Chonburi police have arrested a gang of police
impersonators, drug dealers, loan sharks and gamblers on Koh Larn.
Boonlua Chatree
Chonburi police swept through Koh Larn to rid the tourist isle of
police impersonators, drug dealers, loan sharks and gamblers.
Chonburi Station commander Maj. Gen. Khatcha Thatsart led 30 officers on the
Oct. 23 raid after receiving information on an organized crime gang
committing all sorts of offenses against tourists and locals.
Arrested were leaders Jeerayuth Saejan, 43, Chumpol Sodthaisong, 38, Suchart
Panto, 38, Theerapol Pholkhum, 29, and Sirichai Nonthijan, 39, and others.
Under interrogation, all admitted to posing as police officers to steal from
tourists by collecting 5,000 baht as fines for littering or 10 percent of a
“settlement” they’d negotiate with extortionist jet ski vendors. Tourists
who didn’t pay are intimidated with threats of physical harm.
They also allegedly threw life vests and other valuables into the sea and
then blamed the tourists for the damage.
Chonburi deputy commander Col. Suphatheer Bunkhrong went undercover for a
month on Koh Larn to help gather evidence on the gang. He said police
intervened when it became clear enraged Koh Larn villagers might kill the
suspects.
Thai police have a checkered record on law enforcement on Koh Larn. At the
same time regional police officials say they want to spend 10 million baht
to build a new police station there, Pattaya’s own police chief has said he
wants to clean up his own station of corrupt and lazy officers by shipping
them off to Koh Larn.
