Chiang Mai police lieutenant, 3 others caught extorting Chinese tourist

A police lieutenant colonel and three other men were arrested in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on September 15 for allegedly extorting 200,000 baht from a Chinese national. The lieutenant colonel, who served with the Special Operations Sub-Division of Provincial Police Region 5, remains unnamed. The three accomplices were identified as Serksak, Narakorn, and Siraphob.

This incident follows a complaint made by the Chinese individual, who informed investigators that the officers and their subordinates had conducted raids at entertainment venues in San Kamphaeng district as part of a drug crackdown in August. The Chinese tourist was reportedly taken out of a venue and forced to pay 200,000 baht for his release.

The Chinese Embassy and San Kamphaeng Police Station were subsequently informed. The police lieutenant colonel and the other officers have been charged with malfeasance in office and using their positions for extortion. No further details on the alleged extortion or the legal consequences for the suspects have been provided. This case is not the first of its kind in Thailand, with similar incidents reported in Sa Kaeo and Rayong involving Chinese nationals being extorted by police or individuals posing as immigration officers.