Thai police ‘ordered’ to fund bosses’ office air conditioners
Deputy police chief says order was ‘kind of an internal agreement’ and not only lower ranks had contributed
By King-oua Laohong
Eleven low-ranking police officers have cried foul over an order forcing them to pay more than 2,000 baht (US$64) each to buy a new air-conditioner for their bosses’ office at Phahon Yothin Police Station.
Pol Sgt Loesak Nonkhunthot, one of the 11 officers, filed their complaint Tuesday with the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC). In the petition letter, they accused two police inspectors of ordering lower-rank colleagues to chip in money for a 25,000-baht (US$801) cooling machine.
The officers were ordered to deduct between 2,000 and 4,000 baht from allowances earned during their mission to monitor street protests between May and June last year, according to the complaint.
“I and my colleagues disagree with the order,” Pol Sgt Loesak said, reasoning the purchase should be made out of state budget, not “personal money”.
On Tuesday, he handed over the evidence to PACC, including photos of the air-conditioner that had been mentioned and the police inspectors’ order which was sent through the Line chat application.
Reportedly, the two police inspectors are Pol Maj Ekkarat Omak and Pol Maj Chalakon Pandaeng.
