Lawyer Thaweewat Sengkaew claims ownership of ฿12 million cash found in a plastic box dumped as trash in a condo. His wife is a top official at the National Anti-Corruption Commission, raising conflict of interest fears as police and agencies launch a joint probe into the money’s origin before its sudden discovery on Thursday evening.
Lawyer Thaweewat Sengkaew returned to Pakkred Police Station for the third time on Sunday to explain his claim of ownership over ฿12 million in cash found discarded in a garbage disposal area of a condominium building in Muang Thong Thani, a sprawling residential complex in Nonthaburi, just outside Bangkok. He reportedly submitted withdrawal slips and was also fingerprinted by investigators as part of a careful and ongoing probe. The stash was discovered on Thursday evening by a woman who planned to reuse the plastic box in which the money had been concealed—an accidental find that triggered widespread attention across Thailand and even drew international interest. The case took a more serious turn on Sunday when the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) released a formal statement confirming that Mr. Thaweewat’s wife is a senior official at the anti-graft agency.
That revelation raised immediate concerns about potential conflicts of interest. Earlier, Police Lieutenant General Charoonkiat Pankaew, Deputy Chief of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), had already announced a comprehensive inter-agency investigation to examine the origins and legitimacy of the cash.
Thaweewat Sengkaew returned to Pak Kret Police Station on Sunday afternoon. This marked his second round of questioning. Police had summoned him again after the shocking discovery of ฿12 million in cash.
The money was found in a garbage disposal area at the Muang Thong Thani condominium on Thursday night. The stash was hidden in a grey plastic box. It was buried beneath old clothes and dumped near the elevator on the fourth floor of Building P2.
Lawyer submits withdrawal slips and fingerprints as police continue investigating the ฿12 million condo find
Thaweewat later told police he had left it there himself—just the day before. According to him, a water leak in his condo forced him to move some belongings. However, police weren’t ready to take his word. On Saturday, he returned to provide withdrawal slips and gave fingerprints.
Previously, he had claimed he distrusted banks and didn’t want to pay for a safety deposit box. He insisted the money was his and that he’d stored it at the condo for safekeeping. Despite this, the case has grown far more complicated.
Police are handling the investigation cautiously. They’ve secured the ฿12 million as evidence. Thaweewat must now prove two things: first, that the money is his, and second, that it was legally obtained. Until then, authorities will keep it locked down.
Yet on Sunday, trouble escalated. The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) released a formal statement. It confirmed that Thaweewat’s wife is a high-ranking director-level official at the NACC. She also sits on various agency subcommittees.
This revelation triggered concerns of a potential conflict of interest. NACC Secretary-General Saroj Phuengramphan addressed the issue directly. He confirmed the wife’s status and noted that civil servants must declare family assets. The ฿12 million, he said, is under review to determine if it was disclosed. He promised more information would be shared soon.
National Anti-Corruption Commission confirms lawyer’s wife is an official. Potential conflict of interest concerns
Meanwhile, Central Investigation Bureau Deputy Chief Pol Lt Gen Charoonkiat Pankaew stepped in. He told reporters he was closely monitoring the situation. Moreover, he planned to coordinate with three other agencies: the Anti-Corruption Division (ACD), the Office of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), and the NACC.
By Sunday evening, Thaweewat had left the police station. Despite the scrutiny, he appeared calm and self-assured. Facing reporters, he said he was a lawyer and knew the law. “If it were illegal money,” he added, “I’d be in jail already.”
He remained adamant: the money was his. Nevertheless, the investigation is only heating up. On Monday, a critical meeting is scheduled at 2:00 p.m. Representatives from the CIB, ACD, PACC, and NACC will gather.
The main topic: tracing the origin of the ฿12 million. Authorities are under pressure to establish whether the cash came from legal or illegal sources. Also on Sunday, Pak Kret Police Superintendent Pol Col Apisak Chotikasathian spoke out.
He confirmed Thaweewat is not a suspect—at least for now. However, police must verify his ownership. They’ve sent the plastic box and its contents for forensic analysis. That process will take several days.
Police confirm lawyer is not suspect as forensic tests begin to verify ownership of ฿12 million cash
Further questioning is also planned. Yet police haven’t revealed who else might be called. They’re waiting for the results of Thaweewat’s interrogation and the forensic tests.
Importantly, Col Apisak clarified that his officers are focused on the money—not the wife’s NACC connection. That matter, he said, lies with other authorities. At 4:50 p.m. on Sunday, Thaweewat completed more than three hours of questioning. Outside the station, he gave a brief statement.
“Today I came for multiple reasons,” he said. “First, to verify fingerprints and DNA. Second, to clarify where the money came from.” He noted that the incident dated back 5–6 years, so records were limited.
Still, he stood firm. “It’s my money. If it weren’t, I’d face charges for lying. If it was illegal, I’d go to prison.” He explained that more interviews were likely, though dates were not set. When asked about video evidence, Thaweewat said he’d already sent a clip to police.
As for reports that the Prachachon Party might request a Revenue Department probe, he declined to comment. “If anything else comes up,” he added, “I’ll answer truthfully.” He then walked past reporters, crossed the skywalk, and caught a taxi near Nawamintharachinuthit Horwang School.
Lawyer completes three hours of questioning and insists the ฿12 million cash is legally his property
Meanwhile, Col Apisak shared another update. He confirmed that only one person—Thaweewat—had claimed ownership of the cash. Police are checking fingerprints on the banknotes and investigating whether the money was withdrawn legally. Ownership must be proven with hard evidence.
Regarding rumours that officers found another ฿3 million in Thaweewat’s room, Apisak dismissed them. “We didn’t search his room,” he said. “He’s not a suspect. We only checked the leak he reported.” Officers found water damage that supported his story.
Earlier that day, around 1:30 p.m., Thaweewat had arrived alone for his second round of questioning. He brought only a single bag—no visible documents. When reporters asked about evidence, he waved them off. “I’ll talk to police first,” he said. “Come back at midnight.”
Top lawyer steps up to claim ฿12 million thrown out in the trash. Says he kept it at his condo for safety reasons
฿12 million in neat cash left out as trash in a suburban condo building. Woman sought to use a plastic box
Clearly, Thaweewat intends to play things by the book.
But despite his legal confidence, investigators aren’t taking chances. The money’s mysterious appearance, his wife’s senior post at the NACC and the media frenzy have pushed the case into the national spotlight. What started as a legal hot potato for the lawyer is getting hotter.
On Monday, when multiple agencies sit down for their high-level meeting, the stakes will rise further. All eyes are now on one plastic box—and the man who claims what’s inside is his. Certainly, it must be admitted that so far Mr. Thaweewat is handling what must be a frustrating situation with aplomb.
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