People's party MP Chutiphong Pipoppinyo challenged Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul today over his apparent reluctance to deal harshly with some key figures in Cambodia-based transnational scam networks taking refuge in Thailand.
He referred to the speech in parliament by a colleague, Rangsiman Rome, who mentioned the alleged close relationship between Agriculture Minister Thammanat Prompao and a South African business tycoon, Benjamin Mauerberger (aka “Ben Smith”), who also allegedly has close links to Cambodian strongman Hun Sen. Mauerberger was named in a list of alleged Cambodian scam kingpins in the US “Dismantle Foreign Scam Syndicates Act”.
Chutiphong said that the prime minister always avoids answering questions about the scam operations in Cambodia or about alleged scam kingpins residing in Thailand who have close relationships with a Cabinet member.
“This is a golden opportunity for the prime minister to demonstrate to the world that Thailand is an ally in helping all countries to address transnational scam operations,” said the MP, adding that the House National Security Affairs Committee is ready to provide information to the prime minister, but he is yet to approach the committee.
Meanwhile, the opposition Pheu Thai party proposed to the government today a set of pro-active measures to address the transnational scam networks and the laundering of dirty money.
Former prime minister Prasert Chantararuangthong claimed that the previous government, led by former prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, had taken multiple steps to address the problem, such as cutting internet connections and oil supplies to areas known to house scam call centres in Myanmar, tightening up on border crossings, to prevent people being lured to work in Myanmar’s call centres, and signed a peace agreement with Cambodia, which incorporates a Thai demand for Cambodian cooperation in suppressing online scam operations in Cambodia.
Prasert also said that the ‘Super Board’, established by the government to deal with the scamming operations, is yet to start functioning.
Regarding Mauerberger, he said that the government could launch an investigation, to determine whether he is actually involved with the transnational scam networks in Cambodia.
Deputy director-general of the Department of Special Investigation, Pol Cpt Surawut Rangsai, told Thai PBS that the department has received an urgent letter from Thanadol Suwannarat, an advisor to Thammanat Prompao, acting on behalf of Benjamin Mauerberger, to check whether the South African business tycoon has ever been implicated in wrongdoing.
He said the DSI has checked its fingerprint database and found that Mauerberger has no criminal record in Thailand.
