SAKON NAKHON, Thailand – The Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), together with the Anti-Corruption Division (ACD) and the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), arrested a municipal mayor in Sakon Nakhon province and an associate for allegedly extorting money from contract workers in exchange for extending their employment contracts.
The investigation began after several workers reported that the mayor demanded 25,000 baht each to secure contract renewals. According to complaints, the mayor convened around 50–60 workers, confiscated their mobile phones, and announced that the municipality lacked sufficient budget to continue employing all staff. Workers wishing to renew their contracts were told to meet him privately.
Victims testified that during private meetings, the mayor instructed them to pay the sum in two installments. In one case, a worker paid 15,000 baht at the associate’s shop as directed by the mayor, followed by a second payment of 10,000 baht. Evidence showed the mayor used written notes to indicate the demanded amount instead of speaking directly, in an apparent attempt to avoid detection.
Several workers had already made payments when the victims filed formal complaints with the PACC. Following an investigation and court-approved arrest warrants, the mayor and his associate were apprehended on September 3. They now face prosecution under anti-corruption laws. (TNA)
