Politician Says Hawai Case Was Politicized Before Current Government
A Bhumjaithai MP acknowledged that the DSI has faced politicization in the past, including in the Hawai case, which began under a previous government before the current administration took office.
On September 9, 2026, during parliament's deliberations on the 2570 fiscal year budget bill under the Justice Ministry section, Supachai Jaisamut, a Bhumjaithai party MP, addressed the special investigative unit, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI). He acknowledged the opposition's concerns about whether the DSI serves political interests, saying he largely agreed with their perspective. Supachai noted that at various times, the DSI has faced such questions precisely because political forces have interfered in its work, affecting cases like Hawai.
Supachai stated that evidence shows the Hawai case began under a previous government, not under Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. Before that, there had been secret investigations with attempts to escalate matters to special case status and present them to special committees multiple times. However, the prosecutor disagreed with some charges, and ultimately the framing did not align with prosecutors' assessment that it was a national-level organized crime case—it was simply one case that fell outside the DSI's direct jurisdiction.
Supachai emphasized that if the DSI is to be strengthened, politicians must not interfere. However, he asserted that interference in the past distorted investigative files, leading people to believe false narratives. He noted that when the genuine authority—the Election Commission—exercised its legal and constitutional powers, the DSI's position became secure, and there was no reason to imagine otherwise.
Supachai concluded that investigators, regardless of transfers, must appear as witnesses if summoned by court, and questioned whether political interference was the real mechanism for obstruction.
