Investigations continue into both of the high-profile cases involving Thai cops taking money from visiting tourists, neither of which is being conducted independently.
One internal police investigation is tasked with determining how to discipline four officers who allegedly whisked a woman arriving from Hong Kong through airport immigration and to her Pattaya hotel after she paid for a “VIP escort,” national police chief Damrongsak Kittiprapas said Sunday through his spokesperson.
Two cops have already been given administrative suspensions after the unidentified woman posted a video about her experience under the name Choudan on China’s TikTok.
Embarrassed Thai police vow to probe Chinese tourist’s ‘VIP police escort’
Separately, the metro police force reversed itself and admitted that two officers extorted money from a Taiwanese actress earlier this month
Both cases showed the police admit to malfeasance only after playing down or refuting allegations made by female travelers.
The scandals came as the public was already concerned about the influence exerted by wealthy Chinese nationals on venal Thai authorities.
In recent weeks, the police and senior officials have been implicated in selling visas to thousands of mainland travelers to live in Thailand, turning a blind eye to illegal Chinese-owned nightlife venues, and protecting well-connected crime figures.
After several years, Chinese tourists began arriving again this month after Beijing reversed its zero-COVID lockdown policies.
