Case against former Culture Minister due to expire
The case against former Culture Minister and former mayor of Pattaya City Ittipol Khunpluem will soon reach its statute of limitations, meaning that the charges against him will be dropped if he remains on the run until the end of office hours on Friday (September 8), a news source familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
Ittipol is accused of abuse of power for issuing an illegal construction permit to Bali Hai Co Ltd to build a luxury condominium at the base of Phra Tamnak Mountain in Pattaya City, Chonburi province in 2008 during his tenure as mayor of Pattaya City.
The case has a statute of limitations of 15 years and will end on Sunday (September 10), the source said.
With the court closed on weekends, if officials could not bring him in before the end of office hours (4.30pm) on Friday, Ittipol will be free and the charges could not be resubmitted, it added.
On Tuesday the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases issued an arrest warrant for Ittipol after he failed to report to the prosecutor following a court summons on Monday (September 4).
Nine others believed to have taken part in the issuance of the permit were also ordered to report to prosecutors on Monday. Arrest warrants were issued for those who did not show up were issued arrest warrants.
The source speculated that the investigators of the National Anti-Corruption Commission took unusually long to collect evidence and submit the files in what is a simple corruption case.
The Office of the Attorney General only received the case files from investigators on August 3 this year and resolved to file charges against the defendants on August 30.
Ittipol, 49, served as the Culture Minister in the Prayut Chan-o-cha administration from 2019 to 2023, and as the Mayor of Pattaya City from 2008 to 2016.
His family has long been influential in the eastern province.
