BANGKOK, THAILAND – Thailand’s justice minister said investigators were closing in on more than ten politicians suspected of supporting criminal networks.
Minister signals imminent arrests
Justice Minister Police Lieutenant General Rutthaphon Naowarat indicated on Thursday that coordinated action was being prepared against political figures.
“Targeted operations could soon be launched against election candidates and former members of parliament.”
said Rutthaphon, Justice Minister.
He said the allegations involved links to fraud rings, online gambling networks and the drug trade and that the investigations were moving at full speed.
“Based on available databases, around 10 politicians are connected to online gambling sites and fraud operations,”
said Rutthaphon.
Criticism from opposition figure
The push for clarity followed fierce criticism from Rangsiman Rome, a former party-list MP of the People’s Party. He had accused the government of failure.
According to Rangsiman, it had failed to contain fraud gangs and illegal gambling networks, allowing so‑called “grey‑area businesses” to gain political influence. The minister said he now felt compelled to disclose the status of the investigations and to clarify the accusations.
Minister walks back earlier comments
Rutthaphon acknowledged that his earlier remarks might have been misunderstood after a reporter asked him about links between politicians and the drug trade. He had previously replied that the issue had not been raised in a meeting with the cyber police, as that discussion focused only on guidelines.
“That may have created the impression that I was saying no politicians were involved in drugs or online gambling. That is not the case.”
said Rutthaphon.
Agencies coordinate “in‑depth investigations”
For what he described as “in‑depth investigations”, all relevant agencies were being brought together. The cyber police, the Royal Thai Police and the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) were sharing information.
The aim was to build seamless chains of evidence and to report progress transparently to the public, aware of the political dimension of the case. The probes were directed not only at local petty criminals but also at alleged masterminds holding political office.
Claims of weak governance
In response to the minister’s disclosures, critic Rangsiman Rome reacted immediately on Facebook, saying the statements reflected “weak governance”. He argued that the government was unable to prevent criminal networks from penetrating politics.
The accusation carried weight in the current political climate, where the credibility of the entire political system was seen as being at stake. The public now expected determined action rather than further cover‑ups.