Sean faces donations complaint

Social media influencer Sean Buranahiran is expected to face a police complaint over alleged misspending of public donations after activist Srisuwan Janya announced he will take legal action against him.

Mr Srisuwan, secretary-general of the Association for the Protection of the Thai Constitution, said yesterday he planned to lodge a complaint against Sean with the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) today.

Sean, also a motivational speaker, solicited public donations for fighting a wildfire in the North early this year. His fundraising campaign attracted more than 800,000 baht in donations, mostly from his supporters.

According to Mr Srisuwan, Sean produced a document showing where the donation money had gone. However, not all the money was spent on fighting the wildfire, as advertised when he mounted the campaign.

Some money reportedly was donated to hospitals as relief funds to battle the Covid-19 pandemic.

He was also accused of using 250,000 baht to create media content allegedly for his own public relations benefit.

The issue has prompted the Interior Ministry to begin a process to amend the Fundraising Control Act 1944 to extend its coverage to online donations.

Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said yesterday the act required private individuals soliciting public donations to obtain prior permission from authorities except where the parties collecting the donation are state agencies.

It was reported earlier that Sean may not have secured permission.

Meanwhile, deputy police spokesman Pol Col Kissana Phathanacharoen said the police will summons Sean to give a statement after charges pertaining to violations of the fundarising law and the Computer Crime Act are filed against him.

Sean’s donation campaign was publicised in social media.