I don't know whether our tourism will be affected by recent coverage of Taiwanese actress Charlene An's police extortion case. It made big headlines in Thai media for weeks and was reported in many international media outlets as well.
The controversy started when the 33-year-old actress complained on social media that she had been shaken down for 27,000 baht by Thai police after she and her friends were found in possession of e-cigarette devices they'd bought from a local market in Bangkok early last month. They were unaware that e-cigarettes were illegal in the country.
The police bureau spent nearly a week looking into the case and found six officers guilty. They were charged with dereliction of duty and bribery.
During the investigation, a similar incident emerged in Pattaya wherein a police officer was alleged to have demanded a foreign tourist pay 60,000 baht for possessing an e-cigarette.
This sparked public debate on whether e-cigarettes should be legalised as they are easily available both online and in markets despite the ban, which, many say, leads to illegal business and bribes among authorities.
We can't deny that many wayward officers are ready to make extra money through their authority when they get the chance. The two cases above have further damaged the already bad reputation of Thai police.
As a fan of Sondhi Talk, an online programme by former media tycoon Sondhi Limthongkul, I've watched with interest many episodes in which the highly knowledgeable host has exposed the nature of corruption among state authorities. It is his contention that such corruption could not persist among officers without the help of what he calls their "bosses".
The programmes have shown just how much money a gang of police can earn from their involvement with underground activities, namely drug trafficking, gambling and money laundering as well as profits deriving from the Chinese crime syndicate allegedly run by Chinese businessman and suspected crime boss Tuhao.
Many episodes also revealed the unusual wealth of certain celebrities, many of whom were believed to have been involved with shady businesses.
The case that interested me most was about former TV actress Thamolphan "Yam" Phanuchitputthiwong, 40, and her wealthy computer programmer husband Phumphat Prasertwit, 38, who were often seen showing off their luxurious lifestyle on social media.
The couple were arrested two months ago, however, and accused of operating porn and gambling sites and money laundering. They were refused bail.
The combined worth of their seized assets was more than 700 million baht. The total included four beautiful houses, six super cars, six luxury cars, eight high-end watches, 50 brand-name bags, and cash in Thai and foreign currencies worth 42 million baht. The coupled maintained 44 bank accounts.
I don't know how long this case will take to conclude, or whether they are guilty or innocent. But considering their massive wealth, it's hard to believe they earned it through decent means.
Two other recent cases demonstrate how the sweet lure of money leads authorities to abuse their power.
Last month, five Department of Special Investigation officers were accused of extorting 9.5 million baht in bribes in exchange for the release of 11 Chinese suspects in last year's raid on the Bangkok home of the former consul-general of the Republic of Naura. The allegation led to the transfer of DSI chief Traiyarit Temahiwong.
Just last week, meanwhile, the Immigration Bureau was reportedly investigating 110 immigration officers suspected of involvement in the illegal issuing of visas for Chinese investors as part of so-called "grey business" practice. Three of those under investigation are police generals.
Reports of corrupt officials having their hands in illegal activities are no longer a surprise in our country. But what looks strange is the number of such cases, which has seemed to increase and involve a larger number of officers over the past few months.
On the bright side, the rising investigation figures might mean some authorities are getting serious about getting rid of bad apples.
We can't deny that the nature of the job as a police officer makes it easy to get a shortcut to dirty money. Personally, I feel sad for all those who succumbed to their own greed and took a path that eventually destroyed their careers and shattered their lives.
Still, I'm positive that most officers out there are honest and dedicated to serving the country. It's better to encourage them so they feel proud of their accomplishments while also giving them moral support in the carrying out of their duties.
Moreover, I believe the case of the celeb couple now facing hard time in jail proves to everyone that building wealth in the wrong way will sooner or later lead to self-destruction.
I wish everyone would resolve to live a clean life. It's a form of love that they should give to themselves.
Patcharawalai Sanyanusin is a writer for the Life section of the Bangkok Post.
