ACT unveils 10 major corruption scandals of 2025

The ACT released its annual report on Thursday (December 25), "10 Corruption Scandals of 2025," highlighting the devastating impact of systemic corruption and outlining the path forward for 2026.

The ACT warned that corruption has evolved into sophisticated "networks" spanning various sectors, calling on the public to use their voting power in upcoming elections to reject dishonest candidates.

Mana Nimitmongkol, Chairman of the ACT, stated that 2025 was the year of "Networked Corruption."

He noted that politicians and elites have blatantly ignored public expectations and ethics, while many members of the Senate and independent agencies have become burdens to the state, severely hindering anti-corruption efforts and human rights.

The 10 Corruption Scandals of 2025

• The State Audit Office (SAO) Building Collapse: A tragedy resulting in 86 deaths and THB2 billion in damages. Despite the scale, the masterminds remain unpunished as official investigation reports are allegedly suppressed by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) and the government, raising doubts about construction safety standards and the credibility of Integrity and Transparency Assessment (ITA) scores.
• Crisis of Faith in the Clergy: High-ranking monks were implicated in embezzling temple funds. A notable case involved "laywoman Golf,"  with 13 individuals linked to a THB385 million loss over three years. Investigations by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) continue to expose fraud among prominent monks, including "Phra Alongkot" and 181 others.
• Global Scammers & "Grey Capital" Networks: Assets worth over 10 billion THB were seized from networks linked to individuals identified as Yim Leak, Ben Smith, Kok An, and Chen Zhi. The scandal highlighted the deep ties between "grey capital," Thai politicians, and corrupt police, costing the Thai economy an estimated THB115.3 billion annually.
• Veteran’s General Hospital Medicine Fraud: A whistleblower exposed a seven-year corruption ring involving doctors and over 20 accomplices, causing an THB80million loss. This follows other scandals involving "Dr Air" (selling date-rape drugs) and a military doctor administering fake flu vaccines, all of which drain the liquidity of the Universal Healthcare (30-Baht) system.

• The Thaksin Shinawatra Imprisonment Controversy: For the first time, former PM Thaksin Shinawatra faced actual imprisonment following a period of "virtual detention" facilitated by legal distortions within the Department of Corrections and Police General Hospital. A National Human Rights Commission probe led to a Supreme Court ruling, exposing how favouritism damages Thailand's international judicial reputation.
• Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol Disciplined: The former Police Chief and over 200 officers were found guilty of disciplinary misconduct by the Police Complaints Committee (PCC) for accepting bribes from online gambling dens, shaking public trust in the Royal Thai Police.
• Pichet Chuamuangphan removed from post: The former Deputy Speaker of the House was removed by the Constitutional Court for violating the constitution. He was found to have a conflict of interest by allocating a THB443 million budget specifically to his own constituency, a practice the ACT claims is rampant but rarely prosecuted.
• Social Security Office (SSO) Spending Scandals: The SSO faced backlash over a THB50 million calendar budget, a THB7 billion building purchase (double the market price), and an THB 850millionapplication. Most controversial was the attempt to sell Bangchak shares to Charter Group, risking the security of funds for 24.8 million insured citizens.
• VVIP Prison Suites: Reports of "secret rooms" and special privileges for high-profile inmates, managed by prison wardens, resurfaced. This includes fraudulent medical transfers and embezzlement of food and construction budgets, highlighting deep-seated bribery within the penal system.
• Sting Operations: A collaborative effort between the Anti-Corruption Division (ACD), the NACC, and the Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (P.P.T.) led to numerous "red-handed" arrests of state officials, local politicians, and influential figures for extortion and bribery, a move widely applauded by the public.

Critical Concerns for the Future

Mana highlighted three additional "Hot Topics" that threaten the nation's integrity:

The "Dismissal" of International Bribery Cases: The failure to prosecute masterminds in the Indonesian Palm Oil scandal, the Rolls-Royce/PTT bribery case, and the 6-billion-THB police station construction fraud.

The Khao Kradong Conflict & Senate Collusion: The use of state power and bureaucracy as political bargaining chips, further eroding the Rule of Law.

Contract Amendments for Mega-Projects: Questionable attempts to amend Duty-Free concessions and High-Speed Rail contracts (connecting three airports), pitting national interests against corporate cronyism.

A Call to Action: The 2026 Elections

With the Subdistrict Administrative Organisation elections on January 11 and the General Election on February 8, Mana urged Thais to use their "one vote to change lives."

"I personally believe the seizure of assets from the THB10 billion scammer networks is the most critical issue, as 'grey capital' has infiltrated our political and economic structures. We must stop electing those backed by 'Big Houses,' influential figures, or illegal interests. Choose capable and honest people to serve the country."