Thai man accuses 11 police of illegal raid and attempted extortion
A Thai man travelled from the northern province of Lamphun to Bangkok to seek help after 11 police officers allegedly illegally raided his home and attempted to extort 3,000 baht per month from him.
The 47 year old man, identified as Wongsaphat, sought assistance from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) in Bangkok because he no longer trusted local police in Lamphun following the suspicious raid, which occurred at around 4pm on November 6.
Wongsaphat revealed that the 11 officers arrived at his home demanding to search the premises. They neither introduced themselves nor disclosed their ranks, as is standard procedure, and they failed to present a search warrant or any official documentation.
Feeling he had no choice, Wongsaphat allowed the officers to search his home to prove his innocence. The search yielded nothing illegal, and the officers instead shifted their attention to three migrant construction workers whom he hired to renovate his property.
The police accused the construction contractor responsible for the workers of employing the migrants illegally. Since Wongsaphat hired the contractor, they claimed he would also face legal consequences.
The officers allegedly demanded Wongsaphat pay them 1,000 baht per migrant worker—amounting to 3,000 baht per month—to avoid legal troubles.
Wongsaphat refused to pay, insisting that all the workers were hired legally and possessed the necessary documentation. He immediately contacted the contractor, who confirmed the legality of the employment arrangements.
After the officers left, Wongsaphat reviewed CCTV footage of the raid and filed a complaint with Provincial Police Region 5. Senior officers confirmed that all 11 individuals were legitimate police officers. However, instead of pursuing legal action, they attempted to resolve the matter informally, which Wongsaphat initially considered.
The situation took a more alarming turn when Wongsaphat noticed one of the officers taking photographs of his car and its registration. Concerned for the safety of himself and his family, he decided to escalate the matter to the CIB in Bangkok.
The case is now under investigation, with more details of the alleged police corruption expected to emerge soon.
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