Deputy government spokesperson Ploy Tale warned that improper donation collection could lead to imprisonment without realizing it, constituting fraud or money laundering offenses that must be prosecuted strictly, with a maximum prison term of 20 years. She noted that the viral claim of a 9 million-year prison sentence is misinformation shared by many.
On 7 Nov 2026 GMT+7, Ms. Ploy Tale Lakshamee Saengchan, deputy spokesperson of the Office of the Prime Minister, stated that news widely shared on online media claiming that fraud cases carry a prison term of up to 5 years per charge, and that 1.8 million donations could mean 1.8 million charges totaling 9 million years, is misleading.
Ms. Ploy Tale explained that the claim is misinformation. In fact, while fraud against the public under Section 343 of the Criminal Code—where wrongdoing involves false statements or concealment of truth to the public—carries a maximum prison term of 5 years, whether offenses are treated as one or multiple charges depends on the nature of deception, intent, timing, and case circumstances, not solely on the number of transactions.
Section 91(2) of the Criminal Code states that when a person commits multiple distinct offenses, the court must punish each as a separate charge. However, regardless of any sentence enhancements or reductions, the total combined prison term must not exceed 20 years if the heaviest charge carries a sentence of more than 3 but no more than 10 years.
Ms. Ploy Tale further stated: In cases where donations are collected into foundations or private accounts without permits and funds are misused, legal actions will be taken as follows:
1. The 1944 Solicitation Control Act (Sections 6 and 17) prohibits solicitation or donation collection without official permission, punishable by up to one month imprisonment or a fine up to 200 baht, or both.
2. The Criminal Code (Sections 341 and 343) covers fraud charges (deceit, scams, or misuse of donated funds), punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment or a fine up to 100,000 baht.
The deputy government spokesperson added at the end: “The Prime Minister has ordered inspections and regulation of foundations nationwide, integrating cooperation to establish oversight measures for foundation registration and operations. This includes scrutinizing donation solicitation methods to prevent foundations being used as fronts or donations being misused for personal gain. Any acts violating purposes, constituting fraud or money laundering, will face strict legal prosecution.”
Foundation operations must adhere to transparency, accountability, and their registered objectives, especially in managing donated funds and assets lawfully, to protect public interests and maintain trust of the public and donors.