Natthakit Khongthip, director-general of the ministry’s Rice Department, accused Srisuwan of demanding 3 million baht in hush money from him in exchange for not pursuing action over alleged irregularities involving two of the agency’s projects.
In his complaint, Natthakit said he had managed to negotiate for the demanded amount to be halved and agreed to pay 140,000 baht up front.
The official secretly made a video recording the alleged payment, which was later used as evidence when he filed his complaint with the Royal Thai Police’s Anti-Corruption Division.
He also accused two politicians from the ruling coalition – Yoswaris Chuklom and Pimnattha Jiraputthiphak of the United Thai Nation Party – of being Srisuwan’s accomplices.
Yoswaris, a former comedian whose stage name was Jeng Dokjik, is a political appointee named to a government working group by Energy Minister…
