Housing Committee Head Arrested for Bribery & Fraud

Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

Authorities in Bangkok have arrested the head of a housing estate’s committee, along with several accomplices, for bribing district officials and embezzling communal funds. The crackdown, led by Police Colonel Permwut Prathumrat of the Anti-Corruption Division (ACD), targeted a network involving the estate’s management and local government officers in Bang Khun Thian.

At 06:00 on 5 September, officers executed warrants at multiple locations, including the residence of Mr. Alongkorn (58), the committee president and Ms. Nipaporn (38), the estate manager. Both were charged with supporting public officials acting unlawfully, corruption and enabling state officials to neglect their duties. They were taken to Thian Thale Police Station for formal proceedings.

Two district officials, Mr. Yodchai (51) and Mr. Chanwit (48), surrendered after learning of the arrests. They face charges of misconduct in office and facilitating corruption.

Investigations revealed that the estate management colluded with the officials to use municipal hydraulic garbage trucks for private purposes, removing large branches and debris from the estate without proper authorisation. By doing so, they avoided higher costs of hiring private trucks. The scheme allowed them to falsify expense records, diverting funds from the estate’s communal accounts for personal gain.

The misappropriation also involved inappropriate use of heavy-duty equipment, posing a risk of damage to municipal property. Residents reported longstanding misconduct by Mr. Alongkorn, including bullying homeowners, manipulating financial records, filing false expense claims and intimidating residents who questioned estate management. Over the years, more than ten residents have faced defamation lawsuits or harassment linked to complaints about financial transparency.

Authorities continue to investigate the full extent of the corruption network, emphasising the severity of abusing both public office and private management positions for personal profit.

  Adapted by Asean Now from Khaosod 2025-09-06