Well-known Thai lawyer Sittra Biabungkerd and his wife were arrested by Crime Suppression Division (CSD) officers this morning, as they were heading for Chachoengsao province in their brown Porsche Cayenne.
Their car was stopped by the police on the highway in Phanom Sarakham district of Chachoengsao province. The police showed them the arrest warrants issued by the Criminal Court. Both were then escorted to the CSD in Bangkok.
According to the police, Sittra was charged with fraud and money laundering, while his wife, Patitta, was charged with money laundering only.
Pol Lt-Gen Akkaradet Pimonsri, the assistant national police chief, told the media later that they decided to arrest the two suspects today because they tried to escape to a neighbouring country.
The police had been tracking the couple since they left home in Bangkok at about 9am today and decided to stop the couple’s car in a Bangkok suburb, before the got any further, because their Porsche would outrun any police car.
He further said that the police will seek the court approval tomorrow to have the couple detained for 12 days and oppose their bail application. He disclosed that, so far, three complaints of alleged fraud have been filed against Sittra.
These include a complaint filed by a Thai businesswoman based in France, Jatuporn Ubonlert, claiming that the lawyer had cheated her out of 71 million baht in an investment in an online gambling platform, which was never delivered to her, nor was her investment money returned.
Sittra, however, claims that the money was given to him out of affection and had nothing to do with the online gambling platform deal.
Sittra reported to the CSD on Tuesday to be questioned by the police regarding the 71 million baht.
The lawyer gained fame for his involvement in several high-profile cases, including:
• The 30-million baht lottery feud between retired police officer Chamroon Wimool and teacher Preecha Kraikruan in 2020. Sittra represented Chamroon in the ownership claim over the five first prize lottery tickets. The Kanchanaburi court awarded the lottery tickets to the real owner, Chamroon.
• The drama over the death of 3-year-old Nong Chompoo on a mountain in Mukdahan in 2021. Sittra defended for the suspect, Chaiphol Wipha, but later withdrew from the case. Chaiphol was sentenced to 20 years by the Mukdahan court last year.
• The drowning of actress Nida “Tangmo” Patcharaveerapong, after she fell from a speed boat into the Chao Phraya River in Nonthaburi in February 2022. Sittra represented the deceased’s mother.
