By Thai Newsroom Reporters
PRIME MINISTER SRETTHA Thavisin today (Mar. 23) defended Deputy Interior Minister Chada Thaiset over alleged connections with the owner of a big casino on Bangkok’s northwestern outskirts.
The prime minister said all 328 suspected gamblers rounded up in last Tuesday’s raid on the casino open in disguise as a warehouse in Bang Yai district of Nonthaburi are yet to be brought to justice as well as the gambling den’s owner who remains at large and advised the Bhumjaithai cabinet member not be accused in groundless fashion.
“Chada who may personally know many people should be treated fairly and should not be accused of involvement in any wrongdoing only because he has known anyone who allegedly perpetrated it,” Srettha said.
Srettha reassured he had already instructed the authorities, especially the police, to crack down on all gambling dens nationwide and bring all operators and gambling suspects to justice regardless of possible hidden connections with higher-ups in government.
Chada admitted he had earlier posed alongside the unidentified casino owner for a photo session but categorically dismissed any business connections with him.
Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Interior Minister/Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul led the raid on the Bang Yai casino without Chada being seen in the scene. No less than 100 million baht in gambling value either in cash or in chips was estimated to change hands at the casino daily.
The interior minister shrugged off questions as to whether he had discussed the latest casino raid which he had led with the deputy interior minister attached to the same coalition party as himself.
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Top and Front Page: Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin with an image of Deputy Interior Minister Chada Thaiset inset. Credit: Matichon
Insert: Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Interior Minister/Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul and his team raiding the Bang Yai casino. Photo: Thai Rath
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