Crime Thai Coffee Mogul Prayudh Gets 24-Year Sentence for Land Scandal

[webfact]

Picture courtesy of Thai PBS World

 

Thai billionaire Prayudh Mahagitsiri, known as a coffee kingpin, will serve 24 years in prison after the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases found him guilty of involvement in illegal land deed issuance in Nakhon Ratchasima's Sikhio district. The scandal centres around the manipulation of land rights in reserved forest areas. His daughter, Usana, will serve 12 years for the same crime.

 

At the heart of the case is the illegal acquisition of land for his Mountain Creek golf course – a business owned by his company, Thainox Stainless Co., Ltd.

 

The Court's findings suggest a collaboration with Land Department officials, enabling Prayudh to obtain title deeds for more than 30 hectares of protected land. These were integrated into his resort's existing 369 hectares, significantly expanding his business.

 

Prayudh's fortune came from a wide spectrum of ventures, including his prominent status in the Thai coffee industry. With a net worth pegged at $2.6 billion as of 2025, equivalent to nearly THB 95 billion, he ranks tenth among Thailand's wealthiest individuals and holds the 1,462nd spot on Forbes' global billionaires list.

 

The court's decision marks a significant development in curbing corporate malpractice linked to influential business figures in Thailand.

 

The ruling reflects ongoing efforts by Thai authorities to address corruption, particularly in land-related frauds. Despite the substantial sentence, it is yet to be seen how these convictions will impact Prayudh’s broader business empire. 

 

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Thai PBS World 2025-05-02

 

 

[ukrules]

This guy can't keep out of the news lately, first the Nestle / Nescafe issues and now this.
 

It's never a good idea to annoy powerful enemies, especially if you have some skeletons. Lets see how many days he does inside.

[ChrisY1]

Nestle revenge??

[anchadian]

No doubt a bail request is pending.

His first offence was back in 2023 where he received a prison sentence of 2 yrs 8 months.

[impulse]

I wonder who he really pissed off?   I doubt it was Nestle.  And it's not about 30 hectares...

 

 

[lordgrinz]

2 hours ago, anchadian said:

No doubt a bail request is pending.

His first offence was back in 2023 where he received a prison sentence of 2 yrs 8 months.

 

He should be out on bail until he dies of old age, it's nice to be rich.

[Artisi]

Forgot to pass on the brown envelopes. 

[trainman34014]

He will become very sick, very soon and be transferred to Hospital for 23 years and 364 days.     The Interest on his Fortune will pay the Medical Bills and.....ahem;  'other costs' !

[newbee2022]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Picture courtesy of Thai PBS World

 

Thai billionaire Prayudh Mahagitsiri, known as a coffee kingpin, will serve 24 years in prison after the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases found him guilty of involvement in illegal land deed issuance in Nakhon Ratchasima's Sikhio district. The scandal centres around the manipulation of land rights in reserved forest areas. His daughter, Usana, will serve 12 years for the same crime.

 

At the heart of the case is the illegal acquisition of land for his Mountain Creek golf course – a business owned by his company, Thainox Stainless Co., Ltd.

 

The Court's findings suggest a collaboration with Land Department officials, enabling Prayudh to obtain title deeds for more than 30 hectares of protected land. These were integrated into his resort's existing 369 hectares, significantly expanding his business.

 

Prayudh's fortune came from a wide spectrum of ventures, including his prominent status in the Thai coffee industry. With a net worth pegged at $2.6 billion as of 2025, equivalent to nearly THB 95 billion, he ranks tenth among Thailand's wealthiest individuals and holds the 1,462nd spot on Forbes' global billionaires list.

 

The court's decision marks a significant development in curbing corporate malpractice linked to influential business figures in Thailand.

 

The ruling reflects ongoing efforts by Thai authorities to address corruption, particularly in land-related frauds. Despite the substantial sentence, it is yet to be seen how these convictions will impact Prayudh’s broader business empire. 

 

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Thai PBS World 2025-05-02

 

 

 

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Picture courtesy of Thai PBS World

 

Thai billionaire Prayudh Mahagitsiri, known as a coffee kingpin, will serve 24 years in prison after the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases found him guilty of involvement in illegal land deed issuance in Nakhon Ratchasima's Sikhio district. The scandal centres around the manipulation of land rights in reserved forest areas. His daughter, Usana, will serve 12 years for the same crime.

 

At the heart of the case is the illegal acquisition of land for his Mountain Creek golf course – a business owned by his company, Thainox Stainless Co., Ltd.

 

The Court's findings suggest a collaboration with Land Department officials, enabling Prayudh to obtain title deeds for more than 30 hectares of protected land. These were integrated into his resort's existing 369 hectares, significantly expanding his business.

 

Prayudh's fortune came from a wide spectrum of ventures, including his prominent status in the Thai coffee industry. With a net worth pegged at $2.6 billion as of 2025, equivalent to nearly THB 95 billion, he ranks tenth among Thailand's wealthiest individuals and holds the 1,462nd spot on Forbes' global billionaires list.

