The Department of Special Investigation has finalized the VIP Chinese inmate prison case dossier and submitted it to the National Anti-Corruption Commission to prosecute the former Bangkok Special Prison chief and his secretary for official misconduct under Section 157 and involvement in prostitution. The investigation found links to a prominent male lawyer, initials P., who has visited over a thousand inmates. Financial transactions involved circulation of up to hundreds of millions of baht.
Following a special operations unit's raid at Bangkok Special Prison based on complaints from Thai male inmates alleging that influential 'VIP' Chinese inmates were living comfortably with electrical appliances, lighters, and sharp objects used as weapons, the Department of Corrections ordered the transfer of Manop Chomchuen, the prison chief, along with 34 other guards. During the raid, a beautiful Chinese woman, resembling a model, was found secretly providing sexual services to Chinese inmates in a VIP room under the stairs. Police Lieutenant General Rutthapon Nawarat, Minister of Justice, immediately ordered the Department of Special Investigation to proceed legally. On 28 Nov 2025 GMT+7, NACC officials inspected the prison to gather evidence as previously reported.
Regarding developments in the VIP prison investigation, on 16 Dec 2025 GMT+7, reporters learned that after interrogating prison officials and Department of Corrections staff and collecting key evidence, investigators found that the scheme involved not only the former prison chief and his secretary but also extended to outsiders such as a well-known male lawyer with initials P., based in Samut Prakan Province. This lawyer played a role in arranging and coordinating visits for many Chinese inmates' relatives at Bangkok Special Prison, alongside other prison staff.
Crucial evidence linking the scheme includes records showing lawyer P. appearing in visitor logs for over a thousand Chinese and Thai inmates. Additionally, financial trails reveal transactions totaling hundreds of millions of baht circulating among lawyers and certain private companies established to receive these funds. However, no direct financial transfers were found into the former prison chief's personal accounts; instead, funds were transferred to accounts of close associates.
During witness testimonies and evidence gathering, it was found that the former Bangkok Special Prison chief indeed facilitated privileges for Chinese inmates, especially regarding Sunday family visits. The Department of Corrections regulations do not explicitly grant the prison chief authority to permit Sunday visits in unofficial visiting areas, making his actions potentially liable under Section 157 of the Criminal Code. Furthermore, forensic science confirmed third-party fingerprints and semen traces at the scene, clearly indicating that the former chief allowed prostitution to occur on Sundays, which are official holidays.
Most recently, the DSI concluded its investigation and accused two officials: the former Bangkok Special Prison chief and his secretary. They face charges under Section 157 of the Criminal Code for misconduct or neglect of duty causing harm or corruption, punishable by imprisonment of one to ten years, fines from twenty thousand to two hundred thousand baht, or both. They are also charged under the Anti-Prostitution Act B.E. 2539 (1996). Since these involve state officials committing corruption or official misconduct, the case falls under the jurisdiction of the National Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate and adjudicate under the Anti-Corruption Act B.E. 2561 (2018). The investigative team has forwarded the case to the NACC. Whether civilian parties such as the VIP Chinese inmates or lawyer P. supported or benefited from the officials' crimes will be for the NACC to determine in further investigations.