The revenue department director in the Ratchathewi district of Bangkok was apprehended for soliciting bribes amounting to 3 million baht from a real estate firm in exchange for a tax exemption worth more than 40 million baht.
The director, identified as Pramuan, was arrested yesterday at a hotel located in the Ratchathewi area after he arranged a meeting with the real estate company to receive the bribe. Despite the accusations, he refuted the claims, stating that he was unaware of the money inside the envelope and assumed it was a document.
Pramuan was arrested after the real estate company filed a complaint. The company reported that Pramuan contacted them and demanded payment of 40 million baht for building and land tax.
Although the company was willing to pay the tax, Pramuan offered to keep the matter confidential if they paid him 3 million baht. Later, he increased the demand to 3,500,000 baht, claiming that he needed to share the money with other authorities. He eventually lowered the amount to 3,200,000 baht.
The company deemed Pramuan’s solicitation of bribes as dishonest and notified the police. The police then collaborated with the company to stage an operation in which they agreed to Pramuan’s offer and caught him red-handed taking the money at a hotel.
On the day of the meeting, the police waited until Pramuan took the envelope containing the money from the company before arresting him.
Pramuan was charged with violating Section 149 of the Criminal Law by being a government official who wrongfully demands, accepts or agrees to accept property or any other benefit for exercising or not exercising any of the duties. The punishment will result in the death penalty, imprisonment from five to 20 years, and a fine from 100,000 to 400,000 baht.
He also faces a penalty of imprisonment from one to 10 years, a fine of 2,000 to 10,000 baht, or both for violating Section 157 of the Criminal Law which states that whoever, being a government officer, wrongfully exercises or does not exercise any of duties or dishonestly exercises or omits to exercise any of duties shall be punished.
