Thailand seize Chinese journalist's passport for manipulating police "connections" to get bribes
May 31, 2023
Bangkok [Thailand], May 31 : The woman, identified as Guo Rui, alias Gegee, was nabbed by Bangkok Police on Friday, who flaunted her connections with police top brass and sought millions in bribes in order to get the charges dropped against a crime suspect, Bangkok Post reported.
Guo allegedly lured Navaporn Phakiatsakul a Chinese woman with Thai citizenship, who had few criminal charges against her. Guo told her that she could have charges against her dropped for 33 million baht (9.5 Million USD), and she also took an initial amount of 14 million baht.
As per Wassayos Ngamkham, Guo assured the crime suspect that she could get the charges against her dropped because she had connections with National Deputy Police Chief General Surachate Hakparn.
Bangkok Police will also impose a travel ban on the Chinese journalist for exploiting her professional relationship with the police to demand a bribe from various suspects, Bangkok Post reported.
She will be banned from leaving the country, while police further carried on the investigation to find more evidence, Bangkok Post reported.
Police General Surachate on Sunday said Guo denied the charges and she was temporarily released on bail for 3.5 million baht, reported Wassayos.
Bangkok Post is one of the leading English-language news media in Thailand.
Police General Surachate said that he knew the journalist on a professional basis and for work-related reasons.
Police said that Chinese Journalist Guo was employed by the police as a coordinator due to her fluency in the Chinese language and overseas connections.
The Police have also banned Guo from leaving the country and her passport has been seized, Bangkok Post reported.
She had requested to fly to Hong Kong for a meeting, but her request was denied due to her status as a suspect, said Pol Gen Surachate.
Police have discussed the situation with the Chinese Embassy and diplomats, he added.
Pol Gen Surachate said he will take legal action against Guo for using his name to demand bribes, adding that any officers under his command found to have committed such offences will not escape prosecution either, Bangkok Post reported.
Investigators have strong evidence against Guo, including witnesses to the offences. Police had also been tracking her for some time, he said.
Pol Gen Surachate urged anyone who had bribed Guo to come forward and file a complaint.
Police will also take legal action against the Chinese Journalist Guo's husband who was found involved in the case, Bangkok Post reported.
Guo, although a Chinese national, had legally obtained Thai citizenship after studying and working in Thailand for most of her life.
