The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) says it will file charges against two former ministers and two high-level officials at the Ministry of Labour for allegedly demanding 36 million baht in exchange for approving the export of Thai workers to Finland.
The DSI said on Thursday that it has evidence to back the bribery allegations against the four individuals, with some of the evidence coming from authorities in Finland.
The statement did not name the politicians or officials.
According to the DSI, a group of politicians, civil servants and civilians demanded that a Thai job broker pay an average of 3,000 baht for each worker destined to work harvesting wild berries in the Scandinavian country.
The broker in turn passed the special requirement on to about 12,000 Thai workers exported from 2020 to 2023. They had to pay altogether about 36 million baht in addition to other expenses.
The DSI said that both it and public prosecutors had agreed to press the charges with the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).
From 2020 to 2023 the labour minister was Suchart Chomklin, now a list MP and deputy leader of United Thai Nation, one of the parties in the governing coalition.
The veteran Chon Buri politician said on Thursday that he was innocent and would defend himself in the justice system.
“I did nothing wrong and I have no worries,” he said. “I have never been summoned for questioning and neither have any government officials.”
Suchart Chomklin, who served as labour minister from 2020-23, chats with Thai workers during a visit to a berry picking site in Finland in 2022. He has denied any involvement in the bribery alleged by the DSI. (Photo: Ministry of Labour)