By Thai Newsroom Reporters
VORAPAK TANYAWONG today (Oct.22) resigned as deputy finance minister in the face of allegations that he had been somehow connected with an international business conglomerate allegedly involved in Cambodia-based scammer rackets.
Vorapak tendered his resignation with immediate effect from the Bhumjaithai-led cabinet of ministers after he had been “unknowingly” depicted online as adviser to the Phnom Penh-based BIC Group which had been surreptitiously connected with the rogue scammers in Cambodia.
Vorapak, the former president of the state-owned Krungthai Bank, was apparently responding to criticisms made against him on social media and the suggestion offered today by People’s MP Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn that he promptly sue BIC Group in a defamatory lawsuit for depicting him online as one of its advisers without his consent since such unilateral claims could not only render considerable damage to himself but the Bhumjaithai-led government as a whole.
BIC Group chairperson Yim Leak and notorious wheeler-dealer Benjamin Mauerberger were known as advisers to senior Cambodian leader Hun Sen who has been largely suspected of involvement in Cambodia-based, transnational scammer networks preying on Thai and world victims. The South African-born Mauerberger, also known as Ben Smith, was known to have been quietly connected with de facto Pheu Thai boss-turned-inmate Thaksin Shinawatra and de facto Klatham boss/Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Agriculture & Cooperatives Minister Thammanat Prompao.
However, Vorapak has posted on his Facebook page to categorically deny allegations that he had been somehow linked with any Cambodia-based, transnational scammers hours before he called it quits from the cabinet of ministers under Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.
Meanwhile, Thammanat categorically denied that he had been somehow connected with fraudulent scammer schemes and that he had been quite affluent doing legitimate businesses over the last several years. The de facto Klatham boss has yet refused to testify before a House committee on the scammer issue after he had been formally summoned for a second time and threatened to take legal action against those who may accuse him of involvement in those rogue rackets.
House Committee on National Security, Border Affairs, National Strategies & National Reform chair/People’s MP Rangsiman Rome has recently advised the prime minister to dismiss the deputy prime minister-cum-agriculture & cooperatives minister from his cabinet if the latter failed to unambiguously clear himself of the scammer issue.
Anutin has been invariably taken to task for being too slow and not doing enough to address the scammer issue at the cost of Thailand’s reputation and an estimated 100 billion baht loss in cash in a year as many people had been unsuspectingly ripped off by Cambodia-based scammers who had allegedly managed to launder large amounts of their ill-gotten money in Thailand.
Given geographical vicinity between the two countries, Thailand would be put to blame by the world community for allegedly being an “accomplice” to the Cambodia-based rogue scammers, Wiroj said. If the United States unveiled a list of persons among whom several, yet-unnamed Thai politicians might be included for alleged involvement in or connection with those scammer networks, Thailand would almost certainly be enormously damaged, according to the People’s MP.
Nevertheless, the prime minister-cum-interior minister who concurrently acts as leader of the Bhumjaithai, core of the current coalition government under de facto party boss Newin Chidchob, has been feared by government critics to avoid effectively responding to the scammer issue by dissolving the House of Representatives sooner than anticipated around the end of the upcoming January to be followed by a general election in a 60-day period as provided by law.
CAPTIONS:
Deputy Finance Minister Vorapak Tanyawong. Photos above and Front Page – Amarin TV
Insert: People’s MP Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn. Photo – Naewna
Also read:
Anutin might dissolve House to avoid responding to Cambodia-based scammer issue
House might be dissolved sooner than expected due to ‘factors’
7 Thai politicians not linked to a Cambodian scam case: South Korea
Scammers have moved their base from Cambodia to Thailand: Magazine
Belarusian model kidnapped from Bangkok, killed for organs by scammers in Myanmar
Paetongtarn resigns as Pheu Thai leader
U-turn on poker with Anutin banning the card game
