Senior Police Officer Duped into Paying Bt6 Million for Promotion

A deputy superintendent police officer has filed a complaint after being duped out of 6 million baht for a promise he would get a promotion. As a result, warrants from the criminal court were issued for the arrest of three people.

According to Crime Suppression Division, commander Pol Maj Gen Montri Thetkhan, the suspects – Ms. Ananya Pholyiam, alias Jae Ya, 53; ML Charanphong Charoonroj, alias Mom Frank, 53; and Ms. Parinyaporn Khanlun, alias Jae Nong, 59 – were arrested on warrants issued by the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct on April 23

Five mobile phones, a tablet, two bank account books, and an ATM card were seized from them.

The CSD chief said that a commissioned police officer holding the rank of deputy superintendent reported to CSD police that he was introduced to Ms. Parinyaporn in October last year, who said she could help him get promoted to the superintendent if he transferred 200,000 baht in advance for “making merit”.

Senior officer promised promotion

Later, he met with Ms. Ananya and ML Charanphong at a somtam restaurant in Nonthaburi province. The suspects boasted they knew national politicians and high-ranking officials and would help him get promoted. CSD chief said they then showed him photos of them with senior figures.

It is believed that the victim had made several transfers totaling 5.75 million baht. Pol Maj Gen Montri states that, when a police appointment list was announced, he was not promoted as promised to the position of superintendent. He was then unable to contact the suspects as they blocked his phone and email.

Upon learning of this, he filed a complaint with the Kukaew police station in Udon Thani province, believing that he was being scammed. However, he later requested that the case be transferred to the CSD because he feared he would not receive justice.

A police investigation found that the three suspects operated as part of a criminal gang, said Pol Col Wiwat Jitsophakul, superintendent of CSD subdivision 3. One was tasked with finding a potential victim, another said he could advocate for a position, and the third simply presented himself as a credible person.

Subdivision 3 chief said the victim had been asked to transfer money into a bank account opened by the suspects before it was transferred to another account.

According to Pol Col Wiwat, a criminal record search revealed some members of the gang have been involved in 13 cases. A bank account book belonging to Ms. Ananya showed more than 600 million baht having been withdrawn and deposited.

Some of the money was allegedly associated with lottery ticket fraud cases involving government quotas. A search was being conducted to ascertain whether ML Charanphong was a real noble title or not.

All three suspects denied all charges during questioning. Police held them in custody as they await legal action.

Police officers still buying top positions

Sources say officers who want to rise in the police echelons require a ticket from those in power in the force, politicians, or businessmen.

This ticket can either be a written or verbal reference, and it will be forwarded to those who are responsible for compiling and submitting the list of promotions.

Sources said that some officers seeking promotions were not required to pay for the ticket. They were given it if they had served their bosses for a long time.

In order to obtain a “police ticket”, the sources said, officers must curry favor with their superiors. Those in higher positions hold more tickets, according to sources.

Those who do not have bosses to issue the tickets may approach politicians both in the government and opposition camps, who would, in turn, obtain the tickets from senior police, sources said.

Prices for police superintendent positions range from 5-10 million baht, according to the sources.
Position-buying is a real thing, says Pol Lt Col Krisanaphong Poothakool, an associate professor of criminology and assistant president at Rangsit University.

A panel was set up by the RTP in 2017 to examine position-buying in the 8th Provincial Police Region.

Pol Lt Col Krisanaphong told the panel that there were grounds for the allegation, but the amount of money spent was unknown.