Ex-Phuket Governor Arrested Over Bribery Scheme
Ex-Phuket Governor Roongrueang Thimabutr was arrested on June 30 for allegedly extorting bribes from a businessman and soliciting payments from civil service exam candidates through associates including his secretary.
On June 30, 2026, law enforcement agencies including the Central Police Investigation Bureau, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Department of Local Administration, and the Department of Special Investigation jointly announced the arrest of Roongrueang Thimabutr, 54, former Phuket Provincial Governor, on corruption and misconduct charges related to extortion involving local government civil service recruitment.
According to investigators, a businessman filed a complaint through Phuket's Justice Center, alleging that the former governor demanded one million baht in exchange for help resolving a land ownership document. When the businessman could not provide cash, he transferred the funds via bank account. However, after payment, no action was taken.
Financial investigators traced the money and discovered the same account appeared in another case involving volunteer civil defense personnel being solicited for local civil service exam bribes. This connection led to expanded charges against the suspect.
Arrest warrants were issued on June 26 under the Criminal Code sections 143 and the Anti-Corruption Act section 175. Upon linking both cases, additional charges were filed under Criminal Code sections 149 and 157 for public official extortion and misconduct.
Investigators noted that while the money trail did not directly reach the suspect, it involved people close to him, particularly his secretary. The funds were transferred through volunteer accounts and later withdrawn as cash, creating a complex financial path connecting him to the scheme.
