Two policemen, one a talented singer, and three civilians are accused of the extortion of 700,000 baht from two illegal Chinese nationals on a motorway to Pattaya.
The two policemen have been arrested and denied all charges.
The Pattaya Provincial Court on Tuesday approved warrants for the arrest of Pol Sgt Thitiwat Rujiwong, 30, of Provincial Police Region 2, and Pol Sub-Lt Praderm Sarai, 54, a deputy inspector at the Central Investigation Bureau.
They are each accused of abuse of authority, coercing or inducing others to hand over assets or benefits, negligence of duty causing damage to others, colluding in coercing others to act or not act by creating fear of danger to life, body, liberty, reputation or property of the victims, and illegal detention or acting in a way to deprive others of bodily freedom.
Pol Sgt Thitiwat was taken into custody in Muang district of Chon Buri on Tuesday. Pol Sub-Lt Praderm surrendered to Nong Prue police in Chon Buri later in the day. He is known as a talented singer with a video of him singing “ตำรวจจะมา (Police will come)’’ available on YouTube.
Both denied all charges and on Tuesday night were released on bail, each on a surety of 400,000-baht cash.
The court also approved warrants for three other men - Voraphon Kaensawat, 40, Vachira Bannakhon, 48, and Kamol Wangsee, 33 - for assisting officials abusing their authority, illegal detention and related offences.
Police investigators seized two vehicles with Bangkok licence plates from the suspects, a Toyota Fortuner and a Ford Everest.
On July 10 a group of men claiming to be policemen forced a rented van with two Chinese nationals to stop for a search on a motorway heading to Pattaya, in Bang Lamung district of Chon Buri.
They allegedly kidnapped the Chinese men, taking them to a house and demanding they pay 700,000 baht in exchange for their freedom.
Their activities came to the notice of Pol Maj Gen Thirachai Chamnanmor, commander of Provincial Police Region 2, who immediately ordered an investigation. Region 1 and Pattaya police investigators found the two Chinese nationals - Jin Cui, 43, and Chen Wei, 44 - at a condominium in Jomtien area of Pattaya.
During questioning it emerged that the two men had fled China to evade arrest warrants for gambling offences. They had gone to Laos early last December and later illegally crossed the Mekong River into the northern province of Chiang Rai. They were picked up on the bank along the road to Chiang Rai airport, where a van was later sent to take them to Pattaya.
The vehicle was stopped by the alleged extortionists shortly before reaching the resort city.
The arresting team handed the two men over to Chon Buri immigration office to face charges of illegal entry. They face deportation to China.
They were later taken to Nong Prue police station to give their side of the story about being extorted out of 700,000 baht on the motorway leading to Pattaya.
