Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubambrang’s son Wan has been tasked with protecting motorcycle taxi drivers in Bangkok from extortion, Transport Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan said yesterday Jan. 30.
Wan will coordinate with police to fight extortion after 150 motorcycle taxi representatives from Bangkok and nearby provinces filed a petition complaining of regular extortion by the police and military, The Bangkok Post reported.
Charupong said that Wan will be assigned to protect the taxi drivers from the racket because his father oversees the Royal Thai Police Office. Wan was recently appointed adviser to the transport minister in the cabinet reshuffle.
Charupong added that Defense Minister Sukumpol Suwanatat would be called on to fight military officers who were extorting taxi drivers.
Taxi drivers are a large part of the Pheu Thai Party’s support base.
Wan Yubamrang and his brother Duangchalerm were allegedly involved in the murder of a plainclothes police officer in a Bangkok nightclub in 2001, but later acquitted for lack of evidence.
