Ex-Phuket Official Sues Landowner Over Extortion Allegations
A former Phuket Provincial Administrator sued a landowner for defamation after being accused of extorting 1 million baht for document alterations, which he denies. The ex-official claims he was unfairly dismissed from civil service and ques
On July 16, 2026, at the Criminal Court on Ratchadaphisek Road, former Phuket Provincial Administrator Roongruang Thimabutr filed a defamation lawsuit against a landowner in Phuket who accused him of extorting 1 million baht in exchange for altering land ownership documents. Roongruang stated that he is suing for defamation and filing false charges intended to incriminate him, denying that he ever demanded money for document alterations. He claimed that a 1-million-baht transfer to an associate's account was unrelated to his actions, and that the landowner then filed criminal charges against him afterward.
Roongruang insisted he would never dare to extort money from a wealthy landowner and emphasized there is no financial connection to him whatsoever. He questioned why his case was handled with unusual speed and apparent double standards, leading to his immediate removal from civil service, while other fraud cases involving billions remain unresolved. He also addressed allegations filed by his former supervisor on June 24, stating he cannot discuss details while proceedings are ongoing, but he firmly denies ever seeking benefits from three individuals involved in a local investigation.
Roongruang explained that he returned to work in Phuket on June 24, when the victim filed a complaint. On June 26, the court issued an arrest warrant and he was detained. The following day, his supervisor ordered his dismissal from the civil service without investigating the facts or verifying whether the allegations were true. His legal team has separately filed a complaint against his supervisor with the Anti-Corruption and Misconduct Court for the improper dismissal order.
Narintr Somneuk, Roongruang's attorney, disclosed that today's lawsuit against the Phuket landowner alleges he filed false charges accusing Roongruang of demanding 1 million baht. The defense has evidence refuting the claim. The attorney also requested that the court summon the Phuket Provincial Committee chairman who issued the land inspection order to testify. The Criminal Court accepted the case under black case number 2024/2569 and scheduled a hearing on October 26, 2026.
