Thailand: director of national parks arrested on suspicion of corruption

SET À DAY

The director of national parks in Thailand was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of corruption, announced the Thai police who found nearly 135,000 euros in cash in his office in Bangkok.

Ratchada Suriyakul na Ayutthaya, Director General of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife and Plant Conservation, under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, “ abused his power by receiving money from his subordinates, in return for keeping them in office,” the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) said.

“He collected money from locally based directors across the country. If they could not pay, they were transferred to places far from their homes,” the statement said. are “pretty obvious,” said Jaroonkiat Pankaew, head of the police's anti-corruption division. in cash in his office, equivalent to 135,000 euros. 

Ratchada Suriyakul na Ayutthaya, who took office last February, has denied corruption charges, according to the press release. the NACC. 

Thailand has more than 150 national parks, entry to which is chargeable. 

The kingdom suffers from serious corruption problems, according to the NGO Transparency International, which expressed concern this year about the lack of progress in this area.