The Thai police, who found nearly 135 thousand euros in cash in his office in Bangkok, announced that the director of national parks in Thailand was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of corruption.
Ratchada Suryakul Na Ayutthaya, director general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, “abused his power by receiving money from his subordinates, in exchange for their retention,” the anti-corruption body said.
“He has collected money from local managers across the country. If they cannot pay, they are relocated to places far from home,” the statement said.
Jarunkyat Pankio, the head of the police anti-corruption division, said the arrest took place during a money exchange operation, so the evidence is “very clear”.
The police, who have to continue the investigation, found nearly five million baht in cash in his office, the equivalent of €135,000.
Ratchada Suryakul Na Ayutthaya, who took office last February, denied the corruption charges, according to the National Anti-Corruption Council statement.
In Thailand, there are more than 150 national parks, entrance to which is paid.
The kingdom suffers from serious corruption problems, according to the non-governmental organization Transparency International, which this year expressed concern about the lack of progress in this field.
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