A Cambodian factory worker has accused two police officers in Samut Prakan of trying to extort 8,000 baht after he failed a breathalyser test on July 20, claiming they threatened to prosecute and deport him if he refused to pay.
The worker, identified only as 44 year old Rat, is employed at a factory in Phraek Sa subdistrict. Today, July 22, he showed reporters banking records, including withdrawal transactions and his remaining account balance, while recounting what had happened.
Rat said he met friends for dinner at a restaurant off Phraek Sa Road at around 10pm on July 20, where he drank almost two bottles of beer.
While riding his motorcycle back to his accommodation, he said two patrol officers stopped him near a market. According to Rat, one of the men appeared to be a police volunteer.
Rat said both searched him and asked whether he had consumed alcohol or used drugs. After admitting he had been drinking, Rat said one of the officers rode his motorcycle and took him to Mueang Samut Prakan Police Station for a breathalyser test.
The test reportedly recorded an alcohol level of 60 milligrams %, exceeding the legal limit by 10 milligrams %.
He alleged that after the test, the two officers took him to a police box about five kilometres from the police station.
There, Rat claimed the officers told him he would have to pay 8,000 baht if he wanted to avoid prosecution. When he replied that he did not have enough money, they allegedly lowered the demand to 6,000 baht and warned that he would face legal action and deportation if he refused.
Rat then called a Thai friend to help negotiate. He alleged the amount was eventually reduced to 4,000 baht.
At the time, he said he had only 3,292.85 baht in his account, so he borrowed 1,000 baht from a Thai friend. He then withdrew 4,000 baht to pay the officers, leaving him with just 292.85 baht.
Rat also claimed the officers searched his and his friend’s phones before releasing him to ensure nothing had been recorded.
According to Amarin TV, the following morning, Rat withdrew another 200 baht for daily expenses, leaving just 92.85 baht in his account.
He said the incident had left him in financial difficulty and that he would need to borrow money from friends until his next salary is paid on August 1.
“If you know you’ve been drinking, take a taxi instead. It costs only a few hundred baht. Otherwise, you could end up being extorted like I was,” he said.
Reporters said they contacted Mueang Samut Prakan Police Station to seek a response to the allegations. However, officers reportedly said they were in a meeting and were unavailable to comment.
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