Authorities detained "Rungrueng Thimabut" Phuket provincial clerk after overnight questioning regarding allegations of soliciting money related to local government exams. He was placed in a van headed to Songkhla province, the location of the incident, to be presented at the Regional Anti-Corruption Court, Region 9.
On the evening of 26 Jun 2026, the Anti-Corruption and Misconduct Prevention Division (ACMP) executed an arrest warrant from the Regional Anti-Corruption Court, Region 9, to apprehend Rungrueng Thimabut at his residence in Phuket city, Phuket province. Officials presented the warrant and read the suspect's rights before immediately escorting him for further interrogation at the Phuket Provincial Police Headquarters meeting room.
This arrest stemmed from allegations that Rungrueng acted as an intermediary to solicit money from three victims, all Territorial Defence Volunteers, requesting 300,000 baht each, totaling 900,000 baht. He claimed the money would be handed to officials at the Department of Local Administration to assist their successful recruitment through examination. The incident occurred in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province.
At 01:30 on 27 Jun 2026, in the meeting room at Phuket Provincial Police Headquarters, Pol Maj Gen Prasong Chalermpan, head of ACMP, and his team continued interrogating Rungrueng throughout the night amid ongoing rain. Journalists waited outside the interrogation room while officials took turns questioning Rungrueng. Chalermpong Sangdee, Phuket MP from the People's Party, was present to inquire about the details outside the interrogation room. The questioning was expected to continue all night.
At 03:00, ACMP and the Crime Suppression Division officials escorted Rungrueng from the second-floor meeting room at Phuket Provincial Police Headquarters into a van bound for the Regional Anti-Corruption Court, Region 9 in Songkhla. The escort was led by highway police vehicles amid heavy rain. Rungrueng wore a black jacket with a hood covering his head and did not speak to reporters.