Two senior police officials in Phuket have been transferred as the Royal Thai Police (RTP) widens its probe into an allegation that tourist police have been taking monthly bribes in excess of 100 million baht.
Both officials were transferred to the headquarters of Provincial Police Region 8 in Surat Thani, according to Pol Gen Wirachai Songmetta, an acting deputy chief of the RTP. Neither of the two figures were identified by name.
As the investigation is ongoing, both are being considered innocent until proven guilty, Pol Gen Wirachai said in his capacity as spokesman for the RTP.
On Tuesday, Pol Gen Suchat Thirasawas, acting chief of the police inspectors, said Thammarat Suwannaphosi, who operates a Facebook page called "Spotlight Phuket", had recently submitted a petition to the Prime Minister's Office and the office of the police inspectors over the alleged bribe-taking.
Thai nationals, foreign tourists and migrant workers in Patong beach of Muang district were all allegedly victims of the tourist police who demanded kickbacks, said Pol Gen Suchat.
The petitioner alleged that corrupt police officials made at least 100 million baht in monthly "tea money" -- a common euphemism here for bribes -- said Pol Gen Suchat. The report prompted national police chief Chakthip Chaijinda to order a formal investigation, he added.
Pol Lt Gen Sakhon Thongmanee, acting chief of the Tourist Police Bureau (TPB), said similar allegations have cropped up before and the TPB previously set up a committee to look into Mr Thammarat's claims about tourist cops seeking kickbacks in Phuket.
Mr Thammarat was himself invited in for questioning by the committee at one stage about information he published on his Facebook page. But he told the committee the information he had at hand about the bribes was perhaps not clear enough, said Pol Lt Gen Sakhon.
Mr Thammarat has faced multiple criminal cases for posting information about the claimed bribe-taking activities of the tourist police in Phuket, said Pol Lt Gen Sakhon.
"After receiving a complaint [from Mr Thammarat], the fact-finding committee was promptly set up to look into the matter," he said.
"And if any police are proved to have demanded payments, they will face both disciplinary and legal action," he added.
Metha Maskhao, a coordinator of the Police Watch group, said instead of launching a formal probe, police often resort to verbal threats and denials against the petitioner when someone dares to accuse them of graft.