The Office of the Inspector-General has confirmed the transfer of 10 Phuket police who were allegedly involved in accepting massive bribes worth more than 100 million baht.
Suchart Theerasawat, acting chief of the office, said Sunday he had signed transfer orders for 10 officers after a probe panel found evidence of bribery.
"The panel found there were officers taking bribes in the province. Therefore, I signed the orders to dismiss the officers from their posts," he said.
The probe was launched after the Royal Thai Police (RTP) widened its investigation into allegations that police from several Phuket-based units have been taking monthly bribes from Thais, local business operators, foreign tourists and migrant workers in excess of 100 million baht.
Recently, photos featuring a list detailing the bribe payments went viral on social media.
The lists bore names, dates and amounts of money ranging from 1,000-5,000 baht, said to have been paid to police officers in several units in Phuket.
The probe also indicated officers possibly take bribes from illegal migrants as more than 1,000 of them were arrested but they were not handed over to the Immigration Bureau, according to a source.
According to figures supplied by the RTP, a total of 2,415 foreigners were arrested in Phuket over the past year.
Only 685 were sent to the immigration bureau for deportation while 1,730 were not, raising suspicions they may have been bribed not to do so.
After the probe result came out, Pol Gen Suchart on Nov 13 signed an order to transfer six officers to work at the RTP Operation Centre (RTPOC).
They include Pol Lt Col Surasak Jaidee and Pol Lt Col Thienchai Chompu, both inspectors attached to the Phuket Immigration Office under the Immigration Division 6 overseeing the South; and Pol Capt Nimit Sukprasert, deputy inspector of the Provincial Police Region 8's the Investigation Division.
The others are Pol Capt Adul Boonrat, crime suppression inspector attached to Patong police station; Pol Sen Sgt Maj Pornprasit Waenthong, investigation squad leader at the station; and Pol Sen Sgt Maj Phongphet Chantharat, squad leader at the Immigration Division 6.
Pol Gen Suchart later signed another transfer order on Nov 17 to dismiss four police officers from their posts and transfer them to the RTP Operation Centre (RTPOC). The order took effect ion Saturday.
Those four are Pol Col Thatsanai Olarikadet, superintendent of Patong police station; Pol Capt Srisuda Muangkaew, deputy inspector and Pol Sen Sgt Maj Chakthipon Nakpongpak, squad leader, both attached to the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division's unit 5; and Pol Sen Sgt Maj Worachat Thappun, squad leader of the traffic unit at Patong police station.
Earlier, two senior Phuket police officials were also transferred to the Provincial Police Region 8 headquarters in Surat Thani after the RTP found they were involved in the bribe scandal.
They are Pol Col Chaiwat Auikham, former superintendent of Patong police station, and Pol Lt Col Somsak Thongkliang, the station's deputy superintendent.
In response to criticism over the transfer reported by some media outlets, Pol Gen Suchart said he was fully authorised to sign the transfer orders, adding the accused officers had the right to seek recourse by making an appeal to the Administrative Court.