The Supreme Court has ruled “Ekrach Changlao” or “Ekrach Changlao” severely violated ethical standards and was ordered to be stripped of political rights for life in the case of embezzling funds from the Khon Kaen Teachers' Cooperative.
At 09:00 on 28 May 2026, reporters reported updates on the case where the Khon Kaen Teachers' Savings Cooperative Ltd. filed a lawsuit against Mr. Ekrach Changlao, formerly known as Ekrach Changlao, the former cooperative manager, former Khon Kaen MP, and deputy leader of the Kla Party, along with others, for embezzling over 431 million baht from the cooperative between 2011 and 2013. Most recently, on 26 May 2026, the Supreme Court issued a verdict in case number KomJor 1/2568, red number 2/2569, between the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) as petitioner and Mr. Ekrach Changlao as respondent. The petition accused the respondent, a member of parliament, of severely violating ethical standards.
The petition stated that the respondent and accomplices, taking advantage of his position as manager of the Khon Kaen Teachers' Savings Cooperative Ltd., collectively embezzled cooperative funds and concealed their actions by forging the cooperative’s fixed deposit passbooks. These forged documents were presented at the annual general meeting, misleading members into believing the cooperative had the balances shown, which constituted both criminal offenses and severe ethical violations.
After examining evidence, the Supreme Court summarized that the respondent held and previously held the position of member of parliament for Palang Pracharath Party, elected on 24 March 2019, later transferring to Bhumjaithai and Kla parties, maintaining these positions until the petition was filed.
The Supreme Court found that between approximately 2011 and 2019, the respondent and accomplices exploited his role as manager of the Khon Kaen Teachers' Savings Cooperative Ltd. On 16 August 2011, they withdrew 96 million baht from the cooperative and transferred it to the respondent’s personal account.
Then on 14 October 2012, the respondent and accomplices used cooperative funds to purchase five land plots (deed numbers 1800, 1801, 8010, 8133, and 10630), totaling 6 rai, 2 ngan, and 34.4 square wah, for 106 million baht from Sukhumvit Asset Management Co., Ltd., with the respondent receiving ownership in his own name for all five plots.
Subsequently, the respondent mortgaged three of these land plots to the cooperative as collateral for a loan to Khwanrudee Limited Partnership, a cooperative debtor, in an illegal and fraudulent manner. There was also a remaining 29 million baht discrepancy from the land purchase. These actions constituted embezzlement of cooperative assets, causing damage to the cooperative and its members, with the respondent and accomplices directly benefiting financially.
Additionally, from 2011 to 2019, the respondent and accomplices altered the cooperative’s deposit passbooks shown to members at the annual general meetings. From 2014 to 2019, they led members to believe the cooperative had about 400 million baht in reserves, when in fact only about 70,000 baht remained.
The Supreme Court stated these acts involved repeated forgery and use of forged documents, culminating in a final alteration showing a balance of 431,941,984.59 baht as of August 2019, when the actual balance was only 79,714.16 baht. The respondent returned the passbooks to the cooperative in October 2019, after the enforcement of the 2018 ethical standards for constitutional court judges, independent agency officials, the auditor general, and administrative heads of these bodies took effect.
The Supreme Court concluded from the investigation that the respondent and accomplices committed criminal offenses of embezzlement, forgery, and use of forged documents. This demonstrated a disregard for the rule of law and failure to uphold public morality, causing disgrace to the office of member of parliament, with intentional and severe damage resulting from these crimes.
The Supreme Court therefore ruled that the respondent’s actions constituted severe violations of ethical standards under clauses 3, 12, 17, and paragraph two of clause 27 of the said ethical standards.
The Supreme Court found the respondent severely violated ethical standards. Under the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand, section 235 paragraphs 1(1), 3, and 4, as well as the Organic Act on Anti-Corruption B.E. 2561 (2018), sections 81 and 87, and the 2018 ethical standards for constitutional court judges, independent agency officials, the auditor general, and administrative heads of these bodies, clauses 3, 12, 17, and paragraph two of clause 27.
The court ordered the respondent removed from his position as Khon Kaen MP effective 8 July 2025, the date the Supreme Court ordered him suspended. It permanently revoked his right to run for office and barred him from holding any political position under section 235 paragraph 4 of the Constitution. His right to vote was also revoked for 10 years from the date of the Supreme Court’s judgment.