Red-shirt leader faces complaint for refusing to pay locals bribes

Pro-government Red Shirt supporters rally at Phuttamonthon, west of the Thai capital on Saturday, April 5. Photo: Biel Calderón

Sixty locals of Sakaeo province filed a complaint against a red-shirt leader on Sunday after he refused to pay them the bribes they were promised.

Three representatives of the locals: Kampoaun Laosao, Jakkapong Duangnil and Wiriya Promwach, told the police each local was offered the bribe from a member of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship to join two protest sites on the weekend in Khon Kaen province and Aksa Road in Bangkok.

The deal was each would get THB1,000 per day plus the cost for transportation.

However, the red-shirt leader, whose name was withheld in the media, called to cancel the deal as the group was traveling to Khon Kaen.

When they received no payment, the locals filed the police report and the leader was invited to Nong Mark Fai police station for a negotiation.

In the end, the locals accepted THB500 payment, and the leader agreed to pay for the five vans they had rented, Daily News reported.