9-11-2023 (BANGKOK) The Criminal Court handed down a verdict on Wednesday, November 8, sentencing four police officers stationed at Hua Kwang to five years in prison for their involvement in extorting Taiwanese actress Charlene An near the Chinese Embassy back in January. Additionally, the court ordered the four defendants to collectively repay 27,000 baht. Meanwhile, two other officers involved were acquitted.
The saga began when six Huai Khwang policemen were detained by the Criminal Court on February 2, 2023, following allegations of extortion against Taiwanese actress Charlene An and three male companions. Bail was denied for the accused officers, with the court citing the severe damage inflicted on Thailand’s reputation and the justice system.
Charlene An, aged 32, took to social media to recount the incident that unfolded on January 5. According to her account, she and her friends were traveling in a taxi on their way back to their hotel when they were intercepted by the police at a checkpoint. An vehemently asserted that she and her friends had not been drinking prior to the police’s intervention.
In a message posted in English on her Instagram account, she accused the Thai police of fabricating negative narratives about her to protect their own image and conceal the truth.
The court’s findings revealed that the alleged extortion was linked to three e-cigarettes, which led to the demand for 27,000 baht. The six police officers claimed that the three visitors were in possession of these prohibited items when entering the Kingdom of Thailand. Additionally, Charlene An was unable to present her passport at the time of the incident.
