Crime stories have captivated and shocked the nation over the past 12 months.
1. RTP riven by internal conflict
This year, the Royal Thai Police (RTP) was embroiled in internal conflicts among its high-level officials, leading to administrative shake-ups.
Former prime minister Srettha Thavisin intervened by issuing a sudden order transferring Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol, then national police chief, to the Office of the Prime Minister for 60 days.
During his absence, his deputy, Pol Gen Kitrat Phanphet, was appointed as acting national police chief.
Pol Gen Torsak was in conflict with his then-deputy Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, also known as "Big Joke", due to mutual accusations of involvement in high-profile corruption cases, particularly those related to online gambling and money laundering.
After the investigation concluded, Pol Gen Torsak was reinstated as national police chief in June, where he served until his retirement at the end of September.
Pol Gen Surachate, meanwhile, faces serious legal challenges, with the Criminal Court issuing an arrest warrant against him on charges of money laundering.
He was dismissed from the police force. Despite attempts to seek justice through various agencies and the Supreme Administrative Court, all upheld the decision.
The scandal ensured Pol Gen Surachate could not be considered a candidate for national police chief, and also ended his career in law enforcement, despite his having several years remaining before his mandatory retirement in 2031.
The internal strife within the RTP and subsequent government interventions highlighted the challenges faced by the force in maintaining its integrity and public trust amid allegations of corruption and internal discord.
2. Fugitive Paeng Nanod found in Bali
After evading authorities for over seven months, fugitive Chaowalit Thongduang, also known as “Paeng Nanod”, was apprehended in Bali, Indonesia, in a joint operation between Thai and Indonesian authorities.
Chaowalit ‘Paeng Nanod’ Thongduang is escorted by police from Don Mueang airport to Bang Kwang Central Prison in June. (Photo: Police photo)
Chaowalit, 37, a native of tambon Nanod in Phatthalung province’s Muang district, is a notorious offender with a lengthy history of over 10 major convictions, including murder, armed assault and attempted homicide.
On Oct 20 last year, he was sent from Nakhon Si Thammarat Central Prison to Maharaj Nakhon Si Thammarat Hospital for dental treatment.
He fled corrections staff on Oct 22 into the Banthad mountain range, which stretches across Phatthalung, Trang and Satun provinces. Despite a massive manhunt, he long managed to evade capture.
He released video clips in which he claimed he was a victim of injustice and said his application for bail had not been handled fairly.
His clips sparked a nationwide manhunt, led by Provincial Police Region 9 and the Immigration Bureau (IB).
Investigators tracked his associates, some of whom travelled suspiciously frequently to Indonesia. Among them was a close female companion whose testimony provided crucial leads.
Through collaboration with Justice Minister Pol Col Tawee Sodsong, a special task force was formed. The team worked with Indonesian authorities to locate Chaowalit on the tourist island of Bali, where he was found hiding in a rented room.
Chaowalit was extradited to Thailand in early June to face justice after seven months on the run. He now faces additional charges related to his escape, compounding his already substantial criminal record.
3. The iCon group loses lustre
One of the big scandals of the year concerned The iCon Group, the direct sales company allegedly involved in public fraud and pyramid schemes. A total of 7,875 people filed complaints against the company and claimed to have lost 1.64 billion baht in total.
The iCon Group’s top executives and high-profile presenters appear on stage. The firm is at the heart of one of the country’s biggest financial frauds. (Photo: The icon group)
The iCon Group was founded by CEO Waratphon Waratvorakul in 2018, claiming it was involved in “online retail sales”.
After six years of operation, it has 368,257 members and is known as a fast-growing business. Its accumulated financial statement from the year 2019-2023 reported around 10.6 billion baht in revenue. One reason for its success is the company hired celebrities to represent it, and portrayed their roles as if they were company executives.
Those celebrities included Yuranunt “Sam” Pamornmontri, Kan Kantathavorn, and Pechaya “Min” Wattanamontree.
On Oct 7, a group of damaged parties filed a complaint with the Central Investigation Bureau claiming The iCon Group lured them into investing in online e-commerce courses and purchase its products.
They were unable to find customers and were advised to sign up members instead, in return for which they were to be paid commissions in a model similar to a pyramid scheme.
More damaged parties came forward as victims with some saying their lost loved ones who committed suicide in despair of losing their savings or running up huge debts to The iCon Group.
CIB officers arrested 18 suspects including the CEO, executives and three celebrities. They were charged with public fraud and crimes related to the Computer Act.
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) later took over the case and investigated the company for money laundering, while the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo) worked on additional asset seizures from the suspects.
