City police chief promises swift probe into ‘ang pao’ clip
>> About 60 city policemen seen in a video clip receiving what appeared to be ang pao Chinese New Year gift money are being quizzed by their superiors, who must report on the matter to the Metropolitan Police Division 7 (MPD7) in seven days.
Metropolitan Police Bureau commissioner Charnthep Sesawech said yesterday he had reviewed the clip but not received an official report on the matter.
He said that in the clip, the policemen, thought to be mostly holders of non-commissioned ranks, were seen queuing up to collect the gift money from a man who is alleged to be the owner of a major gambling den in Thon Buri.
Pol Lt Gen Charnthep said he has not been informed where the incident took place.
According to the commissioner, any decision to take disciplinary or criminal action against the policemen would take into account whether they willingly received the cash or not. Also, the amount of ang pao each policeman was given would be a factor in when considering any punishment.
MPD7 chief Boonyarit Rodma has ordered the heads of the police stations to which the officers pictured in the clip were attached to conduct an immediate fact-finding investigation.
Pol Maj Gen Boonyarit said the 60 policemen work for the Taling Chan, Thammasala, Bang Yikan and Ban Sao Thong stations.
Pol Maj Gen Boonyarit said he had given the station heads seven days to find out who gave the officers the ang pao, where they collected it from and how much each was given.
On Feb 9, deputy national police chief Chalermkiat Srivorakhan issued an order prohibiting police from taking ang pao, under threat of a swift punishment.
The ang pao scandal was reportedly exposed after a university law expert, Komsan Phokong, deputy dean of the Rangsit University’s Faculty of Law, posted the video clip on his Facebook page.
Responding to the clip, one comment asked what law the receipt of ang pao broke. Mr Komsak replied that the act was likely a breach of police discipline for defying the order banning police from accepting the gift money.