testimony, matters escalated when the officers demanded a staggering 200,000 baht as a form of donation. Refusing to succumb to their pressure, she rebuffed their demands, which were later purportedly slashed to 15,000 baht.

The controversy took a dramatic turn when a widely circulated video emerged, capturing the moment the factory owner handed over the alleged bribe to one of the accused officers at Samkwaipuak Police Station. The footage, shared on social media platforms, sparked outrage and intensified scrutiny of police conduct.

Further revelations surfaced as the factory owner accused the officers of habitual extortion under the guise of merit-making fundraisers, reported Bangkok Post.

Allegedly coerced into frequent contributions, she claimed to have relented to smaller sums in recent times, enraging the officers and inciting the subsequent raid on her premises.

In related news, extortion practices by a special task force from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives were put in the spotlight as Senator Poldej Pinprateep levelled serious accusations against the group during a Senate debate.