DSI denies releasing Sanga Kungwan’s wife amid tax fraud probe

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) refutes allegations of releasing Sanga Kungwan’s wife from detention to reunite with her husband overseas. Sanga, a dual Myanmar-Thai citizen from Ranong, is suspected of evading authorities through a terrestrial border exit after his involvement in a fraudulent 18-billion-baht tax case came to light.

Sanga’s intricate scheme involved counterfeit documentation for non-existent oil exports, which he exploited for a decade to secure tax refunds, amassing at least 18 billion baht (US$506 million). Initially, Sanga established an internet enterprise in Bangkok, later branching into online gambling.

On the first day of February, enforcement agencies stormed 27 locations linked to Sanga’s online gambling business across multiple provinces. The operation resulted in the apprehension of seven individuals, including Sanga’s wife, and the confiscation of assets exceeding 100 million baht (US$2.8 million).

The DSI is keen on leveraging the online gambling case as a catalyst to broaden its probe into the alleged tax fraud. Over the past weekend, a TikTok post suggested that an influential politician was working with DSI’s top investigators to facilitate the release of Sanga’s wife on bail for a reunion with Sanga overseas.

In a swift response, the DSI issued a statement denying the allegations of Sanga’s wife’s prospective bail release. The department clarified that the Criminal Court dismissed her bail plea on March 9, considering the severity of her charges and the potential risk of absconding.

DSI’s investigators are diligently working on both online gambling and tax fraud cases. They convene every Wednesday to assess the investigation’s progress and anticipate completing the probes by next month. The successful completion will lead to recommending charges against the suspects, as per Wacharin Phanurat, the deputy chief of the Office of the Attorney-General’s Department of Investigation, reported Bangkok Post.

In related news, Immigration Bureau officers raided a luxury house in Bangkok’s Rama 9 area, arresting 18 Vietnamese nationals for running a gambling website. They were charged under the Gambling Act.