Petition alleges 200,000 baht VIP detention rooms for Chinese detainees at Suan Phlu

2026-03-05 - 10:03

BANGKOK — 5 March 2026, On Thursday at the Royal Thai Police headquarters, Mr. Atchariya Ruangrattanapong, president of the Crime Victims Assistance Club, submitted evidence to Pol. Gen. Kittirat Phanphet, the national police chief, requesting an investigation into alleged misconduct by officers under the Immigration Bureau assigned to the detention facility at Suan Phlu Immigration Office. He said he had received information that Chinese detainees were being required to pay monthly bribes. The evidence includes video clips and audio recordings of conversations, reportedly provided by a former Chinese detainee who had been held at the Suan Phlu facility. The material allegedly details an organised system of benefit collection inside the detention centre. Atchariya said information from the former detainee indicated that officers at all levels overseeing the Suan Phlu detention facility were involved in extorting money from Chinese detainees, particularly those linked to scam networks. One key method allegedly involved the operation of “VIP detention rooms”. Detainees seeking greater comfort were reportedly required to pay around 200,000 baht in cash per person per month in exchange for special privileges. Additional charges allegedly included fees for telephone use to contact the outside — 1,000 to 2,000 baht per call — and approximately 5,000 baht per delivery of food and beverages from outside the facility. He further alleged that a Chinese detainee appointed as a “room leader” would collect money from other detainees before passing it to immigration police officers. According to the information received, the total amount collected averaged about 10 million baht per month, or more than 100 million baht per year. He believes the operation has been running for at least five years. Mr. Atchariya said the available evidence and testimony suggest that senior officers within the Immigration Bureau may have been involved in, or at least aware of, the alleged conduct.