 

The court's decision marks a significant development in curbing corporate malpractice linked to influential business figures in Thailand.

 

The ruling reflects ongoing efforts by Thai authorities to address corruption, particularly in land-related frauds. Despite the substantial sentence, it is yet to be seen how these convictions will impact Prayudh’s broader business empire. 

 

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Thai PBS World 2025-05-02

 

 

I'm not sure they will see a prison from inside as money talks in Thailand.

We remember Thaksin very well.

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

The court's decision marks a significant development in curbing corporate malpractice linked to influential business figures in Thailand.

Some but not all... 

[Watawattana]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

The Court's findings suggest a collaboration with Land Department officials

How long in jail did there people get?  😂.

 

And, sorry, I couldn't resist using the coffee emoji...

 

[Purdey]

Perhaps he should have shouted "Do you know who I am?" at the judges?

[Thingamabob]

If the super rich actually do any jail time it usually consists of them being filmed entering prison through the front entrance, but not filmed shortly thereafter leaving through the back exit.

[mfd101]

Too much sugar and sawdust, not enough coffee beans.

[ronnie50]

Didn't take long to confirm my hunch. Billionaires in Thailand like this guy and his family are either on the 'right' side (like the most prominant billionnaire oligarchs that run all the retail, food, booze, hotel) - or on the 'wrong' side of Thailand's 'Loyalty Scheme'. This guy's family (his scion in particular) are on the 'wrong' side - in other words the competition side - the 'Thaksin side'.

 

The other side - the 'right' side - would never be facing a court decision like that. Never.

 

This also (IMO) answers what seemed like a bewildering move for Thai authorities to side with Neslte, an outside foreign conglomerate, over the cherished and obligatory 'Thai majority partner' (let John Lewis and Waitrose try the same move against Central/Tops and see what happens).

 

BTW, Forbes did a gush-umentary on the scion some time ago..

https://www.forbes.com/global/2012/0507/feature-next-tycoons-tta-prayudh-chalermchai-mahagitsiri-troubled-waters/ 

[Will B Good]

 

 

I cannot believe for the life of me that they will serve these sentences.....maybe a fraction of them at best (or worst?).

 

They'll be trawling for body doubles now to serve as stand-ins.

[newbee2022]

22 minutes ago, ronnie50 said:

Didn't take long to confirm my hunch. Billionaires in Thailand like this guy and his family are either on the 'right' side (like the most prominant billionnaire oligarchs that run all the retail, food, booze, hotel) - or on the 'wrong' side of Thailand's 'Loyalty Scheme'. This guy's family (his scion in particular) are on the 'wrong' side - in other words the competition side - the 'Thaksin side'.

 

The other side - the 'right' side - would never be facing a court decision like that. Never.

 

This also (IMO) answers what seemed like a bewildering move for Thai authorities to side with Neslte, an outside foreign conglomerate, over the cherished and obligatory 'Thai majority partner' (let John Lewis and Waitrose try the same move against Central/Tops and see what happens).

 

BTW, Forbes did a gush-umentary on the scion some time ago..

https://www.forbes.com/global/2012/0507/feature-next-tycoons-tta-prayudh-chalermchai-mahagitsiri-troubled-waters/ 

🥱

[GreasyFingers]

Will Taksin's golf course encroachments put him in jail as well.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, Will B Good said:

I cannot believe for the life of me that they will serve these sentences.....maybe a fraction of them at best (or worst?).

 

They'll be trawling for body doubles now to serve as stand-ins.

 

 

Ain't no way!!!

 

This guy and his family are super rich, even by Thai standards.

 

Dunno how or where it will come from... But somehow, he'll end up walking away from all this with something far less than the OP report says.

 

PS - FWIW, the family involved here is the main Thai business entity behind both the Pizza Hut and Taco Bell operations in Thailand.

 

https://www.thoresen.com/en/about-tta/business-overview/food-beverage

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/r-taco-bells-first-thailand-outlet-to-serve-spicy-fare-and-local-beer-2019-1

 

 

[Peabody]

13 hours ago, webfact said:

The Court's findings suggest a collaboration with Land Department officials...

How much time did they get?

[TheFishman1]

how many days did the Red Bull kid serve in jail here TIT

[ronnie50]

58 minutes ago, Peabody said:

How much time did they get?

I thought it said 24 years for the billionnaire head of the family. But really, this is, almost certainly, just the latest move by the Establishment Trinity vs the Thaksin group of outsider billionnaires. It's showing the Thaksin group that the trinity is still well in charge.

[soi3eddie]

15 hours ago, webfact said:

Despite the substantial sentence, it is yet to be seen how these convictions will impact Prayudh’s broader business empire. 

 

His business empire should be seized. The Illegally developed property should be dismantled and land returned to nature as proceeds of crime.