Bangkok: A court has sentenced the president of a homeowners' association at a luxury village to 11 years in prison for colluding with district officials to embezzle funds, despite his denials due to overwhelming evidence.
According to Thai News Agency, the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct (Taling Chan) ruled that Mr. Alongkorn, the chairman of the juristic person, and Ms. Nipaporn, the manager of the juristic person, pleaded not guilty, but the evidence of their wrongdoing was clear. Their testimony was considered somewhat helpful, resulting in a reduction of their sentences by half, leaving them with 132 months in prison without suspension. Mr. Yodchai and Mr. Chanwit, two district officials, received a two-thirds reduction of their sentences due to their confessions, leaving them with 60 and 72 months respectively.
On September 5, 2025, Pol. Maj. Gen. Prasong Chalermphan, Commander of the Anti-Corruption and Misconduct Suppression Division (ACMSD), instructed Pol. Col. Permwut Pratumraj, Superintendent of ACMSD Division 1, to launch an operation targeting corruption within a luxury housing estate in Bang Khun Thian District, Bangkok. Four suspects were arrested: Mr. Alongkorn and Ms. Nipaporn on charges of "abetting a public official in performing their duties improperly or corruptly, and aiding and abetting a government official in neglecting or improperly performing their duties," while Mr. Yodchai and Mr. Chanwit were charged with "performing or neglecting to perform their duties improperly."
The investigation uncovered that Mr. Alongkorn and Ms. Nipaporn bribed district officials to misuse a government-owned hydraulic garbage compactor for transporting large tree branches within the village without proper permits. This act aimed to reduce costs by avoiding private transport fees and involved misuse of government property. Villagers have also accused Mr. Alongkorn of falsifying documents to embezzle over 1.6 million baht from village funds since his tenure began in 2015. Attempts to scrutinize the village's finances reportedly resulted in defamation lawsuits funded by community resources, with over 10 individuals currently facing such lawsuits. Additionally, Mr. Alongkorn has been accused of physically assaulting villagers, contributing to an atmosphere of fear.