Region 1, Thailand – A criminal court sentenced two former top officials of the National Anti-Corruption Commission to three years in prison on Wednesday, 27 May 2026, for failing to fully disclose documents in the infamous luxury watch case involving General Prawit.
Drei Jahre Haft für zwei Ex-NACC-Chefs
The court convicted former NACC president Watcharapol Prasarnrajkit and former commissioner Supha Piyajitti to three years each. The verdict was announced on 27 May 2026.
Both sentences are suspended pending appeal: the court granted them temporary release on bail until a possible appeal is decided.
Worin die Anklage bestand
The court found that Watcharapol and Supha violated Section 157 of the Criminal Code in conjunction with Section 83 by breaching their duties through the omission of full document disclosure. The case centered on the NACC investigation files regarding Prawit’s luxury watches and diamond rings.
The charges accused them of malfeasance or neglect of official duties because important documents were either redacted or only partially released.
Ursprünglich zwölf Beschuldigte – viele Namen fielen weg
Veera originally filed the lawsuit against 12 former NACC officials, including Niwatchai Kasemmongkol, Worawit Sukboon, Police General Watcharapol, and Natthachak Phatamasingh Na Ayudhaya. During the preliminary investigation, some names were removed from the proceedings.
The court allowed the withdrawal of charges against Preecha because his term ended when he turned 70, and Veera later withdrew the suit against Witthaya and Natthachak. The court, however, proceeded with the trial against Watcharapol and Supha.
Der Kläger und seine Rolle
The plaintiff was Veera Somkwamkid, secretary-general of the People’s Network Against Corruption and a well-known anti-corruption activist. He demanded access to the investigation files to review the NACC’s decision.
The court ruled that Veera was entitled to sue as a directly injured party because his information requests served to monitor a corruption-related matter.
Welche Akten strittig waren
Veera had requested three categories of documents: the full investigation report including evidence, the written statements of the NACC officials responsible for the case, and the minutes of NACC meetings concerning Prawit’s cases. This demand was central to his lawsuit.
The Information Disclosure Tribunal and the Supreme Administrative Court had previously ordered the NACC to release the documents, but Veera claimed the submitted files were incomplete and heavily redacted.
Letzter Stand: Kaution, Berufung und öffentliches Interesse
Both convicts were sentenced to three years in prison but are free on bail pending an appeal. The court also rejected Veera’s request to withdraw the charges against Watcharapol and Supha, stating that a withdrawal would not serve the public interest and could cause significant harm to the state.
The conviction marks an important step in the fight against corruption and underscores the importance of due diligence and transparency in investigating official misconduct.