Police on Sunday searched five locations in Prachin Buri province with a warrant for the arrest of Soonthorn Vilawan, the father of Deputy Minister of Education Kanokwan Vilawan, but failed to find him.
Mr Soonthorn, chairman of the Prachin Buri Provincial Administration Organisation (PAO), Ms Kanokwan and eight other persons have been accused by the National Anti-Corruption Commission of illegally occupying about 150 rai of land in Khao Yai National Park in Prachin Buri.
Police from the Anti-Corruption Division, Crime Suppression Division and Highway Police, armed with an arrest warrant dated June 5, 2022 and issued by the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases Region 2, were deployed to look for Mr Soonthorn at five locations.
The five locations included house No 21/1 on Wat Roman Uthit road in tambon Na Muang, Muang district, which belongs to Ms Kanokwan; house No 43 on Wat Roman Uthit road, Muang district, Mr Soonthorn's office; Bang Pakong Hotel on Wat Roman Uthit road, Muang district; and a house belonging to a local politician.
Police did not find Mr Soonthorn at any of the five locations. They believed he had fled.
Ms Kanokwan reported to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) on June 10 to hear the charges of illegal land occupation. She was taken to the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases Region 2 in Rayong's Muang district where she was indicted.
She was released on bail after depositing 300,000 baht in cash and land title deeds as surety.