By Thai Newsroom Reporters
PRIME MINISTER ANUTIN Charnvirakul was again summoned to testify before a House committee tomorrow (Dec.11) over government measures to crack down on Cambodia-based scam networks allegedly involving suspected rogue dealer Benjamin Mauerberger, alias Ben Smith, and others who reportedly remain at large.
House Committee on State Security, Border Affairs & National Strategies & Reforms Chair/People’s MP Rangsiman Rome confirmed today (Dec.10) the prime minister is again being expected to shed light on any measures which the Bhumjaithai-led government may have been taking against transnational scam and money-laundering suspects including the likes of Ben Smith, Yim Leak, Kok An and Chen Zhi, among others, in sustained effort to contain enormous losses of cash for which they had preyed on Thai and world victims and eventually bring them to justice.
In a latest development, Rangsiman said Ben Smith who had been allegedly known as business adviser to senior Cambodian leader Hun Sen and de facto Pheu Thai boss/inmate Thaksin Shinawatra had been connected with a money-laundering racket under disguise of the so-called Prime Opportunity Fund.
However, Anutin has earlier turned down similar summons by the Rangsiman panel for him to testify over the significant issue which may have allegedly involved high-profile Thai politicians including cabinet members and MPs.
In addition to the prime minister, Digital Economy & Society Minister Chaichanok Chidchob, son of de facto Bhumjaithai boss Newin Chidchob and secretary-general of the core partner of the current coalition, as well as representatives of the Anti-Money-Laundering Office, Securities & Exchange Commission, Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau and Department of Special Investigation were summoned by the Rangsiman panel for tomorrow’s testimony on the significant issue whilst armed clashes along disputed, shared border between Thailand and Cambodia are recurring.
Following a four and a half months interval, Thai and Cambodian forces are currently engaging in battles along the disputed border in Thailand’s lower-northeastern provinces of Buriram, Surin, