BANGKOK: Thai television presenter Panadda “Boom” Wongphudee and her husband, Atip “Got” Anantawan, were remanded in custody for 12 days on Saturday (Nov 7) in an investigation into alleged misuse of donations to the Ongkorn Thamdee Foundation.
Panadda did not request temporary release during the investigation. Relatives submitted a bail application and security on Atip’s behalf, but the Criminal Court rejected his request.
Initial remand runs until Nov 18
The Criminal Court granted investigators’ request to detain the couple from November 7–18 after officers from Subdivision 4 of the Economic Crime Suppression Division brought them to the court on Ratchadaphisek Road that morning.
Panadda, 51, is the foundation’s former chairwoman. Atip, 53, is a businessman.
According to police accounts of the investigation, Panadda faces allegations of jointly defrauding the public, entering false information into a computer system under the Computer Crime Act of 2007, and jointly laundering money. Atip faces a joint money-laundering charge.
Police reported that both initially denied the allegations during questioning.
Court cites concerns over witnesses and evidence
In refusing Atip bail, the court considered the seriousness of the allegations and the circumstances described in the remand application. Its reported reasoning referred to more than 900,000 donor accounts and alleged losses exceeding 900 million baht.
The court considered there were reasonable grounds to believe that releasing Atip could allow him to interfere with witnesses or other evidence, obstructing and damaging the investigation. Investigators and complainants had also opposed his temporary release.
Police had objected to bail on grounds including the substantial alleged losses, the severity of the potential penalties, and concerns that the suspects could flee or interfere with evidence.
Corrections officers subsequently took Panadda to the Central Women Correctional Institution and Atip to Bangkok Remand Prison. - The Nation/ANN
