Former Palang Pracharath MP for Ratchaburi province, Pareena Kraikupt, has been sentenced to 4 years and 1 month in prison after being found guilty of forest encroachment by the Ratchaburi Provincial Court.
The conviction was disclosed publicly by political activist Veera Somkwamkid, secretary-general of the Anti-Corruption People’s Network, via Facebook.
Pareena’s lawyer has applied for bail, but the court has not yet made a decision.
The case stems from Veera’s accusations that Pareena illegally occupied 272.96 hectares of national forest reserve land and Sor Por Kor (land reform program) property in Chom Bung District, Ratchaburi. The land was partially developed into a poultry farm.
Pareena’s political downfall began on April 20, 2022, when the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Office found her guilty of gross ethical misconduct. She was stripped of her MP status, banned from politics for life, and ordered to repay 7.6 million baht to the Election Commission for the costs of a by-election in Constituency 3.