On October 22, Thai Justice Minister Rutthapon Naowarat confirmed that Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has assigned the Ministry of Justice to preside over a comprehensive campaign to crack down on fraud networks and fraudulent call centers that have caused great damage to people.
According to Mr. Rutthapon, the Ministry of Justice has coordinated with the Special Investigation Agency (DSI), the Anti-Money Laundering Agency (AMLO) and the Bank of Thailand (BOT) to verify and investigate all suspicious cases.
DSI has now opened a preliminary investigation into Prince International, a company registered in Thailand, suspected of being involved in a large-scale fraud case against Prince Group of tycoon Chen Zhi (UK and Cambodia nationality) - who is the focus of US and UK sanctions for alleged involvement in large-scale fraud activities in Southeast Asia.
According to the Minister of Justice, DSI has established a committee to verify legal information and ownership structure of Prince International, and requested data from both domestic and international agencies to clarify the relationship with Chen Zhi.
We are collecting information from many sources. All data on business registration, finances and operations of the company are being carefully reviewed, said Mr. Rutthapon, adding that the companys headquarters is located in a commercial area in Bangkok and is under close supervision.
Thepsu bowornchotidara, acting acting acting secretary of the anti-money laundering act (AMLO), said the freezing of assets can only be carried out when there is clear preliminary evidence of the crime. AMLO is working with international agencies to trace Chen Zhi's financial network and determine whether there are any assets hidden in the Thai financial system.
Previous reports from the US and UK said that about $15 billion in assets related to Prince Group have been frozen, as investigators have discovered traces of money transfers related to onlinecasinoes, virtual real estate projects, and transnational human resource fraud.
The investigation into Prince International is seen as a turning point in its efforts to address the digital laundering and fraud rings that are rampant across the region.
When asked about the possibility of some Thai politicians or ministers being involved in scams, Minister Rutthapon affirmed: Up to now, DSI and AMLO have not discovered any names of senior officials in the records. But if there is verified evidence, legal action will be taken immediately, without exception".
He also called on the people and the press to provide all reliable information, emphasizing that fraud networks are currently a threat to national security.
People's Party member Rangsiman Rome previously claimed to have evidence of connections between some ministers and fraud rings. Responding to this, the Minister of Justice said that he would officially request Mr. Rangsiman to submit the documents.
If he has verified the evidence, we will investigate immediately. But without specific documents, we cannot conclude anything" - the Minister said.
