Bhumjaithai Party members accused of secret ties to casinos in Cambodia
Party leader and Thai PM Anutin denies meeting ex-officer behind bribery claims
A former police officer accused four executives of the Bhumjaithai Party of accepting bribes from nine casinos in Cambodia. The party leader and Prime Minister of Thailand, Anutin Charnvirakul, has reportedly denied meeting the ex-officer.
The former Special Branch Bureau officer, Santana Prayoonrat, visited the Bhumjaithai Party’s head office on September 22 to submit 50 pages of evidence in support of his corruption allegations against four senior party members.
Santana told the media that the four executives were involved in Cambodian gambling businesses, some directly and others indirectly. He declined to reveal the politicians’ identities but offered clues about each of them.
According to Santana, the first accused is a key figure in the party. Santana said he was once close to this politician’s brother, but they are no longer in contact. He added that the brother was previously embroiled in a lawsuit and fled abroad, though the statute of limitations on the case has since expired.
He described another accused figure as a prominent party member who often boasted about his influence, though the public labelled him arrogant.
The two remaining figures, Santana said, appeared respectable and well-mannered but concealed wrongdoing behind their polished image. He alleged that both, who repeatedly held ministerial positions, maintained close ties with gambling bosses in Poipet known as Tue and Maem.
Santana admitted that he himself invested in casinos, but said he could not accept others trading the country’s interests for personal gain.
Channel 8 reported that Santana requested a meeting with Prime Minister Anutin last weekend but received no response. Speaking about the matter, Santana said…
“He doesn’t want to speak with me. I don’t want to say he avoided me. We have met before. We are not strangers. We have dined together and greeted one another. But now he is the Prime Minister, so sometimes he has to forget people. It’s no longer a personal matter; it’s a matter of the country. I understand that.”
So far, the Bhumjaithai Party has not disclosed any details of the evidence Santana submitted, nor has it issued a formal clarification.
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