NACC to Indict Six in Alleged Bail Scheme for Briton

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has resolved to indict a police colonel and five others over an alleged scheme to demand 6 million baht in exchange for securing bail for a British national detained on immigration charges. The NACC said on Tuesday that the commission had found grounds to prosecute Pol Col Rames Kaewsoongnern, Witthaya Somsrisomsakul and four others for allegedly soliciting payment in return for influencing state officials to secure the release of British national Ritesh Patel. According to the NACC, Mr Patel was arrested by Operational Unit 2 officers on June 27, 2022, and detained at the Phuket Immigration Office after allegedly entering Thailand using another person's travel information. He later asked Thirawan Khieongam to present his passport, which had been cancelled by the embassy and his visa revoked. Mr Patel was transferred the following day to the Immigration Detention Centre in Bangkok, after which Ms Thirawan sought help from a third party to arrange his bail. The investigation found the third party contacted Mr Witthaya on June 29. Claiming to know Pol Col Rames, who could secure Mr Patel's release, Mr Witthaya allegedly requested an initial payment of 1 million baht, which Ms Thirawan transferred to the bank account of Apirak Thiangtham. Mr Witthaya later allegedly demanded a further 5 million baht, saying a total of 6 million baht was needed to coordinate the bail through Pol Col Rames and immigration officials. Ms Thirawan transferred the money to the accounts of Nattanaree Boonma and Thipsuda Insongjai. But Mr Patel was never released. The NACC said investigators later traced the funds to accounts belonging to Mr Witthaya, Pol Col Rames and the officer's wife, Booraya Kaewsoongnern. The commission found grounds to charge Mr Witthaya under Section 143 of the Criminal Code and the Organic Act on Anti-Corruption.