Police scandal: 15 cops transfered over escort and extortion claims
The recent scandal involving a Thai escort and multiple police officers has resulted in the transfer of 15 officers from the Ayutthaya Special Operation Police Unit. An investigation is now underway to determine if these officers failed to pay for the escort’s services and if they extorted 20,000 baht from two sex workers.
The transfer of the 15 police officers occurred after an undisclosed Thai escort accused four men, claiming to be police officers, of demanding the return of a 1,500 baht sex service fee. They alleged that they did not reach a climax and threatened to sue her for being a prostitute.
The alleged cops then took her and another escort to a police station and threatened to charge them. The escort later agreed to forgo the service fee but the four officers continued to demand 20,000 baht a month from her and another escort.
Fearing they would not receive justice, the victims reported the matter to non-profit organisation Saimai Survive, leading to further investigation into the accusations.
According to the latest update from Channel 7, the Commander of the Ayutthaya Provincial Police, Chotiwat Lueangwilai transferred 15 officers from the Ayutthaya Special Operation Police Unit to the Ayutthaya Provincial Police office during the investigation.
This transfer confirms that the four men were indeed police officers from the Ayutthaya Special Operation Police Unit.
Chotiwat revealed in an interview with Thai PBS that four of them were primary suspects in the case, while the others were present at the police station and witnessed the extortion. However, all 15 officers deny the allegations.
In response to the denials, a police lineup will be conducted on Monday, September 2, to allow the victims to identify the main suspects.
Chotiwat promised to deliver justice to all parties involved and will punish the implicated officers according to both criminal law and police regulations. The escorts will also face fines for operating as prostitutes.
Thai PBS reported that the police have temporarily closed the hotel where the sex services were procured for evidence collection. Residents declined to be interviewed by the media, only revealing that the hotel had been in operation for over ten years.
ORIGINAL STORY: Thai escort extorted by 4 fake cops over unfulfilled climax
A Thai escort reached out for help after four customers, claiming to be police officers, threatened her to return a service fee of 1,500 baht before extorting a further 20,000 baht, saying she could not make them climax.
Non-profit organisation Saimai Survive accompanied the victim to Mueang Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Police Station to file a complaint against the four customers today, August 29. The four men told the escort they were police officers in the province but the department they served in was not disclosed.
The victim revealed to the police and reporters that the incident took place on Monday, August 26. The four men contacted her to purchase sexual services for 1,500 baht. It was not clarified whether the cost was for all four men or each individual.
The men paid her in advance but later demanded the money back after the encounter, saying they did not reach a climax. She refused to return the money, prompting the men to threaten to arrest her for illegally operating as a prostitute.
The men contacted a friend, who was with another escort, to take the woman to Mueang Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Police Station and threatened to prosecute her. The victim decided to return the money but the matter did not end there. The men demanded an additional 20,000 baht from her, which she refused to pay.
The escort claimed she lacked the funds to pay the men and challenged them to arrest her if they wished, as she believed the fine for prostitution would be significantly less than 20,000 baht. This infuriated the men, who then coerced her and another escort to summon their families to the police station to pay the 20,000 baht.
The two women refused, explaining that their families were unaware of their profession. They managed to negotiate the sum down to 5,000 baht, after which they were released. However, the suspects did not let them go easily, insisting that they would have to make monthly payments to avoid being arrested for prostitution.
Consequently, she sought justice and appealed to an organisation for assistance. Deputy Commissioner Ekkarat Aunjai of Mueang Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Police Station pledged to deliver justice to the victims and initiated an investigation to ascertain whether the gang were authentic police officers.