Special Case Probe Stalls After DSI Chief Removed
A leadership reshuffle at Thailand's DSI has indefinitely stalled the investigation into the Angkee money-laundering and Senate fraud case, with sources citing political dissatisfaction over leaked witness testimony affecting senior Pheu Th
The investigation team for the Angkee money-laundering case has postponed its first meeting indefinitely following the Cabinet's September 22 decision to appoint Piya Rakssakul, currently director of the Department of Corrections, as the new DSI Director-General, replacing Yuthana Praidamm, who will be transferred to a special advisor position at the Prime Minister's Office at equivalent rank C-11.
Insiders at the Justice Ministry suggest the reshuffle stems from political dissatisfaction with the DSI's handling of Special Case No. 24/2568, the Angkee money-laundering Senate case, particularly following the leak of key witness testimony and documents to outsiders. This leak may trigger no-confidence debates targeting figures such as Anucha Saiyasomporn and Prisman Vachrasindhu, a Pheu Thai party list MP, and has affected senior leaders both inside and outside Pheu Thai. The move is also seen as aimed at establishing oversight of the DSI's investigation of the case.
The special prosecutor initially indicted only eight defendants in the first group but concluded the case involved an organized conspiracy with multiple divisions of labor, ordering further investigation into seven additional groups: decision-makers, planners of the crime and offline program operators, board members, candidate recruiters, individuals selected for Senate positions (141 named individuals), voter-category candidates, and tutors who prepared the voting lists. The electoral commission's disputed Senate ruling will also be included in the supplemented case file.
Justice Ministry sources reveal that the reshuffle has stalled the investigation. The DSI and state prosecutors' office had planned to meet by late September to set investigation frameworks and gather additional evidence under the special prosecutor's orders, but Yuthana's removal as investigation head has forced indefinite postponement with no new date set until Piya formally assumes office. The team now awaits Piya's entry into post to learn his approach to the investigation, particularly given its implications for Senate fraud corruption cases, before finalizing the case file for submission to the special prosecutor.
