Bangkok: Rome insists that today’s issue must not be just “Chonnapat” but also “Thammanat.” He retorted, “What will the country lose by firing this person?” He viewed the seizure of assets from the Songkhla MP as insufficient, believing it was merely a diversion and a way to reduce the public ire. He emphasized that he would not let this issue go if the Prime Minister continued to let it slide, fearing that the use of illegal money during the elections could ultimately lead to state power coming to protect him.
According to Thai News Agency, Rangsiman Rome, a party-list MP and deputy leader of the Prachachon Party, and chairman of the House Committee on State Security, Thai Border Affairs, National Strategy, and National Reform, stated that today’s agenda will include an investigation into politicians linked to online gambling. He also invited Chanonpat Naksua, a Songkhla MP from the Kla Tham Party, to clarify the matter. He explained that the main issue concerns online gambling, the money trails associated with Chanonpat and other MP politicians, and the links to police officers, including the former national police chief and PCT 4 police officers. He added that he didn’t immediately believe the allegations and asked everyone to clarify to the committee, but once the investigation has been completed, it will be forwarded to the relevant authorities. The Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) recently seized Chanonpat’s assets. The company will need to review the seized assets. If assets are related to scammers or onli
ne gambling, they likely involve cryptocurrencies. He also noted that he doesn’t know if any cryptocurrencies have been seized, or whether luxury cars, houses, or land have been seized. He added that the 159 million baht likely represents money circulating in the account. And we’re not sure if it’s the entire account. But if assets are seized, they must be removed. This raises questions about who is seized and whether the police involved must also have their assets seized. We’re trying to get everyone to fully explain. In addition to Mr. Chanonpat, there’s also Mr. Somyot Plaiduang, a southern MP. Mr. Somyot is initially unlikely to be able to attend due to overseas commitments. Mr. Chanonpat was informed that he would be coming before the asset seizure, and that he would be accompanied by Mr. Pai Lik, secretary-general of the Kla Tham Party. However, we don’t know if he’ll change his mind. Initially, we haven’t been contacted to say he won’t be coming.
When asked if the cases of Mr. Chanonpat and Mr. Somyot were related, Mr. Rangsiman stated that he could not answer the reason for the transfer of funds, but that there was a connection between the two parties. He said he would have to wait for all parties to clarify. Mr. Chanonpat’s funds were much larger, which is why he was the target of the investigation. He stated that he had information regarding Mr. Chanonpat’s assets and had invited the Revenue Department to provide information on tax payments to determine whether there was any intentional tax evasion.
When asked who the other three politicians involved were, Mr. Rangsiman said it would be better to go through them one at a time so as not to lose focus. He added that he would have to wait and see who the other three politicians were involved in. He admitted there were several of them.
“What I’m more concerned about than politicians is the police. They’re still accepting money from gambling websites and scammers, so who’s going to crack down on them? This is something to ponder. We need to acknowledge that Thai society is currently facing what’s known as grey capital taking over the country. If we don’t properly address this issue, we could end up with a country overrun with grey capital,” said Mr. Rangsiman.
Mr. Rangsiman added that regarding the financial trail, he has assigned Mr. Piyarat Chongthep, a Bangkok MP for the Prachachon Party, to review the details. However, he must also listen to the explanations of the petitioners, including Mr. Atchariya Ruangrattanapong and Police General Surachet Hakpal, the former Deputy Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police.
When asked whether Chanonpat’s financial connections to political parties were not linked, he stated that he would have to wait and see if Chanonpat interrogated him. Interrogation during the process does not mean 100% certainty, as there could be other reasons and motives. He also emphasized the need to examine the financial connections. He believed the connections were not exhaustive, as some accounts may have been closed but were still active. Therefore, if money flowed to various MPs, he would have to consider Chanonpat’s position as a member of his group or a leader. He understood that politics revolved around cash, but this was uncertain, as cash flows would not necessarily lead to financial transactions.
When asked if he wanted to urge Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Colonel Thammanat Prompao to take action, Mr. Rangsiman replied that it was a matter of showing responsibility, not just a matter for party members alone. If it were solely a matter for party members, there would likely be other processes to address it. However, today, Thailand faces a threat: grey capital. Colonel Thammanat is one of the key factors that has led to a lack of confidence in Thai officials.
“Thammanat no longer has the qualifications for the position of Deputy Prime Minister. In fact, he may not have ever been one before. So, at this point, Thammanat must reflect on himself. I’m not asking him to show any spirit. I’m not interested in whether he has or not. I’m asking the Prime Minister: Is this the way it is? Will he let Joy go with this? I think that decision is detrimental to Thailand. The Prime Minister’s decision is to let Joy go, allowing the grey capital to easily take over the country. Who benefits from this? I ask you, what does the country lose by removing Thammanat? This is what I have to question about Anutin Charnvirakul. What does Thailand lose by being removed from Thammanat? On the contrary, Thammanat’s removal has greatly improved Thailand’s credibility in eliminating grey capital. It clearly signals, as the Prime Minister declared war on grey capital scammers, that he wants to wage war on them, but he still allows them to have state power. How can Thailand survive? Therefore, w
hat the Prime Minister is doing does not demonstrate sincerity in solving this problem. This is no joke. We must be serious about whether we truly allow the grey capital to continue to have state power,” said Rangsiman.
Asked whether Chanonpat’s case would be a mockery of the monkeys, Rangsiman stated that he was still concerned about two things. First, he said he was reducing the public’s attention. He said that the seizure of assets was already insufficient and details of the seizure were not yet available. Second, he was diverting attention. Chanonpat’s 90-day asset seizure might not be of interest to the public, ultimately leading to Chanonpat’s acquittal. Therefore, it shouldn’t be just Chanonpat. If the government is sincere about this matter, it must be Thammanat. This is a key indicator. Only then will we be able to accept that there is progress or sincere expression. However, what is currently being done is only words. He confirmed that he will definitely not let this matter go. If Anutin continues to behave in this way, like Captain Thammanat, Anutin will only lose and will continue to suffer more and more damage. Ultimately, he must prioritize the country’s interests. If he didn’t prioritize the country’s interest
s and continued to carry on with this kind of illegal business, why would Anutin be Prime Minister?
When asked how much gray capital he estimated, Mr. Rangsiman exclaimed, “It’s enormous, unlimited, and certainly not worth anything.” The Prince Group alone is worth 500 billion baht, and how many networks are involved? If gray capital is successfully used in the next election, state power will emerge to protect gray capital. Gray capital will buy Thai businesses, energy companies, strategic companies, and open retail stores to compete with Thais. Ultimately, the Thai economy is a money laundering economy, which will undoubtedly cause damage to the public. This doesn’t even include tourism, and Thailand becoming a money laundering hub. He couldn’t imagine how this would impact the economy, finances, and treasury. He noted that the damage to Thailand, measured by the inflows of 115 billion baht, has yet to be assessed. The true damage could be trillions more.