Speaking to the press on Friday (Jan 27), Ms Tunyaratt said local police and government officials were exploiting the law to extort money from foreign employees and migrant workers.
Ms Tunyaratt said she had received many complaints from people affected by the shakedowns.
“A major Scandinavian tour agency that brings many tourists to the island said that foreign staff with work permits were being repeatedly harassed by officials, particularly in key tourist areas such as Kata, Karon and Patong beaches,” she said.
Ms Tunyaratt said the officials kept returning to check foreigners’ work permits, and usually carried out their “raids” on Fridays.
“Even though the foreigners insisted they had valid permits, the officials threatened to take them to a police station for detention pending further questioning,” Ms Tunyaratt explained.
The officials chose Fridays as the foreigners would have difficulty raising the funds to post bail in order to avoid spending two days in a Phuket holding cell.
“If they didn’t want to go to the station, they were asked to pay B20,000,” said Ms Tunyaratt.
Speaking on behalf of Phuket’s dive industry, Ratanapon Promchu, Manager of the Phuket-based Association of Thailand Underwater Sports (ATUS) office, on Saturday (Jan 28) warned that ongoing shakedowns targeting local dive operators could kill off many businesses in the island’s booming dive industry. (See story here.)
Among the slew of complaints received by The Phuket News about the arrests were recurring reports that passports and work permits were being withheld even after a court-levied fine had been paid.
Allegations surfaced that officials were looking for cash contributions of a consistent sum of B35,000 before they would return the passports and work permits. (See story here.)
Ms Tunyaratt on Friday also highlighted how migrant workers were also subjected to systemic extortion, and threatened with arrest for working outside the areas specified in their work permits.
“Officials allegedly demanded B5,000 from each of the workers targeted in exchange for having the charges dropped,” Ms Tunyaratt said.
“Officers remove their name badges while carrying out these ‘raids’ and they seize the worker’s mobile phones so no evidence of the extortion could be recorded,” she said.
“Apparently the officers carrying out the raids told the workers that they were told to do this by a ‘big boss’,” she added
Systemic extortion of migrant workers by corrupt officials in Phuket reared its head in August last year when a list nicknames, but identifying positions and government offices accused of carrying out the extortion racket, was leaked to the press.
Police in Phuket have so far failed to publicly report any progress on their investigation into the list and the allegations of rampant corruption and extortion by local officials, including police themselves.
Phuket Provincial Police Chief Maj Gen Teeraphol Thipjaroen vowed to investigate the list, but failed to make any announcements about the investigation. (See story here.)
However, Gen Teeraphol later revealed to The Phuket News, “Region 8 Police have taken over this case. This case has been transferred to them. For details or updates, please ask Region 8 Police. I have no idea who is taking of this case now.” (See story here.)
Region 8 police have so far yet to reveal any action they have taken.
Amid the furore that broke out last year, Phuket Provincial Chief Administration Officer (Palad) Pakpoom Intarasuwan confirmed that a “special investigative committee” – comprising only Phuket officials – had been set up to investigate the alleged extortion racket. (See story here.)
That committee of unnamed officials was given until Aug 18, 2016 to present its findings, which it has so far failed to reveal.
Ms Tunyaratt also said she had received a complaint from a tour agency about officials soliciting B200 each from passengers wanting to be fast-tracked to avoid hours-long waits in queues at Phuket International Airport.
Immigration officials at the airport were also lining their pockets by selling SIM cards to tourists, she added.
Ms Tunyaratt said she had brought the complaints to the attention of high-level officials in the province.
“The problems, if left unaddressed, would tarnish the reputation of Phuket,” she said.
As a precaution against inaction by Phuket officials who may already be profiting from the systemic corruption across the island, Ms Tunyaratt has also called for an investigation led by Bangkok officials.
“I have already notified a deputy chairman of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) about the problems,” Ms Tunyaratt said on Friday.
“An NLA panel on labour affairs will be sent to investigate,” she assured.