Thai soldier forced to drive Grab and share profits to commander
Journalist uncovers shocking power abuse during routine ride
The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) is investigating a high-ranking officer in the northeastern province of Udon Thani, who was accused of forcing a soldier to work as a Grab driver and collecting the earnings for himself.
A journalist from Channel 8 accidentally uncovered the alleged corruption within the RTAF while using the Grab ride-hailing app. The journalist noticed that the driver appeared stressed and invited him to discuss his work.
The driver eventually revealed that his name was Bomb, and that he was, in fact, a soldier. Bomb explained that he had voluntarily applied to serve as a soldier in the Wing 23 division in Udon Thani in June last year.
After undergoing the general training for about two months, trainers asked for volunteers to work for the deputy commander of the division. Bomb stepped forward and moved into his superior’s residence in October last year.
In January this year, the deputy commander suggested Bomb work as a Grab driver to earn additional income. Although the officer allowed Bomb to use his car, he required Bomb to share the earnings with him and his family.
Bomb said he agreed, as his military salary was only 8,400 baht per month. He began offering ride services in Udon Thani but was only able to earn around 1,000 baht per day, an amount that the deputy commander deemed insufficient.
Consequently, Bomb was ordered to relocate to Bangkok, where the deputy commander instructed him to earn at least 3,000 baht per day, promising Bomb a 10% share of the earnings.
Bomb said he struggled to meet the target, even when working from early morning until late at night. He had to pay for his accommodation and fuel, and the 10% share proved inadequate.
Pressure increased, with both the superior and his wife monitoring his earnings daily via a LINE group chat. Bomb was required to report every single baht earned and began to consider ways to escape the situation.
He decided to confide in the journalist shortly after his profession was discovered. However, he suspected the car was bugged, as his superior appeared to know about the conversation.
Bomb was subsequently ordered to return the car and meet with the deputy commander. He returned the vehicle to a military facility in Bangkok but refused to meet his superior, claiming he feared being beaten to death.
After Channel 8 and other news agencies reported the story, the RTAF responded by temporarily transferring the deputy commander from the Wing 23 division to the headquarters while an investigation is conducted. The RTAF pledged to deliver justice to Bomb and vowed to punish the officer if wrongdoing is confirmed.
Bomb is now seeking protection and assistance from the non-profit organisation Saimai Survive.
Thai conscripts and junior officers were reportedly assigned to live in the homes of senior officers, where they were expected to carry out domestic and personal tasks for their superiors. This made many men to find ways to escape from the conscription.
In recent years, the Thai military sought to reform its image and encourage more men to volunteer to join the military by highlighting the benefits provided during service. However, repeated scandals involving the mistreatment of conscripts continue to tarnish the military’s reputation.
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