Drug suspect accuses police of 300,000 baht extortion and rape
A Thai drug suspect accused Pathum Thani Provincial Police officers of illegally reducing her sentence, extorting 300,000 baht and raping her.
The Thai woman and her boyfriend sought help from the non-profit organisation Saimai Survive. The organisation accompanied them in filing a complaint at the Office of the Prime Minister at Government House yesterday, December 11.
Addressing the media, the couple recounted their ordeal, stating that they had been apprehended by seven officers from the Pathum Thani Provincial Police on charges of possessing ketamine. Subsequently, they were transported to the police station for interrogation, where they were individually questioned in separate rooms.
The woman stated that officers checked her mobile phone and banking application. She had about 360,000 baht in her bank account at that time. After finding the money, officers offered her the option of paying them 300,000 baht in exchange for her freedom.
The officers said they would reduce the sentence, which would allow her and her boyfriend to be released on temporary bail. According to the woman, the police took her to withdraw money from several ATMs in the area until they had 300,000 baht in cash.
She was taken back to the police station and witnessed the officers sharing the money. She was cleared and her boyfriend was taken to Thanyaburi Police Station for temporary detention.
Sexual assault
The woman revealed that the rape took place when her boyfriend was taken away. A police officer told her that he was the main person communicating with a senior police officer until she was released, so he should get something special in return.
The woman said she thought the officer wanted more money and told him that she had no more money to give him. The officer then told her that instead of the money, she would have to have sex with him. Otherwise, her boyfriend would never get bail.
The officer reportedly took her to a hotel in Pathum Thani’s Rungsit district where he raped her and asked for another 30,000 baht.
The boyfriend revealed that two weeks later he was temporarily released and noticed that his girlfriend had changed. She rarely spoke and acted strangely. He kept questioning her about what had happened until he found out about the rape.
The boyfriend explained that he had asked his friend, who was also a police officer, what to do next, and the police friend suggested that he seek help from Saimai Survive.
Saimai Survive founder Ekkaphop Lueangprasert reported the matter to Provincial Police Region 1 Commander Jirasan Kaewsaengek and Deputy Prime Minister’s Assistant Thanakrit Jitarreerat.
The next step in the investigation into the matter has not yet been announced.
