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[Harold]

"Some policemen took advantage of the curfew last week to extort money from people, a deliveryman said. The man, who asked not to be named, said a soldier saved him from a threatening group of police officers early last Monday.

Police officers said the man was subject to severe penalties because he was violating the curfew, even though he tried explaining he had to deliver fresh food to restaurants before dawn every morning. Yet, the police officers surrounded his van, pointing their guns at his car, he said. After a period of negotiation, a soldier at the same checkpoint came over and asked what was going on. "The soldier then checked my identification card and said, 'this man is not a terrorist, let him go' and I was released," the man said.

However, he said on the following day at around 3am, two of his colleagues became victims to extortion at a checkpoint between Ram-Indra and Bang Khen. The policemen threatened the duo would be fined Bt40,000 each and given a two-year jail term, though the two managed to get away by handing over Bt4,000 each.

Upon learning of this case, Metropolitan police spokesman Police Maj-General Piya Uthayo said: "It could be true. But I need more information for investigation to be fair to the officers." He said complaints can be filed at the Metropolitan Police Bureau's Operation Centre by calling (02) 280 3196, and the cases would be duly investigated.So far, the operation centre has said there have been no such cases filed."

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