Five policemen face disciplinary investigation for allegedly helping TV actress Amelia Jacobs get off lightly on drug charges, the acting Bangkok police chief announced on Tuesday.
Pol Lt Gen Sutthipong Wongpin said an internal fact-finding inquiry found that five policemen from two stations, one of them Sai Mai, did Ms Amelia a favour through their testimony in court.
A disciplinary committee would be set up to consider disciplinary action against them.
This would be based on the findings of the fact-finding committee headed by Pol Maj Gen Daoloi Mueandej, acting city deputy police chief. The committee would submit its written report on Tuesday or Wednesday, Pol Lt Gen Sutthipong said.
He had already received a verbal report on the matter, but pending receipt of the written report he would not name the five policemen or give their ranks.
The fact-finding probe looked at interrogators and the police who made the arrest, he said.
No one would help the policemen under investigation because the case concerned illicit drugs, he said.
"If they also committed a criminal offence, they will also face legal action," the acting Bangkok police chief said.
They may also be prosecuted for dereliction of duty under Section 157 of the Criminal Code, he said.
In August the Min Buri Court sentenced Ms Amelia, 29, also known as Amy, to a jail term of three months, suspended for two years, and fined her 5,000 baht for using illicit drugs.
Her boyfriend Punyawat Hirantecha, 41, was sentenced to 25 years, four months and 15 days in prison and fined 750,000 baht for possession and sale of illicit drugs..
Punyawat and Ms Amelia, of Thai-Dutch parentage, were both arraigned on charges of collusion in possession of crystal methamphetamine and ecstasy pills for use and sale.
The pair were apprehended by police at a house at Chaiyapruek housing estate on Sukhaphiban 5 Road about 12.30am on Sept 19 last year. Police seized 70 grammes of crystal meth,16 ecstasy pills, a scale and drug-use paraphernalia.
Punyawat confessed to all charges. His girlfriend admitted using, but denied selling drugs.
Amelia, who was Miss Teen Thailand 2006 and played the lead role in the popular TV Channel 7 drama "Thida Wanorn" (Monkey Daughter), had already spent 11 months in custody awaiting trial and so was released immediately. She was ordained as a nun last month.
The Metropolitan Police Bureau launched the fact-finding investigation in response to a complaint from lawyer Atchariya Rueangratanapong last month.