One police officer has been dismissed and four others face criminal and disciplinary action for their alleged involvement in corruption linked to the unlawful release of Chinese detainees, the Royal Thai Police said on Friday.
All five officers are investigators attached to the Metropolitan Police Bureau, said Pol Lt Gen Trairong Phiwphan, deputy inspector-general and deputy spokesperson.
The case centres on allegations that police investigators colluded to temporarily remove Chinese nationals from immigration detention for criminal proceedings but failed to return them for deportation, allowing them to disappear from official custody.
131 detainees removed, not returned
An ongoing investigation found that between 2021 and 2025, police investigators requested the temporary transfer of 131 Chinese detainees from immigration custody. Of these cases, five investigators — holding ranks from police captain to police lieutenant colonel, all under the Metropolitan Police Bureau — were found to have allegedly demanded bribes from foreign detainees.
One of the five officers was found to have requested the transfer of more than 30 detainees.
“The RTP has already dismissed one of the five officers, Pol Capt Chaiya (surname withheld), today. The remaining four are facing both criminal charges and serious disciplinary proceedings,” Pol Lt Gen Trairong said.
Suspected fabricated cases used in detainee releases
Pol Lt Gen Trairong said the five officers accepted fraud complaints, gathered evidence and obtained arrest warrants for detainees who were already being held by immigration authorities pending deportation. The detainees were then released into police custody for legal proceedings.
Immigration police complied with requests for the detainees’ release after receiving court warrants, but said in writing that the individuals must be returned to immigration custody once their cases were completed.
“However, the detainees were not returned as required,” Pol Lt Gen Trairong noted.
Investigators are now conducting a deep probe into all parties involved, including complainants, legal representatives, intermediaries and police. Financial trails and criminal networks are also being examined.
10-year retrospective nationwide review ordered
Pol Gen Kittharath Punpetch, the national police chief, has ordered a nationwide review of detainee releases going back 10 years, focusing on whether similar abuses occurred elsewhere.
“Whether this represents a systemic loophole or deliberate criminal intent must be examined at every stage,” Pol Lt Gen Trairong said, adding that if wrongdoing is confirmed, it would amount to the fabrication of criminal cases to prevent suspects from being deported to their home country.
The inquiry was launched after the Chinese Embassy alerted Thai authorities in January last year about the unexplained disappearance of a detainee identified as Ma Guangxue, who had been scheduled for deportation.
The Immigration Bureau said earlier that the Chinese detainee transfers were carried out in compliance with court orders brought by police investigators, noting that refusal to comply could itself constitute a dereliction of duty.
