The Department of Special Investigation police arrested Manas Boonjamnong, a former Olympic gold medalist, who fled and failed to attend sentencing in a lottery quota fraud case. The court sentenced him to 2 years and 9 months in prison and sent him to Bangkok Remand Prison. He said he missed out on cheering at today’s boxing matches.
At 08:00 on 19 Dec 2025 GMT+7, Pol. Lt. Gen. Natsak Chawanasa, Commander of the Crime Suppression Division, and Pol. Maj. Gen. Anek Taosupap, Commander of the Department of Special Investigation, ordered Pol. Col. Apisan Chairat, Superintendent of Division 5, and Pol. Lt. Col. Jeerasak Nimma, Deputy Superintendent of Division 5, to lead officers in arresting Manas Boonjamnong, 45, former Olympic boxing gold medalist. He was arrested under two arrest warrants from Don Mueang District Court: No. 35/2025 dated 28 Jan 2025 and No. 110/2025 dated 31 Mar 2025, both for fraud charges. The arrest took place at his condominium room in Bang Krasor Subdistrict, Mueang Nonthaburi District.
The arrest stemmed from a 2021 complaint filed at Don Mueang Police Station by a victim who alleged that Manas, the former Olympic boxing hero, had deceived him by selling a government lottery quota. Manas claimed to have received the quota from a senior former Olympic boxing hero, which convinced the victim to transfer 2 million baht. However, when the quota was due, the victim never received it as agreed. Attempts to recover the money were met with evasions, leading the victim to believe he had been defrauded.
After the complaint, Don Mueang police investigators issued a summons. Manas, accompanied by his lawyer, appeared to acknowledge the charges and was granted bail. However, when the case went to trial, Manas failed to appear for the court’s verdict. The court sentenced him in the first case to 1 year and 6 months and in the second case to 1 year and 3 months, totaling 2 years and 9 months imprisonment. A warrant was issued for his arrest, leading to this capture. He was brought before Don Mueang District Court to proceed legally and later transferred to Bangkok Remand Prison around noon the same day.
Reports say that during his transfer to Don Mueang District Court, Manas half-jokingly said, “Today, there is the 12-weight class SEA Games boxing championship. I shouldn’t have been arrested today—I’m missing out on cheering at the matches.”