Prosecutors have indicted two former local officials in Satun province over alleged graft and abuse of authority for collecting rubbish management fees from tourists visiting Koh Li Peh and causing 1.5 million baht in damages.
Kosolwat Indaruchanyong, spokesman for the Attorney-General's Office for Corruption and Misconduct Cases in Region 9, said the litigation is against a former chief administrator of the Koh Sarai Tambon Administration Organisation (TAO) and a close aide to a former chairman of the Koh Sarai TAO.
Mr Kosolwat said three people were accused of graft and malfeasance in this case but one of them, the former TAO chairman, died so the charge against him was dropped. An investigation was carried out by the National Anti Corruption Commission (NACC) and the findings handed over to the prosecutors.
The charge involves the unauthorised collection of rubbish management fees from tourists on Koh Li Peh which took place from February 2014 to late 2015, according to Mr Kosolwat.
The trio had TAO employees collect rubbish fees from tourists at 20 baht per head, he said, adding tourists were given a receipt bearing the TAO symbol after payment.
However, the TAO is not authorised to collect rubbish management fees from tourists. It was found that unauthorised fees totalling 1.55 million baht had been collected. It is unclear what happened to the money.
The case was filed with the court on Wednesday.