Bangkok: An accountant operating at the Bangkok Revenue Office was arrested for inflating taxes before extorting money from business operators in exchange for not paying taxes to the government. Pol. Maj. Gen. Charoonkiat Pankaew, Deputy Commander of the Central Investigation Bureau, led a force from three agencies, including the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), and the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), with a court warrant, to arrest Mr. A (pseudonym), 33, an accountant at the Revenue Department, Bangkok Area 8, for corruption.
According to Thai News Agency, this arrest occurred after the victim, a business owner, filed a complaint with the Anti-Corruption and Misconduct Division (ACD) alleging that a tax collector had assessed her annual business tax at an inflated 800,000 baht and then demanded 100,000 baht in exchange for not paying the 800,000 baht in taxes to the government. He then transferred the money to his wife's account.
The business owner, who was the victim, negotiated to pay only 50,000 baht and asked to divide the payment into three installments. He had already paid two installments of 20,000 baht each, and the final installment of 10,000 baht. The payment was scheduled for this morning at 10:00 a.m. at the office on the 5th floor of the Revenue Department Office, Area 8. The 3 P. unit then set up a trap to make the arrest.
However, officials are currently in the process of bringing the suspect in for questioning at the Anti-Corruption Division.