Former Miss Thailand Panadda Arrested in Charity Donation Probe and Remanded for 12 Days on Fraud and Money-Laundering Allegations
BANGKOK — Thai television presenter Panadda Wongphudee, known as Boom, a former Miss Thailand, was arrested at her home in Bangkok's Bueng Kum district on November 6. Police took her and her husband, Atip Anantawan, into custody under Criminal Court warrants over allegations that donations to the Goodness Foundation she founded were misused. Both deny the allegations.
Police say Panadda faces allegations of jointly defrauding the public, entering false information into a computer system under the Computer Crime Act and jointly laundering money, while Atip faces an allegation of joint money laundering. On November 7 the couple were brought before the Criminal Court, which remanded them for an initial 12 days, from November 7 to 18, for further investigation. The court rejected Atip's bail application amid concerns that he might interfere with witnesses or evidence, while Panadda did not seek bail. She was taken to the Central Women Correctional Institution and he to Bangkok Remand Prison.
Investigators traced about 815 million baht in charity donations across the foundation's accounts. They say roughly 527 million baht was transferred out, including about 249 million baht linked to Panadda's personal accounts and about 99 million baht to her husband. Police say the money was used for purposes outside the foundation's stated objectives, including a pool-villa project in Phuket's Thalang district, luxury goods, a life-insurance policy and credit-card payments. Police have frozen 18 accounts belonging to the couple totaling about 102 million baht and searched four locations in Bangkok and neighbouring Pathum Thani province. Police declined to confirm reports that as much as 800 million baht was diverted, saying the total damage is still being traced.
Panadda was crowned Miss Thailand in 2000 and later built a career as an actress, model and television presenter. The Goodness Foundation began its activities around 2019 and was registered in 2024, raising money for disaster relief and assistance to vulnerable groups. The case emerged after donors complained that funds were being misallocated. The allegations are the police case as presented so far; both suspects have denied them and the case has yet to be tried.
(Source: Royal Thai Police)
Source: Royal Thai Police
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：泰国曼谷昭披耶河畔的郑王寺（黎明寺）夜景（资料照片）。Fernando Garcia 摄，CC BY 3.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: Wat Arun across the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, Thailand, at dusk (file photo). By Fernando Garcia, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
