Klatham Party MP assets frozen due to online gambling links
Suspicious financial transactions between gambling operators and politician investigated
The Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) temporarily froze assets worth 159 million baht from a Member of Parliament (MP) of the Klatham Party over alleged financial links to an online gambling operation.
Political activist and President of the Crime Victim Assistance Club, Atchariya Rueangrattanapong, accused MP Chonnaput Naksue of receiving benefits from online gambling platforms. He claimed to have evidence supporting his allegations and submitted it to the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) on November 3.
Atchariya stated that the gambling sites reportedly handle more than 2.5 billion baht in circulation. He also claimed that the MP was not the only government official involved, alleging that several police officers, particularly from the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau, were also connected.
The former Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police (RTP), Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn, also mentioned an MP who had a link to the gambling websites. He gave the clue that the MP’s name began with Ch but did not make any further statement on the matter.
Chonnaput denied the accusations, asserting that his assets were thoroughly investigated before he became an MP.
The leader of the Klatham Party, Thammanat Prompao, also defended his party member, noting that Chonnaput had previously faced similar allegations but had proven his innocence. Thammanat added that further investigations into the current case would eventually reveal the truth to the public.
Yesterday, November 11, AMLO reported that it had confiscated assets valued at over 159 million baht from Chonnaput and other suspects.
The seizure followed questioning and investigations into individuals operating three gambling sites. Officials discovered financial transactions linking the suspects to Chonnaput and others involved.
As a result, AMLO froze Chonnaput’s assets for 90 days during the investigation. However, Chonnaput or any stakeholders may submit evidence to prove that the assets are not connected to criminal activity, allowing them to be returned within 30 days.
Neither the MP nor the party leader has issued an official statement regarding the matter. Chonnaput’s most recent Facebook post shows him working for residents, inspecting the installation of streetlights in his constituency.
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