Whistleblower says donations returned

Whistleblower Chuvit Kamolvisit will file a lawsuit against lawyer Sittra Biabangkerd for defamation, demanding 100 million baht in damages over the latter's claim that the former's son had received 50 million baht from individuals linked to a major illegal gambling network.

Mr Chuvit had earlier admitted that he accepted six million baht from an associate of a police inspector who is being investigated in connection with a huge illegal gambling network and that he donated all the money to two public hospitals.

Mr Sittra responded by saying that Mr Chuvit had actually received 50 million baht through his son, far more than the amount he had publicly claimed to have donated to the hospitals.

On Monday, Mr Chuvit and his lawyer Ananchai Chaiyadej said at the Criminal Court that the six-million-baht donation had been returned to him by the hospitals and that he will reveal to whom the money would be given to today.

Mr Ananchai revealed that Mr Chuvit will file a lawsuit against Mr Sittra over the claim that his client is extorting money from illegal businesses in exchange for his silence and that his son had received 50 million baht from illegal business owners.

Apart from slander, Mr Sittra deliberately misinformed the public about Mr Chuvit's intentions, which is a breach of lawyers' ethics, he said.

Lastly, Mr Ananchai said that he was collecting evidence to file a lawsuit against the spokesman of the Central Investigation Bureau and an executive of the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo) who told the press that Mr Chuvit's donation could be a money-laundering act without giving any evidence.

He said Mr Chuvit does not have any idea if the money was illegally obtained. He suggested Mr Sittra lodge a complaint to the police if he was certain the money was from shady businesses.

On the same day, Mr Sittra attended a press briefing to present evidence which showed Mr Chuvit receiving bribery money from "Inspector Sua".

Inspector Sua is Pol Lt Col Wasawat Makurasakul, who has been suspended from his post at the Royal Thai Police's Office of Logistics over claims linking him with a multi-billion-baht gambling network.

Mr Sittra said that Mr Chuvit had accused him of being hired to destroy his reputation. However, he explained that the quotation issued by his law firm showed the amount in damages he plans to demand in case he is sued by Mr Chuvit.

Moreover, Mr Sittra revealed that the two policemen who had given Mr Chuvit the money in February are a former police chief of Nakhon Si Thammarat and a former deputy secretary-general of Amlo.

He insisted that the former policemen intended to bribe Mr Chuvit to stop revelations about the Lalisa massage parlour. The money was originally given by Inspector Sua, he said.

He also added that he would lodge complaints to the offices where the two policemen are posted, as well as request an urgent investigation into the cryptocurrency transfer to Mr Chuvit's son.

Source:
courtesy of BANGKOK POST

by WASSAYOS NGAMKHAM

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