The probe led to additional charges for those executives including fraudulent borrowing (pyramid scheme-linked offences) and breaching the Direct Sales and Marketing Act.
The DSI impounded assets worth 747 million baht from the 18 suspects for future compensation. The seized assets included real estate and luxury vehicles.
The investigation also expanded to people who allegedly demanded a bribe from Mr Waratphon, including politician Samart Janechaijittawanich, former assistant minister of justice and former member of the Palang Pracharath Party; Ms Wilawan, the mother of Mr Samart; and Kritanong Suwannawong, a former chairwoman of the online network promotion coordination centre.
All 20 suspects have been detained at the Bangkok Remand Prison and Central Women’s Correctional Institution, except Mr Samart’s mother who was given bail.
Mr Waratphon, however, insists his company is a real business selling dietary supplements and denies all charges.
4. Lawyer Sittra crashes down to earth
High-profile lawyer Sittra Biabungkerd became the talk of the town when he and his wife were arrested in November over his alleged embezzlement scheme.
Well-known lawyer Sittra Biabungkerd and his wife, Pathitta Biabungkerd, detained by police on embezzlement charges. (Photo: Police photo)
On Nov 7, Mr Sittra, 44, and his wife, Pathitta Biabungkerd, were arrested on a highway in Chachoengsao on fraud and money laundering charges.
The high profile lawyer ran the Sittra Law Firm, which represented many famous clients in recent years.
One included Suchanun Sucharitchinsri, also known as Minnie, who was suspected of running online gambling websites and linked to a close aide of former deputy police chief, Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn.
The scandal came to light when client Jatuporn Ubonlert, 58, filed a complaint with police saying Mr Sittra defrauded her of 71 million baht in an online lottery scheme which did not exist.
Ms Jatuporn, who lives in France with her French husband, said she gave Mr Sittra the money after he claimed he could secure her rights to run an online lottery platform.
The money was for the development of software which Mr Sittra had still failed to materialise after two years.
Ms Jatuporn also paid Mr Sittra legal fees as her adviser of 300,000 baht a year.
She decided to scrap the contract and demanded a refund but Mr Sittra claimed the money was a gift.
Police expanded the investigation and arrested three others: Pinthira Kariwan, sister of his wife, Nuwat Yongyut and his girlfriend Sarini Nuchanart.
They were charged with jointly laundering money and colluding to launder money, in relation to a 39 million baht fraud in which Mr Sittra claimed he could help Ms Jatuporn pay for a famous Chinese singer to perform in Thailand via cryptocurrency.
But the money was later divided among the lawyer’s team.
In addition, Mr Sittra allegedly forged documents when he bought a Benz for Ms Jatuporn. Police found he gained 1.5 million baht from 12.9 million baht payments on the car.
He also asked Ms Jatuporn to pay 9 million baht for a hotel design when the actual cost was only 3.5 million baht, further raising her hackles.
The Anti-Money Laundering Committee froze the assets of Mr Sittra and his associates totalling 71 million baht.
Mr Sittra and his wife were charged with fraud and money laundering.
The five suspects have been jailed at the Bangkok Remand Prison and the Central Women’s Correctional Institution, with the case still ongoing.
5. ‘PAO dispute’ behind fatal shooting
Chaimet Sitsanitpong, a Prachin Buri provincial council member, was shot dead at the house of Soonthorn Vilawan, chairman of the Prachin Buri Provincial Administration Organisation (PAO), on the night of Dec 11.
Police question suspects at the home of Soonthorn Vilawan, president of the Prachin Buri Provincial Administrative Organisation, about the fatal shooting of his adopted son, a provincial councillor, on Dec 11. (Photo: Police photo)
Chaimet, 48, was the adopted son of Mr Soonthorn, 85, an influential figure in the province and father of former deputy education minister Kanokwan Vilawan.
Despite claiming he was resting in his bedroom when the gun went off, Mr Soonthorn has been named as one of seven suspects in the case, including two aides of Mr Soonthorn who are the alleged shooters.
A political conflict is thought to be behind the fatal attack, as Chaimet supported his wife, Napaphat Anchasanichamon, to run for chairmanship of the Prachin Buri PAO under the Pheu Thai Party’s banner. At the same time, Mr Soonthorn insisted on fielding a Bhumjaithai Party candidate.
Some audio clips containing heated arguments between the two over matters including the unsettled local election matter were leaked after the shooting.
Most recently, the national police chief asked the Crime Suppression Division to take over the probe from local police. Police believe the murder was calculated and suspect Mr Soonthorn wanted his stepson dead. The case shows how truly nasty politics at the local level can be.
