Thai ex-MP Pareena Kraikupt jailed for illegal land grab
A court in Ratchaburi sentences former MP Pareena Kraikupt to four years and one month in prison for illegal land appropriation. The high-profile politician faces jail after seizing 1,700 Rai of state land, part of which she used for her massive poultry farm.
Heavy sentence for Ratchaburi land scandal
The Ratchaburi Provincial Court delivers a tough verdict. Pareena Kraikupt, once a member of the Palang Pracharath Party, receives no suspended sentence—just prison.
She is found guilty of illegally occupying 1,700 Rai of government land in Chom Bung district. The land includes a protected forest area and plots meant for landless farmers under the Agricultural Land Reform Program.
Instead, Pareena builds a 665 Rai poultry farm on the site. The business flourishes, but the land use is illegal.
Anti-corruption campaigner exposes the case
Veera Somkwamkid, a well-known anti-corruption activist, first reports the illegal land grab in 2019. He files a complaint with Chom Bung police and later announces the verdict on his Facebook page.
After years of legal battles, the court finally reaches a decision. Pareena is granted temporary release on one million Baht bail as she appeals.
But the message is clear. “Even powerful politicians face punishment for illegal land grabs,” Veera says.
Pareena Kraikupt’s political downfall
This is not Pareena’s first major setback. In 2022, the Supreme Court for politicians bans her from politics for life due to ethical violations over land use.
She loses her seat and is barred from holding office again. The Kraikupt family remains influential in Ratchaburi, with her late father, Thawee Kraikupt, also a former MP.
Ratchaburi case highlights elite land grabs
The Pareena Kraikupt case shines a spotlight on Thailand’s struggle against illegal land grabs by the elite. Despite her connections, Pareena faces justice.
Activists and environmentalists hail the verdict as a victory for fairness. They hope this ruling will encourage more action against land theft by the powerful.
Pareena now prepares to fight her case in the appeals court. But with 1,700 Rai of state land, a large poultry farm, and damning documents against her, the odds seem stacked.
