Senior Police Officer Charged in 6 Million Baht Bribery Scheme
A senior police officer and five others have been charged with soliciting 6 million baht to help free a British man detained for illegal entry into Thailand, though the bribery scheme ultimately failed to secure his release.
On July 7, 2026, Surapong Intharathavorn, Secretary-General of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), announced that the NACC board has indicted Withaya Somsrisomsakul and five others for conspiring to solicit 6 million baht as compensation to encourage officials to release British national Ritesh Patel on bail. Patel had been detained after illegally entering Thailand using someone else's travel documents.
According to the investigation, police arrested Patel on June 27, 2025, after he entered Thailand illegally using falsified travel documents. He was held at the Phuket Immigration Bureau. Patel's friend then contacted intermediaries to arrange his release on bail. On June 29, 2025, an intermediary contacted Withaya Somsrisomsakul, who claimed to know Colonel Rames Kaewsuengneoen, a police academy classmate of the Deputy Police Commissioner. Rames reportedly had authority over foreign detention matters and promised to help secure Patel's release.
Withaya instructed the intermediary to transfer 1 million baht initially to an account of Aphirak Thiengthum. Later, Withaya claimed that Colonel Rames needed 6 million baht total to coordinate with immigration officials. The intermediary met Withaya at the foreign detention facility at the Bangkok Police Club, where Withaya called Rames and handed the phone to an immigration officer. The officer stated there was no policy allowing visits and no orders from superiors authorizing anyone's visit.
Withaya then said the money needed to be arranged first. The intermediary instructed Thiraworn Khiewngam to prepare additional funds, and Withaya requested a transfer of 5 million baht more to accounts of Nattnaree Boonma and Thipsuda Insongjaidee as instructed. However, Patel's case remained unresolved.
