A former Miss Thailand and well-known social activist was arrested on Friday alongside her husband, accused of siphoning off money from her charity to buy luxury homes as police examine an estimated 1 billion baht (US$30 million) in donations.
Panadda “Boom” Wongphudee, 50, was detained at her Bangkok home early on Friday morning after the Criminal Court issued arrest warrants accusing the couple of public fraud and money laundering. Her husband, fitness influencer and businessman Atip Anantawan, who also faced a warrant, surrendered to police.
Boom, who was crowned Miss Thailand in 2000, is a household name in Thailand and one of its leading charity figures. Her organisation, the Ongkorn Thamdee Foundation (Do Good Foundation), has long been ever-present during the kingdom’s frequent seasonal floods and emergencies, with Boom often photographed handing out supplies to stricken communities.