The key suspect in “Macau 888” online gambling operation, Chaiwat Kachornboonthaworn, was escorted by cyber police to the Criminal Court this morning (Wednesday), to seek approval for his further detention.
The 38-year-old suspect was questioned for about five hours, after he flew back to Bangkok from Hong Kong last night, and was immediately booked by the police and taken to the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIM), formerly known as the Technology Crime Suppression Bureau, for interrogation.
Chaiwat’s lawyer, Phisit Chutipornpongchai, told the media that he will apply for bail, although the police investigators in charge of the case say they will oppose his bail.
Chaiwat was charged with operating an online gambling website and money laundering, but he denied all the charges and vowed to fight the case in the court, said Phisit.
After questioning last night at the CCIB, Chaiwat was escorted to Thung Song Hong police station for detention.
CCIB Spokesman Pol Col Krisana Pattanacharoen said today that, besides Chaiwat, the court has issued warrants for the arrests of 54 other people who are also suspected of involvement in the “Macau 888” online gambling operations. They include computer programmers and those who opened “mule” bank accounts.
Regarding Chaiwat’s siblings and other family members, he said cyber police are still investigating and would seek arrest warrants if any of them are implicated.
Meanwhile, a team of CCIB officers, led by Pol Maj-Gen Wiwat Kamchamnan, CCIB deputy commissioner, was in Taiwan yesterday, to question Chaiwat’s former girlfriend, Arisara Thongborisut, who reportedly exposed the “Macau 888” illegal operations. The team returned to Bangkok today.
