Bangkok: The Crime Suppression Division police brought "Mr. Achariya" and his associates before the court for remand and opposed bail. Achariya and his accomplices were secretly remanded in custody on charges of extortion. Police escorted them away from the media and opposed bail.
According to Thai News Agency, police from the Crime Suppression Division erected barricades early in the morning to organize the media and confine them to an area behind the fences. They also had vans parked nearby, as journalists awaited the detention of Mr. Achariya Ruangratanapong, president of the Crime Victims Assistance Association, and six others. They are charged with extorting 2.5 million baht from an Immigration Police superintendent in exchange for not exposing the release of Chinese detainees. However, the police used a diversion, escorting Mr. Achariya and his associates out through the back of the parking lot to avoid the media.
Regarding the case, Police Major General Pattanasak Bubphasuwan, Commander of the Crime Suppression Division, stated that investigators had separately questioned the suspects, completing the questioning in the early morning hours. All suspects cooperated well, but denied all charges. The investigators opposed bail in their request. Details of the questioning cannot be disclosed as they are part of the case file. The lengthy questioning was due to details concerning the receipt of money, as the charges are for joint extortion, and the investigation focuses primarily on the assets involved.
This case must be divided into two parts. Regarding the case of the Chinese suspect being removed from the immigration detention center, the Royal Thai Police has instructed the Bangkok Metropolitan Police to investigate this matter. However, concerning the charges of extortion, the Crime Suppression Division is handling that aspect.