On October 22, the Deputy Finance Minister of Thailand, Wolapak Tanyayong, resigned as the first cabinet minister since Prime Minister Anutin took office on charges of being linked to a telecom fraud ring.
Earlier, it was reported that Wolapak was linked to a foreign swindler suspected of engaging in transnational wire fraud in Cambodia, and his wife was also accused of obtaining US $3 million worth of cryptocurrency from a Cambodian criminal network this year, the multiple accusations plunged him into a whirlwind of public opinion. Thailand, “Bangkok Post” said Thailand is facing growing challenges in curbing illegal and large-scale fraud activities in neighboring countries.
On the day of his resignation, Wallapak explicitly denied any involvement in illegal activities, saying he“Resigned to be able to concentrate on his legal defense,” adding that it would take a lot of time to process related cases, it is also concerned about the impact on its role at the Treasury.
In the face of multiple accusations, wallapak said the content was“False and politically motivated” and“Part of an organized smear campaign” and that he was prepared for a full investigation by all agencies, because“There’s nothing to hide”. Wallapak also reiterated repeatedly that he“Believes in the rule of law and will stand up for the truth and defend his reputation”, stressing that“He has never been and will never be involved in any corrupt business activities or transnational criminal networks”.
Notably, the day before Wallapak resigned, he had been asked to respond in writing to allegations relating to the fraudulent network. According to Bloomberg, Anutin revealed that he had received a three-page response to Wolapak’s resignation, saying it was“Regrettable” and stressing that“No one is pressuring him”, think Volapak“Must have thought of the big picture.”.
Wolapak has spent most of his career in the private financial sector, according to Thai media reports, and previously held senior positions in Thai branches of top global banks such as jpmorgan before formally entering politics last year.