Chiang dao: Authorities are preparing to expand the investigation after arresting a former district official in Chiang Dao for issuing a "pink card" (traffic permit) to 'Mingchen San'. Anutin Charnvirakul revealed plans to expand the investigation after the arrest of a former Chiang Dao district official for issuing a "pink card" (a permit to a person) to 'Mingchen San'. He indicated it was a large-scale operation and declared that this government cannot simply ignore it; anyone found involved will be held accountable. He boasted that the government is serious and will not just conduct field investigations and then cut ties. The Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) will be used to investigate the financial connections of government officials involved.
According to Thai News Agency, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul commented on the arrest of a former district official in Chiang Dao, Chiang Mai, for allegedly issuing "pink documents" to Mingchen Shan, a Chinese national arrested for possession of weapons and high-explosives. He stated that the investigation and arrests will continue as it is a very large-scale operation. The district officer in the area has already been suspended from duty. He added that anyone implicated will face consequences. Therefore, he assured the public that his government will not tolerate or overlook this matter, regardless of whether it involves land encroachment, drug trafficking, gambling dens, money laundering, or scams. He emphasized that his government has made it clear that it will not compromise or be friendly towards offenders. He also noted the positive cooperation from relevant agencies and the increased freedom granted to those involved, leading to a rise in arrests and prosecutions since he t ook office.
When pressed further on the scale of the operation, Mr. Anutin simply stated, "It's not over, and it's not over yet." Regarding the Director-General of the Department of Provincial Administration's use of the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) to investigate the financial transactions of district officers and police officers in Surat Thani and Phuket provinces who may be involved in public land scandals, Mr. Anutin said that this demonstrates their seriousness and commitment to the matter. He emphasized that it's not just a matter of conducting on-site investigations and cutting short the scope of the operation. He stated that a committee will be formed to investigate district officers, and if higher-ranking officials such as provincial permanent secretaries, governors, or deputy governors are found to be involved, action will be taken against all. Those who are innocent have nothing to worry about, but the principle is to establish an investigative committee first to ensure that all parties are confident th at the justice system will not exempt anyone.
When asked if he knew any of the perpetrators, Mr. Anutin reiterated that he uses the principle of "keeping names confidential and focusing on behavior," because nowadays everyone has many different backgrounds and training programs. Revealing names beforehand would be uncomfortable. Therefore, what this government has done is to let the operational teams proceed. The next step is to formally file charges, at which point nothing more can be done. Regarding whether this expanded investigation constitutes a complete crackdown on shady civil servants in this era, Mr. Anutin stated that a crackdown is necessary, not just in this era, and emphasized that they will eradicate illegal behavior as much as they possibly can.