The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has ruled that Jamroen Thipphayaphongthada, a former provincial governor who served in four provinces, was unusually wealthy, having 321,670,858 baht, with assets deemed inconsistent with his income and of unproven origin.

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The decision was announced on 16 March 2026 by Surapong Intharathawon, Deputy Secretary-General of the NACC and spokesperson for the agency. The NACC concluded that Jamroen accumulated assets while serving as governor of Phuket, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phang Nga and Satun provinces, and while holding public office. Investigators found that his wealth increased significantly in ways that did not correspond with his declared income.

According to the investigation, assets were held in the names of Jamroen, his spouse and achild, totalling 321,670,858 baht. These included one bank account in Jamroen’s name containing 1,488,514 baht. Thirteen bank accounts in his spouse’s name held a combined total of 260,846,734 baht.

Additional assets included 22 land and property items in his spouse’s name valued at 47,445,608 baht. One property with buildings in the name of a child was valued at 5,690,000 baht, including furnishings and equipment. Six vehicles registered to his spouse were valued at a total of 6,200,000 baht.

The NACC ruled that the assets constituted unusual wealth obtained in connection with the exercise of official duties or authority. The commission determined that the assets had increased abnormally when compared with Jamroen’s declared income and financial disclosures, and that he could not provide lawful explanations for their origin.

The case file, evidence and investigative findings will now be forwarded to the Attorney General. Prosecutors are expected to submit a petition to the competent court seeking an order to confiscate the assets identified as unusually wealthy and transfer them to the state.

The NACC also ordered that its findings be reported to the relevant authority to initiate dismissal proceedings against Jamroen, with the conduct deemed corruption in office under the Organic Act on Anti-Corruption B.E. 2561 (2018), Section 122 paragraphs one and three.

If the confiscation cannot be enforced fully or partially against the identified assets, the court may order enforcement against other assets belonging to the accused within a period of ten years under Section 125 of the same law.

In a separate case, the NACC also ruled that Prasert Kaitong, former mayor of Khlong Luang Municipality in Pathum Thani province, possessed unusual wealth amounting to 3,000,000 baht. The finding relates to a land purchase made in 2016 while he was mayor.

Investigators found that Prasert purchased land title deed number 162932 in Khlong Nueng subdistrict, Khlong Luang district, Pathum Thani province, covering 600 out of 2,200 ownership shares or an area of 1 rai, for 3,000,000 baht. The property was registered in the name of his daughter under a joint ownership agreement dated 2 February 2016.

The NACC determined that Prasert could not explain the source of the 3,000,000 baht used to purchase the land. The commission therefore ruled the funds to be unusually acquired wealth linked to his public office.

Amarin reported that the investigation report, documents and evidence will also be submitted to the Attorney General to petition the court to confiscate the assets and transfer them to the state. Authorities will also be notified so that Prasert may be removed from office for misconduct in accordance with the Organic Act on Anti-Corruption B.E. 2561, Section 122 paragraphs one and five.

Picture courtesy of Amarin

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Adapted by ASEAN Now Amarin 17 Mar 2026

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I guess they forgot or otherwise stopped paying it forward.

My guess is if every person in a position of power in this country was honestly investigated corruption will be found. I reckon this is a pretty good "guess".

2 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

My guess is if every person in a position of power in this country was honestly investigated corruption will be found. I reckon this is a pretty good "guess".

Agreed, not many positions of power go unmilked here.

Wonder what he got all those medals for🤫

I read several times that some people are extremely wealthy. But what is the revenue department doing???

If there was a good system it would impossible. The government want to tackle corruption, but that are only words.

If everybody registered on the address they are living, instead of in the family/blue book. and everybody had to fill in a tax form, than the Revenue Department knew who is living where, earning how much, and has which assets. So somebody with a a tax income of 20k a month could not afford to buy 2 houses, driving in a new Mercedes and BMW, etc.. because it is impossible to pay with 20k. It would bring a lot of money for the country. I know nobody like to pay tax, but now a lot of people don't pay tax at all, but live in wealth

There is something unusual about that amount for sure, It would be interesting to know how much he paid for them positions.

The worldwide list of honest politicians could be typed in 45-point sans-serif on the back of a small business card, with room to spare.

There are only two reasons to seek power; to enrich oneself and to forcibly inflict your will on others. And the importance of either of these reasons are given primary or secondary objectives depending on the politician's particular form of narcissism.

Call me a cynic realist.

With Dubai now a dubious destination, where will these 'unusually rich' politicians go? Thai Air are offering single tickets at profiteering prices.

1 hour ago, ikke1959 said:

The government want to tackle corruption, but that are only words.

An interesting comment considering the government itself is corrupt. The Senate isn't dominated by the BJT party because of the will of the people.

On the bright side he can fully explain where the last 858 Baht came from🤔

2 hours ago, dinsdale said:

My guess is if every person in a position of power in this country was honestly investigated corruption will be found. I reckon this is a pretty good "guess".

I know the OP is about Thailand , but this is in all countries.

Corruption rules from the remotest smallest village to the top bureaucrats in Bangkok.

Some influential person wants "special" treatment - paying the right bureaucrat brings results.

Want your building/construction contract to "win" - it comes at a cost.

You want to win an election - pay a thousand Baht to a few thousand (million) people, and then pay more to the appropriate officials.

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Agreed, not many positions of power go unmilked here.

... not many any single positions of power go unmilked here ...

4 minutes ago, FlorC said:

I know the OP is about Thailand , but this is in all countries.

Yes corruption is in all countries but in some it's endemic. Here it's endemic. Thailand has corruption top to bottom.

The bigger issue is that official corruption in Thailand is systemic, not episodic.

For decades, civil service salaries were deliberately kept low with the unspoken understanding that “other channels” would make up the difference. That doesn’t excuse it, but it does explain why these cases keep surfacing.

When a system normalises informal payments, patronage networks, and opaque procurement, you inevitably get officials who push the boundaries (or just blow right past them).

Corruption goes both ways. It’s not just officials taking; it’s businesses, contractors, and ordinary people offering.

The entire ecosystem has been built around facilitation payments, favours, and personal networks. When everyone participates, accountability becomes almost impossible.

What’s interesting here is that the NACC is actually moving forward with asset seizure and prosecution. Whether that leads to real consequences or just another slow‑motion legal process remains to be seen.

Thailand has no shortage of anti‑corruption laws, the problem has always been enforcement and consistency, especially when powerful networks are involved.

Seems he's upset someone...we all know corruption starts at the top and works its way down....the NACC seems to have been given instructions to get this guy, but not to look at any other officials.

5 hours ago, FlorC said:

I know the OP is about Thailand , but this is in all countries.

not to the same extent....and in some countries, those caught out are punished..in China it's death, and I know in Australia, large fines and/or jail.

7 hours ago, Cuchulainn said:

Wonder what he got all those medals for🤫

maybe you don't know, but one can buy them at 7 Eleven, 5 baht for a pack of 3....

now on a serious note, they know about the corruption within their own government and it takes them a couple years to point out at 1 that may have over stepped the line

The flour dealer is very unusually wealthy - why no investigation of him I wonder ? :)

19 hours ago, hughrection said:

The flour dealer is very unusually wealthy - why no investigation of him I wonder ? :)

his is a "protected" occupation.