By Thai Newsroom Reporters
FORMER prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva today (Oct.21) ridiculed what appeared to be his current successor Anutin Charnvirakul’s mentality in response to scandals surrounding Bhumjaithai MP Suchada Zhang Tansap’s and her spouse Taiyang Zhang’s previous interest in an online casino and alleged involvement in a transnational money-laundering scam.
The former prime minister, who currently leads the Democrats, the second largest party in the opposition bloc, was asked by reporters to make a remark on comments earlier made by his current successor in response to allegations raised by former Democrat MP Sirichok Sopa that the Zhang family had previously had some hidden interest in the Shuffle.com online casino registered overseas with access earlier provided for gamblers in Thailand where all gambling businesses are absolutely deemed illegal.
The smiling Anutin told reporters that Sirichok would be looking in vain to “take revenge” for his electoral defeat to the Bhumjaithai MP, namely Natchanon Srikorkua, by whom he was outvoted in his failed re-election bid for a Songkhla constituency earlier this year but could not do anything other than turn to lambaste the fellow Bhumjaithai MP, namely Suchada, who represents elsewhere.
“That’s all he could think of in response,” the former prime minister concluded in reference to his ridiculed successor who desperately spoke in defence of the embattled, first-time MP of the Bhumjaithai, core of the coalition government.
Anutin has so far circumvented reporters’ questions about the Zhang family’s scandals is one among a total of 18 members of cabinet targeted for next week’s censure debate launched by the People’s-led opposition bloc. They are all attached to the Bhumjaithai, steered behind the scenes by de facto party boss Newin Chidchob.
At issue during the upcoming marathon debate are varied acts of misconduct and incompetence in office allegedly perpetrated by or involving the targeted ministers, especially those relating to transnational money-laundering and online gambling activities such as the sustained scandals surrounding the Zhang family, the 2024 senatorial rigging conspiracy, a fraud scheme over last year’s exams for local government personnel and their allegedly inefficient handling of flooding situations in the provinces and Bangkok, among others.
CAPTIONS:
Top and Front Page: Former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, left, and current Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, right. Photo – MGR Online
Insert: Bhumjaithai MP Suchada Zhang Tansap and her spouse Taiyang Zhang. Photo – MGR Online
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