Former Phuket Governor Charged With Abuse Of Power
Former Phuket Governor Jamlearn Tiphapongthada faces criminal charges for issuing a hotel license in 2016 without required environmental approval, violating multiple laws and regulations.
On July 2, 2025, Surpong Intaracharoen, Secretary-General of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), announced that the NACC board has determined that former Phuket Governor Jamlearn Tiphapongthada committed criminal and disciplinary violations. The charges stem from his issuance of hotel business license No. 144/2559 on September 27, 2016, to a company without proper legal authorization.
According to investigation findings, the company submitted a hotel business application to Kathu District on September 3, 2014, for a project located within 50 meters of Phuket's coastline with slopes between 35-50 percent. These conditions required an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), but the company failed to submit one despite receiving three requests from the district office. The company only submitted a change of building use form without the mandatory EIA.
On September 27, 2016, before transferring to Nakhon Si Thammarat, Jamlearn rushed subordinates to present pending cases for his review. Though staff notes clearly documented the missing EIA approval, Jamlearn signed and issued the hotel license anyway, violating the Hotel Business Act B.E. 2547 and relevant environmental protection regulations for Phuket Province.
The NACC board determined that Jamlearn's actions constitute criminal violations under the Penal Code Section 157 and the Anti-Corruption Act, as well as serious disciplinary violations. The commission forwarded the case to the Attorney General for criminal prosecution and to his superior for disciplinary proceedings.
