Deputy Minister’s son-in-law nabbed for extorting contractor as water supply scandal makes waves

Officers from the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) arrested the mayor of Doo sub-district and the Deputy Interior Minister’s son-in-law on charges of extorting 600,000 baht from a water supply contractor. Bail was set at 400,000 baht yesterday.

The contractor told the PACC that his company had put forward two tenders for two supply system projects in Taluk Doo and Haad Tanong sub-districts.

According to the contractor, Mayor Weeracharn Ratsamee stated that he would guarantee the contractor’s success in securing these projects if he paid him 500,000 baht for each project. The contractor pretended to agree to the offer and negotiated to 300,000 baht per project. The contractor then reported this extortion to the PACC.

PACC officials gathered evidence and arrested Weeracharn yesterday, October 24. This operation also led to the apprehension of…