Phuket mayors face charges in major corruption scandal
Three mayors in Phuket—Aroon Solos of Rawai, Panya Samphaorat of Pa Khlok, and Juta Dumlak from Kamala Tambon Administrative Organisation—are embroiled in legal battles over corruption charges. Phuket Vice Governor Ronnarong Thipsiri confirmed these proceedings, emphasising a broader push against corruption in the province.
Panya Samphaorat faces charges from the Phuket branch of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) for neglecting duties concerning public land. This case was accepted by the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases in March 2022.
Juta Dumlak is accused of misconduct related to issuing building permits, with his case accepted in December last year. Aroon Solos, implicated in the unlawful issuance of building permits, has been under scrutiny since September 2020, though the action was delayed until a Supreme Administrative Court ruling in September last year.
“Two of them, OrBorTor Chief Juta and Mayor Aroon have been suspended from their duties,” confirmed Phuket NACC Chief Suwat Saowarat. Only Panya remains active in his role, having filed a petition with the Administrative Court, resulting in a temporary protection order that allows him to continue his duties.
The charges brought against these officials, all involving corruption exceeding 500,000 baht (US$14,610), are handled by the NACC. Lesser cases fall under the jurisdiction of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC). Vice Governor Ronnarong noted that Juta and Aroon are not receiving their standard government salaries during the court proceedings, as per regulations.
Despite facing charges, Mayor Panya continues his mayoral duties, while Juta and Aroon have been out of office for months. None of the three were present at the recent International Anti-Corruption Day event in Phuket, led by Governor Sophon Suwannarat.
Phuket corruption
Kamala OrBorTor confirmed Juta’s suspension but withheld details, while Rawai Municipality provided unclear information about Aroon’s status. Initially citing a back injury from cycling, the municipality later claimed Aroon was assisting villagers or attending seminars, without addressing his official suspension.
Aroon’s charges involve the improper issuance of construction permits for the Eva Beach project. Panya’s case concerns neglected actions against a landowner who altered public land designated as a road, while Juta faces similar accusations regarding building permits.
“I have been working on this issue for a long time, as I am a former Inspector-General of the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA),” stated Vice Governor Ronnarong. He has formed a committee with the Phuket Provincial Office, NACC, and PACC to tackle corruption, educate officials, and prevent future occurrences.
Corruption in Phuket falls into two categories, Ronnarong explained: clear misconduct and unintentional errors due to a lack of legal understanding. He highlighted that many officials are not local and lack familiarity with land boundaries, leading to uninformed decisions, reported The Phuket News.
To address this, a committee is being established to prevent corruption through training and education, ensuring officials understand legal processes and avoid signing documents without full comprehension. This effort aims to mitigate corruption by increasing awareness and monitoring among officials.
