Srisuwan arrested for alleged extortion in police crackdown operation

Police arrested prolific petitioner Srisuwan Janya at his Pathum Thani home yesterday for an alleged extortion case.

Natthakit Khongthip, director-general of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives’ Rice Department, claimed Srisuwan demanded 3 million baht to keep quiet about supposed irregularities in the department’s projects.

Natthakit, fearing for his reputation, negotiated the amount down to 140,000 baht, agreeing to an upfront payment. Unbeknownst to Srisuwan, Natthakit discreetly recorded the exchange, presenting it as evidence to the Royal Thai Police’s Anti-Corruption Division.

The director-general further accused two politicians, Yoswaris Chuklom and Pimnattha Jiraputthiphak, of being Srisuwan’s accomplices. Yoswaris, a former comedian turned political appointee, and Pimnattha, a past election candidate, now face arrest warrants for their alleged involvement.

It was revealed that Natthakit, despite his confidence in the project’s integrity, succumbed to the extortion for fear of tarnishing his reputation through frequent complaints. This led to the issuance of arrest warrants against Srisuwan and his alleged accomplices.

Natthakit was set to pay an additional 500,000 baht to Srisuwan in a sting operation.

Srisuwan’s wife received an envelope containing 500,000 baht at their Pathum Thani residence. In an attempt to evade arrest, Srisuwan hurried to discard the cash, but law enforcement thwarted his efforts and retrieved the evidence.

Post-arrest, investigators searched Srisuwan’s residence for additional proof, while his wife faced questioning to ascertain any potential involvement in the alleged offence, reported The Nation.

Following Srisuwan’s apprehension, Deputy PM Pirapan initiated moves to secure the surrender of Yoswaris and Pimnattha.

Srisuwan, known for his litigious history targeting politicians and bureaucrats, now finds himself at the centre of a scandal that could eclipse even his previous high-profile petitions.

In related news, seven Prathum Thani Provincial Police officers and an alleged police spy turned themselves in at Pratunam Chulalongkorn Police Station in Bangkok in December last year on charges of extorting money and raping a female drug suspect.