PATTAYA, Thailand – Mayor Poramet Ngampichet has taken swift action following allegations of extortion and corruption by an official working for the city December 17. The case came to light when a 23-year-old seafood vendor, Ms. Nicha (last name withheld), revealed that she had been paying monthly bribes to an officer in exchange for allowing her to sell her goods on the street without interference.
The incident unfolded when Ms. Nicha, a squid vendor, was caught selling her products in a public space near the entrance to Walking Street, a popular tourist area in South Pattaya. During the arrest, Ms. Nicha voiced her frustration, stating that she had been forced to pay 1,000 baht each month for the past four months to the official, in addition to providing free squid to him regularly. She expressed her disbelief that despite complying with the officer’s demands, she was still being arrested for selling on the street.
Following Ms. Nicha’s complaint, the Pattaya City administration conducted an investigation into the matter. Mayor Poramet confirmed that the officer involved was an outsourced employee working for Pattaya’s Special Operations Division. The outsourced company was hired by the city to handle safety and enforcement operations. In a press conference, the Mayor revealed that Ms. Nicha was able to identify the corrupt officer after being shown a photograph, which led to further inquiries confirming that the officer had been extorting money from other vendors as well.
The officer had allegedly been collecting monthly payments from various street vendors in exchange for allowing them to operate without interference from the authorities. Ms. Nicha reported that she had been coerced into paying the bribe due to threats from the officer, who had promised to fine her or close her business if she refused to comply.
In response to the allegations, the Mayor took immediate action, coordinating with the outsourced company to conduct a full internal investigation into the officer’s actions. Mr. Poramet assured the public that, should the officer be found guilty of extortion or corruption, he would face strict disciplinary actions, which could include termination and criminal charges. The Mayor also emphasized that Pattaya City has no policy of collecting money from vendors and urged all business owners to report any such extortion attempts to the authorities.
Mayor Poramet also assured the public that the incident would serve as a catalyst for strengthening oversight of street vendors and public officials, ensuring that this type of corrupt behavior would not be tolerated in the future. He further clarified that Pattaya’s administrative staff would not engage in any illegal activity or support such behavior.
Ms. Nicha, who had initially feared backlash from other vendors for speaking out, expressed her gratitude for the Mayor’s prompt response. She said that, while she felt uncomfortable revealing the situation, she believed it was important for justice to prevail. Ms. Nicha acknowledged that she had been paying the bribe to avoid trouble but insisted that she would not tolerate such conduct going forward and would allow the authorities to handle any future violations of the law.
Pattaya’s Deputy Mayor, Wutthisak Rermkijakarn, further stressed that the city would take a hard stance on corruption and would ensure that no street vendor would be subjected to unlawful demands from officials in the future. He praised Ms. Nicha for her courage in coming forward and said her actions were instrumental in exposing corruption within the city. The local government also vowed to implement stricter controls to prevent further incidents of extortion and to ensure that any officers found guilty of misconduct would face swift and decisive legal action.
The Special Operations Division of Pattaya’s administration, headed by Mr. Jirawat Sukonthasap, will now begin an internal review to examine all cases of alleged extortion and inappropriate behavior by employees. The division also plans to meet with other vendors to ensure no further such issues arise. If any vendor has been coerced into paying bribes, they are encouraged to contact the department directly at 083-768-4990 for further investigation.
This case highlights the ongoing efforts of Pattaya’s city officials to address corruption within the local government and reaffirm the administration’s commitment to ensuring fairness and safety for all businesses and residents in the area.
