Phra nakhon si ayutthaya: Six people, including a deputy district chief, have been arrested for corruption in issuing identification cards to foreigners.
According to Thai News Agency, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), in collaboration with four other agencies, launched “Operation Ayutthaya ID Card Slashing,” raiding the Wang Noi District Office and arresting multiple individuals for allegedly corruptly issuing identification cards to foreign nationals.
Mr. Phumwisarn Kasemsuk, Secretary-General of the NACC, along with officers from the Anti-Corruption Directorate, coordinated with the Department of Provincial Administration, the Central Investigation Bureau, and the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to execute the operation. Armed with arrest warrants from the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Region 1, they apprehended six suspects for fraudulently issuing identity cards to non-Thai citizens at the Wang Noi District Office. The arrested include a district clerk, a former head of the registration and ID card division, an employee of the division, three homeowners, and one broker, all charged with violating relevant sections of the Criminal Code and Civil Registration Act.
The operation followed a complaint received by the Anti-Corruption Commission Region 1 about misconduct by government officials. A broker was allegedly orchestrating the relocation of numerous foreign nationals to Wang Noi District for the purpose of obtaining non-Thai national identification cards. Investigations revealed that the Registration and Identification Division of the Wang Noi District Administration Office was involved in issuing these cards, primarily to children and youths under 15. Between July and November 2015, three households registered these individuals, facilitated by brokers in coordination with the registration office.
Suspicious activities were uncovered regarding false household registration reports. Numerous applications were filed to move foreign nationals to household registrations in Wang Noi District, involving just three target houses where the individuals did not reside. Identity cards were promptly issued following these registration changes, with applications for non-Thai national IDs submitted immediately. Homeowners who allowed their registrations to be used were contacted by district officials and received payments ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 baht per foreign national.
The investigation highlighted that registrars neglected to follow required procedures. They failed to verify the actual residence and intent of individuals changing their permanent address, as well as their relationship to the homeowners. For minors, it was not confirmed that the address was shared with their parents or guardians. Furthermore, applications for identity cards were not properly vetted, lacking verification of the applicant’s identification documents or interviews with credible witnesses. No interview records were found in the archives or registration database, indicating a breach of protocol.