Interior Minister Orders Probe into Bum Panadda Foundation Finances
Interior Minister Pholpeer Suwanchavee has ordered a financial investigation into the Bum Panadda Foundation and threatened revocation if funds were misused. Investigation committees have also been formed to probe a senior ministry official's alleged involvement in a Nakhon Nayok land dispute linked to the foundation chairwoman's husband. The ministry is coordinating with the Department of Provincial Administration to review the foundation's funding sources and tax compliance.
At 12:55 PM on November 2, 2026, at Nong Khai Hospital, Interior Minister Pholpeer Suwanchavee addressed the land dispute in Nakhon Nayok involving the husband of Bum Panadda Wongphudi. He stated that the encroached land falls within a military zone, making it Crown Property under the responsibility of the Ministry of Finance, which has authorized the Ministry of Defense to use it. The agency to file legal action would be either the Ministry of Defense or the Ministry of Finance.
Regarding reports that a Ministry of Interior C8 civil servant was involved, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior has already appointed an investigation committee, and the provincial administration has also set up a committee in case village heads or subdistrict chiefs are implicated.
On the foundation issue, the minister said he has spoken with the Director-General of the Department of Provincial Administration to examine the source of the foundation's funds, tax payments, and other income. The Director-General will present the details tomorrow. He believes that if there is wrongdoing, those responsible cannot escape accountability. If foundation funds were misused, transferred to private entities, and then channeled back, the money trail visible in media reports will show how Bum Panadda explains herself. He expects details tomorrow and said if violations are found, legal action will follow.
When asked what authority the Ministry of Interior has if money-trail irregularities are confirmed, Pholpeer said revocation powers already exist. Whether the ministry can pursue legal cases will be determined by the Director-General of the Department of Provincial Administration. However, he emphasized the ministry will not stop there, because many foundations and organizations accept public donations, so transparency is essential. As the state agency overseeing foundations and registrations, the Ministry of Interior must examine how each foundation operates and whether irregularities exist, and take action if any are found.
