Former officer arrested for embezzling 10 million baht

A former special operations officer from the Department of Corrections accused of embezzling 10 million baht from government funds has been arrested.

The suspect, identified as 36 year old Pornchai Paripreecha was arrested at a barbecue restaurant in Nong Khai while allegedly waiting for his wife to bring him cash.

Police Major General Montree Teskhan, head of the Crime Suppression Division (CSD), ordered Police Colonel Suriyasak Jirawat and Police Captain Atirat Tipcharoen to lead the operation. Pornchai, formerly a financial officer at the Khao Prik Agricultural and Industrial Correctional Institution, was detained under a warrant issued by the Si Khio Provincial Court on August 19, 2024.

Investigations revealed that Pornchai, who previously held a senior position responsible for the monthly budget and cash withdrawals for the prison, had misappropriated funds for personal use. His fraudulent activities reportedly began in mid-2023 and continued until July 2024, during which he embezzled over 10 million baht.

Before fleeing, Pornchai allegedly broke into the warden’s office to steal and destroy financial records. Further investigations uncovered that he operated over ten mule bank accounts and frequently changed his phone number to evade capture.

He had been hiding along the border in Mukdahan Province and had even changed his name to obtain a passport for crossing into Laos. However, as the arresting officers closed in, he attempted to escape to Nong Khai, aiming to cross into Laos again.

The CSD, in collaboration with the Nong Khai City Police, managed to apprehend Pornchai at a local market. Despite his arrest, Pornchai denied all charges and refused to provide any information. Investigations revealed that he had multiple wives and had transferred most of the stolen money to them.

Pornchai was handed over to the Klong Phai Police Station for prosecution for his involvement in the embezzling of government funds. He faces charges of nighttime theft with damage to barriers, theft in a government facility, and unauthorised access to computer data protected by security measures, reported KhaoSod.