In Kamphaeng Phet, a furniture factory owner has appealed to relevant agencies for an investigation after being forced to pay a monthly extortion fee of 4,000 baht, claimed to cover fuel expenses for a "Mr." He admitted fear of trouble and pays to maintain peace of mind in his business, feeling compelled to comply.
According to the Facebook page “Kamphaeng Phet Complaints,” a post stated, “There are loud complaints about demands for fuel money from furniture shops in Kosamphi. If anyone has evidence, please send it to the page to be presented.” Later, it added, “Oh my! The furniture factory owner spoke out, saying someone demands 4,000 baht monthly as fuel money for ‘Mr.’”
After these posts circulated on social media, many questions arose about what was happening in Kosamphi Nakhon District, Kamphaeng Phet Province.
Regarding this, on 23 Mar 2026 GMT+7, a reporter met with a furniture factory owner in Kosamphi Nakhon District, who revealed that “a senior figure” visited his factory twice to request assistance with fuel debt owed by the former district chief, who was about to be transferred. The debt to a local gas station exceeded 90,000 baht, and the former district chief had reportedly incurred this liability. The request was for help to settle this debt.
He said he was unaware of the social media criticism until other furniture business owners called him. The extortion is a sensitive topic; other shops comply, so he must as well, fearing trouble. Later, someone demanded money claiming it would be given to 'Mr.' He paid 4,000 baht on the last occasion. He believes many other furniture owners are also being charged similarly based on his conversations. He pays to avoid hassle and for peace of mind in business, although sales have declined recently, and many furniture shops face increasing charges. He admits he must comply.
Therefore, he wants relevant authorities to investigate what is really happening, as furniture sales are nearly nonexistent and the situation is already difficult.
“I understand the money is collected and given to ‘Mr.’ Whoever that is, I assume it is the highest-ranking person in the area, since no one else is bigger than him,” he added.
A source reported that regarding the work of this senior official in the area, junior officials claimed he was unable to cooperate with subordinates. They could not consult on any matters, including law enforcement activities such as crackdowns on offenders, which he ignored, causing frustration among his subordinates.