Panadda foundation probe nearly complete, police say

Police have frozen 17 bank accounts containing about 60 million baht belonging to people linked to Panadda Wongphudee and her husband, as the investigation into the operations of the Goodness Foundation, chaired by the former Miss Thailand, gathers momentum.

Investigators have nearly pieced together the case but remain unconvinced by Ms Panadda’s claims that she was deceived by her husband, said Pol Maj Gen Thatphum Jaruprat, commander of the Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD).

Investigators are also examining other assets linked to the celebrity couple, including houses, cars and other items, to establish their ownership histories and determine when they were acquired.

If any assets are found to have been acquired after offences involving the foundation’s funds were committed, authorities will freeze and seize them, Pol Maj Gen Thatphum said on Wednesday.

He added that summonses and arrest warrants are expected to be issued no later than Friday.

Investigators have begun questioning donors regarding donation channels, timing and amounts contributed to the foundation, said the ECD chief. Evidence gathered has also indicated that some funds were not used for their stated purposes.

The complaints followed a clear pattern and were not considered complex, he added.

Ms Panadda’s lawyers have insisted that she was also a victim and had been deceived by her husband, while insisting she had no knowledge of any misconduct. However Pol Maj Gen Thatphum said investigators were giving little weight to those claims.

As foundation chairwoman, Ms Panadda was directly responsible for overseeing its finances and accounts, monitoring expenditures to ensure they complied with the stated objectives, and signing off on financial statements and annual reports submitted to the Revenue Department, he said.

Claims by Ms Panadda’s husband, Atip “Got” Anantawan, that his wife had no knowledge of, or involvement in, the alleged misconduct were merely statements made by the accused in self-defence, said Pol Maj Gen Thatphum.

However, evidence gathered from the investigation, including information provided by accountants and auditors, pointed in a different direction.

“Such claims are not credible,” he said, adding that investigators do not accept the argument that a person in Ms Panadda’s position, with her legal authority and capacity, could have remained unaware of repeated and ongoing transactions.

Contractors questioned

The investigation has also expanded to include contractors linked to projects funded by the foundation. Police questioned construction contractor Apichart Suelue, alias “Chang Ae”, who was reportedly hired to build eight pool villas in Thalang district of Phuket, on Tuesday night.

Another contractor, known as “Chang M”, who worked on the foundation’s project in Khlong 8, Pathum Thani, was scheduled to meet investigators on Wednesday.

Officers are trying to determine whether these people were witnesses with some knowledge of events, or complicit in the alleged wrongdoing.

Pol Maj Gen Thatphum said the investigators were examining financial transactions against standard business practices at every stage, from land acquisitions and legal transactions at land offices to contractor appointments, construction contracts specifying prices and payment milestones, as well as witnesses to contracts and payments.

Any irregularities, such as the absence of employment contracts or payments exceeding the actual value of work without reasonable justification, would be used as evidence to establish the true intentions of those involved, he said.

As for the total financial damage, the ECD chief said authorities were carefully reviewing all money trails before reaching final conclusions.

He confirmed, however, that the investigators had found evidence that foundation funds were used for Ms Panadda’s personal expenses.

He declined to confirm reports alleging that as much as 800 million baht from the foundation had been diverted for personal use, saying the investigators did not yet have evidence supporting that figure. (Story continues below)

Panadda “Boom” Wongphudee is escorted by a police officer as she arrives at the Crime Suppression Division on Tuesday to file a complaint with investigators. (Photo supplied/Wassayos Ngamkham)

‘Chompoo’ meets investigators

On Tuesday night, actress Araya Alberta Hargate (Rangsisingpipat), better known as “Chompoo”, provided information to investigators, said Pol Maj Gen Thatphum.

Another leading actress, Ranee “Bella” Campen, has not yet contacted investigators to arrange an interview.

The two actresses had reportedly donated 1 million baht each to Ms Panadda’s foundation.

Ms Panadda, who was Miss Thailand in 2000 and is now 50, filed a complaint on Tuesday with police at the Crime Suppression Division (CSD).

Speaking to reporters, the social activist and actress gave few details about her complaint, saying only that she had been wrong to trust a man who is close to her and whom she trusted the most.

She appeared to be referring to her husband, who is a real estate investor and former Mr Universe 2016.

The investigation followed a complaint filed last week by Boonyanuch Saengsri, a foundation donor and owner of the Facebook page “Oilsri and Phong Phueak”. She accused the foundation of fraud, money laundering and computer crimes.

The Goodness Foundation started its activities in 2019 and was registered in 2024. It attracted huge interest, raising nearly one billion baht in donations. The foundation mainly oversees disaster relief, legal aid and shelter for vulnerable groups and medical and educational assistance.

Warehouse inspected

In a related development, investigators on Wednesday visited a warehouse belonging to the foundation on a 20-rai property owned by Mr Atip in Nong Seua district of Pathum Thani.

There, they found large quantities of donated goods, including drinking water, diapers, talcum powder, mattresses and clothing. A local resident told reporters that the donated supplies began arriving during the Hat Yai floods in 2025.

It was also reported that Mr Atip’s elderly, ill mother was living on the site, where construction of a new house for her was taking place.