Metropolitan Police Chief Sanit Mahathavorn has just requested another month to explain the THB50,000 monthly payouts he has been receiving from booze giant ThaiBev for “consulting” services since 2015.
He is also supposed to reveal what, exactly, his role is with the country’s largest alcohol producer. ThaiBev makes Chang Beer as well as Hong Thong, SangSom and Blend liquors.
A few weeks ago, Sanit was given a week to explain why he’s on the booze company’s payroll. He disregarded the Feb. 2 deadline and the Royal Thai Police announced that Sanit had not breached police regulation by taking the money each month.
This week, the chief said that he needs 30 more days to get the necessary documents together for submission. However, the city Ombudsman said a week should have been enough since it’s not a complicated matter.
Apparently, ThaiBev has submitted a document describing Sanit’s services to their company but details will be kept secret until Sanit submits his own explanation. The issue will next be discussed in a Feb. 15 meeting, reported Bangkok Post.
The investigation was opened in December when secretary-general of the Association for the Protection of the Constitution Srisuwan Janya, asked the Ombudsman’s office to look into the payments as a possible ethics breach.
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