Lawyer Defends Record, Denies Prison Time and Name Change
Lawyer An from Buriram denies allegations he served 16 years for drug offenses and changed his name to obtain bar admission, clarifying his name changes occurred in infancy and childhood with no criminal record. Justice sector officials con
On July 30, 2025, reports emerged of an attorney in northeast Thailand allegedly serving a 16-year prison sentence for drug offenses before changing his name to clear his record and apply for bar admission, sparking public controversy.
Nayaphattrapong Suphaksin, known as Lawyer An from Buriram, responded through his personal Facebook account, stating that his current name has never been officially changed. He explained that at birth he was registered as Kriang Gai Pornthaisong, but his father changed it to Pattrapong Pornthaisong while he was still an infant, and later changed the surname to Suphaksin when he was nine years old—a name he has used continuously without alteration.
"I have never been imprisoned or faced serious criminal charges," Lawyer An stated firmly. "I have been practicing law for over 10 years without ever defrauding the state or engaging in any illegal conduct. If you have evidence, present it. I am 40 years old now—if I had served 16 years in prison, the timeline simply does not align."
Lawyer An challenged his detractors to provide proof, declaring, "Come at me with your evidence. I have four major tasks ahead: first, to expose the complete financial network involving a senator, not just a fragment; second, to expose financial flows involving Amnat Charoen province; third, to reveal how an official transferred assets to family members to evade political disqualification; and fourth, to expose a school administrator who unlawfully benefited from state land."
He concluded defiantly: "Find evidence of such wrongdoing against me. Come on, bring it on—whatever you have."
Justice sector reports clarified that the attorney reported to have served 16 years for drug trafficking is not Pattrapong, though the other lawyer shares his surname. The imprisoned attorney served between 1999 and 2015 at Phol Provincial Prison. Given that Pattrapong is currently 40 and has been practicing law for over 10 years, he would have been in secondary school or university during that imprisonment period. The other attorney is reportedly decades older, and reports do not identify Pattrapong as the subject of the allegations.
