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Two immigration officers in Chon Buri face punishment for allowing a South Korean drug suspect to livestream while in police custody, Immigration Bureau spokesman Pol Maj Gen Cherngron Rimpadee said on Wednesday.
The incident gained attention when images of Seo Jung Num, 44, taken while in detention were sent from a smartphone while he was being taken to Bangkok for deportation.
Pol Maj Gen Cherngron said on Wednesday that the South Korean is wanted in his home country for drug trafficking. He was arrested by authorities in Chon Buri on Oct 3 and was subsequently found to have overstayed his visa by 373 days.
The Pattaya court gave him a suspended sentence and fined him 3,000 baht, and he was kept in custody while preparations were made to send him back to South Korea. He was transferred to Bang Lamung police station in Chon Buri, and later to the immigration detention centre in Bangkok.
The suspect livestreamed photos and a video of himself while still in detention from inside the vehicle on the way to Bangkok on Tuesday.
At the time he was in the custody of two Chon Buri immigration officers, Sub-Lt Pramote Fueangfung and Sgt Athit Thongbai, Pol Maj Gen Cherngron said.
He said that all detainees must be closely monitored, especially those on drug-related charges, regardless of court rulings.
The two officers had been suspended from duty and a panel set up to investigate their actions and impose disciplinary measures, he said.
– Korean media reported prisoner’s livestream –
South Korean media outlets Maeil and JTBC carried reports on the incident. They said the suspect livestreamed about his experience in Thai police custody while promoting his own YouTube channel.
The suspect was seen smoking a cigarette and thanking his followers for their support, saying it bolstered his courage.
He shared a scenic view of Pattaya beach, joking about being tempted to escape due to the beauty of the surroundings, and asking fans to like and subscribe to his channel. The video runs for one hour 36 minutes.
South Korean media reported that the 44-year-old dubbed himself “the richest man in Thailand” and described the conditions in Thai prisons as being more restrictive than those abroad. He mentioned that he was able to stay in communication while in detention by using a phone, allegedly made possible by paying a bribe.