MaAnn sentence overturned

Suwat Saowarat, Chief of Phuket office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC Phuket) has criticised the Office of the Attorney General for not appealing the overturned conviction of MaAnn Samran, who was earlier sentenced to two years in prison on corruption charges.

- Natnaree Likidwatanasakun

MaAnn is well known in Phuket as the previously longstanding Chief of the Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organisation (OrBorTor), which oversees the beach areas in Cherng Talay, including Bang Tao.

The case dates back to Mar 6, 2019, when MaAnn, while serving as Chief of the Cherng Talay OrBorTor, unlawfully appointed subdistrict officials to executive positions.

After an investigation, the NACC concluded that his actions constituted criminal misconduct.

The NACC filed the case in October 2021, citing violations of Section 157 of the Criminal Code and Section 123/1 of the Organic Act on Anti-Corruption B.E. 2542 (1999), along with Section 172 of the updated Act B.E. 2561 (2018).

On May 11, 2023, the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases Region 8 found MaAnn guilty, and sentenced him to two years in jail.

The court ruled that although his wrongdoing was a single act, it breached multiple anti-corruption laws.