Deputy Finance Minister Vorapak Tanyawong has been ordered by the prime minister to clarify, in writing, an allegation that he is among seven Thai politicians believed to be connected with Cambodia’s Prince Group, a major transnational scam syndicate named by the US Department of Justice.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said today that Vorapak promised to send him a written clarification and would also give a press conference about the allegation against him, adding that, if anyone in his administration is found to be involved with scam activities, they will be dealt with in accordance with the law.
He said the US ambassador met with him this morning to discuss Thai-US cooperation in dealing with transnational scam networks, adding that there will be more discussions on the matter between the two countries.
Meanwhile, People's party MP Suphanat Minchaiynunt called the criminal defamation charge filed against him by Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction Public Company as a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP).
The construction company claims that Suphanat had caused public misunderstanding and damage to the company’s image by implying that it is related to Cambodia’s Prince Group, because it allowed the group to set up an office at the Sino-Thai Tower building in the Sukhumvit area.
The People's party MP said he had no intention to defame Sino-Thai, but merely shared information available on social media, namely that a Cambodian company, Prince International, has an office in the building, without mentioning that it was linked to scam syndicates in Cambodia.
He also said that he had no intention whatsoever to implicate the prime minister, but would simply like him to make clear to the public how his government will deal with the transnational scam operations in Cambodia.
The prime minister’s family are major shareholders in the Sino-Thai Construction and Engineering Public Company.
