Alleged police extortion targeting Burmese worker sparks concern

In a shocking case of police extortion, a group of men claiming to be police officers are alleged to have swindled a Burmese worker under the threat of severe repercussions. The incident took place in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region and was just investigated.

On August 12, Athiwat Sirikangwalwang, founder of the Fearless Step Facebook page, investigated the incident at a food shop in the city district of Nonthaburi, involving a Burmese woman who claimed she faced extortion by a man claiming to be police for a monthly protection fee of 500 baht.

The female worker struggled to produce documentation that enabled her to work legally in Thailand, revealing she had borrowed almost 30,000 baht. She mentioned a man, claiming to be a police officer, had been unhappy about this, and had demanded to inspect her work permit and passport.

After…