Lawyer Admits Knowing Man with Same Surname Jailed 16 Years on Drug Charges

Lawyer Phatthrapong Suphakson, known as 'Lawyer On' from Buriram, has acknowledged knowing a person with the same surname who was convicted and imprisoned for 16 years on drug trafficking charges. The controversy arose when authorities began investigating a lawyer in the northeastern region with an identical surname to the politically active lawyer, after discovering that the convicted person had allegedly used a name-change document to apply for a law license. In a personal video on July 29, 2025, Lawyer On responded forcefully to deny being that person, and in an interview on July 31, he provided a timeline of his life, stating he was a high school student in 1999, attended Ramkhamhaeng University from 2001-2004, then went to Australia, and returned in 2006. He served as a soldier in 2007 and became a lawyer in 2009. When pressed on whether he knows the person with the same surname, Lawyer On admitted that yes, the person received a 16-year sentence according to the justice process, but insisted the matter is not his concern and that he is not involved in politics. He challenged critics to identify the person by name and argued that if society believes he is that person, it reflects poorly on his character given his background and commitment to upholding the law. A justice sector source confirmed that the drug conviction involved sentences from courts in Buriram, Sisaket, and Phrae, with case numbers 2538/2542 and 938/2544. Bar Association leadership has expressed displeasure with Lawyer On's July 29 video and is preparing to review his conduct for potential disciplinary action.