December 6, 2023
BANGKOK – The allegations were made in a report by the German news outlet Deutsche Welle (DW), which said that the tourist was arrested on September 11, 2022, after being caught in a sting operation by local authorities. The tourist was then released on bail, but Deutsche Welle alleged that he paid a bribe of 1 million baht to the arresting officers to avoid being charged.
Pol. Gen. Surachate said he has ordered the Pattaya police to investigate the allegations and to take action against any officers found to be involved in corruption. He also said that he has ordered the Immigration Bureau to check whether the tourist has really left Thailand as claimed in the report.
If the allegations are found to be true, it would be a serious case of corruption and would damage Thailand’s reputation as a tourist destination. It would also raise questions about the effectiveness of the Thai government’s efforts to combat sex trafficking and child sexual abuse.