Thai cop allegedly demands bribe and sex from arrested student

A Thai university student accused an officer from Thanyaburi Police Station in Pathum Thani province, near Bangkok, of demanding a 10,000 baht bribe and sexual favours from her after she was arrested for drunk driving.

The 22 year old female student reported the police corruption to the Pavena Foundation for Children and Women. She revealed, alongside the foundation’s founder, Pavena Hongsakul, that the officer in question held the rank of police lance corporal and was stationed at Thanyaburi Police Station.

The victim explained that she crashed her car into a sedan at around 11pm on August 30. She went to the police station while the other party went to a hospital for a medical check-up. At the station, the lance corporal escorted her to a separate room and conducted a breathalyser test.

The result showed 103 milligrammes percent. She admitted to having drunk alcohol with friends before the accident. The officer then took her to an area without CCTV cameras. He offered to suppress her test results if she paid him 10,000 baht.

According to the officer, the victim would otherwise face imprisonment and a 20,000-baht fine for the drink-driving charge. Frightened by the penalty, she agreed to pay.

She was asked to sign her name on two documents, one real and one falsified. The officer also requested her home address and phone number, telling her he would collect the money from her later.

Accused police officer

The victim stated that she eventually paid the demanded amount and requested that the officer hand over the real document containing the alcohol test results. However, he refused. He lured her to an entertainment venue, encouraged her to drink, and promised to give her the document only if she had sex with him.

The victim reported that she had sex with the officer that night but still did not receive the document. The officer even boasted afterwards that he had never given the document to anyone, suggesting he had committed similar acts with others in the past.

The student stated that the incident triggered her depression, leading to a three-day stay in hospital. After being discharged, the officer tried to visit her condo again, prompting her to seek help from the foundation.

The superintendent of the police station, Jirawat Piampinsate, claimed that the accused officer had been working at the station for more than two years without any previous misconduct. When questioned about the matter, the officer did not respond.

Jirawat promised to ensure justice for both parties and to question both sides in greater detail. Officers would also protect the student to prevent interference in her daily life.