5-12-2023 (BANGKOK) Pol. Gen. Surachate Hakparn, Deputy Commissioner of Police, has launched an investigation into disturbing allegations involving a German tourist who purportedly paid a bribe to evade charges related to soliciting sex from a minor in Pattaya, Chonburi province. The inquiry follows a report by the German news outlet Deutsche Welle (DW), which detailed the arrest of the tourist on September 11, 2022, during a sting operation conducted by local authorities. Subsequently released on bail, the tourist is accused of offering a bribe amounting to 1 million baht to the arresting officers to avoid prosecution.
Pol. Gen. Surachate has instructed the Pattaya police to thoroughly investigate the allegations and take appropriate action against any officers found involved in corrupt practices. Additionally, he has directed the Immigration Bureau to verify whether the tourist has genuinely departed from Thailand, as suggested in the DW report.
The gravity of the situation, if proven true, extends beyond individual misconduct, posing a severe case of corruption that could tarnish Thailand’s image as a preferred tourist destination. Such allegations also cast doubts on the efficacy of the Thai government’s ongoing initiatives to combat sex trafficking and child sexual abuse.
