Police release details of alleged Phuket illegal immigrant corruption racket

The revelation came in a notice issued by Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Col Peerayuth Karajadee to Region 8 Police dated Sunday (Nov 12), but revealed yesterday (Nov 13).

The notice explains that Phuket Provincial Police had learned that 142 illegal immigrants had been arrested but not presented to immigration, thus sparking the fuller probe into all police stations across Phuket.

In learning of the initial 142 foreigners not duly processed came the news that local police were being paid up to B100mn a month in bribes for overstaying their visas in Phuket. (See story here.)

Phuket Provincial Police subsequently ordered 11 police stations on the island to report the number of illegal immigrants arrested over the past year, from “October 2016 to October 2017” so that the arrest statistics could be compared with those of Phuket Immigration.

Of note, Patong Police Station reported 862 immigrants arrested, but only 52 being presented to Phuket Immigration – leaving 810 of those arrested unaccounted for.

In stark contrast, Phuket City Police Station arrested 174 immigrants during the period, with all 174 presented to Phuket Immigration – a discrepancy of zero.

The revelation of the huge discrepancy at Patong Police Station comes just days after former Patong Police Chief Col Chaiwat Uikam and the Patong Police Deputy Chief Lt Col Somsak Thongkleng on Friday being transferred out of Phuket to the former Region 8 Police Headquarters in Surat Thani province until further notice following allegations of taking bribes from entertainment venues in Patong. (See story here.)

The details revealed in the notice are as follows:

So far 15 police officers across Phuket have been named as under investigation for their possible connection to the racket. (See story here.)