Sanaa:A former executive of PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited (PTT EP), Paophadet Worabutr, has been arrested in Indonesia in connection with the Rolls-Royce bribery case. He is expected to be extradited to Thailand tonight and will face court proceedings.
According to Thai News Agency, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) of Thailand disclosed the arrest and extradition process of Paophadet Worabutr. An arrest warrant had been issued by the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct, along with an INTERPOL Red Notice. A team comprising NACC officials and representatives from the Royal Thai Police traveled to Indonesia to facilitate the extradition.
The Rolls-Royce bribery case is significant, involving transnational bribery initially addressed by the U.S. Department of Justice. The NACC's investigation revealed evidence implicating Thai officials, leading to the prosecution of Worabutr. At the time, he held senior positions at PTT EP and was accused of aiding in securing a contract between Rolls-Royce Energy Systems and PTT EP, which included soliciting a bribe totaling US$300,543.
Paophadet Worabutr allegedly left Thailand for Malaysia before heading to Indonesia. The NACC worked closely with various international bodies, including the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the Indonesian Anti-Corruption Commission, to secure his arrest.