The Head of National Police, Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas, has acknowledged the longstanding practice of highway police accepting bribes from truck operators.
The issue only “exploded” into public consciousness recently, following details being shared on social media, Pol Gen Damrongsak admitted on Wednesday.
He made these remarks after Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej, the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) chief, authorized a reassignment of Highway Police commander Pol Maj Gen Ekarat Limsangkas to the CIB operations center.
This change in command was prompted by social media reports alleging that overweight trucks were exempt from arrests at highway weighbridges if their vehicles displayed one of several stickers indicating bribe payments.
In his place, Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat Pankaew, who also heads the Anti-Corruption Division, was delegated as the acting commander of the Highway Police Division.
Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, a newly elected MP of the Move Forward Party, announced last week on social media that he was accumulating evidence regarding this corrupt scheme.
He stated that overloaded trucks bearing unique stickers were not being arrested or their drivers arrested at weighbridges.
Pol Gen Damrongsak disclosed, “Bribe-paid stickers have long been in use, despite suppression efforts.The matter has become explosive because it has been brought to the attention of society.”
“All agencies concerned are now rushing to try and find out how many of them are currently being used,” he revealed.
He stated that he had directed the Office of the Inspector-General and the CIB to jointly investigate the issue.
Pol Gen Damrongsak explained that the reshuffling of the Highway Police Division commander was done to facilitate a transparent investigation.
This inquiry would probe both those offering the bribes, potentially transport operators, and those accepting them, potentially state officials or intermediaries.
State officials implicated would be subject to both criminal and disciplinary proceedings, he declared.
Police officers proven to be complicit would face consequenses, he said, adding that thus far this year, around 79 officers have been dismissed for participating in unethical practices.
The national police chief disclosed that he had previously issued directives for police to enforce strict measures against overloaded trucks.
In light of the current media spotlight, he would issue a formal order mandating stricter enforcement of legal weight restrictions.
He announced plans to establish a special committee to monitor those who neglect, or are lax in enforcing, traffic laws.
“The story about bribe-paid stickers is old, but has been posted on social media. Some posters may be ill intentioned toward police.”
“I would like people to understand that police work hard from every aspect,” Pol Gen Damrongsak said.
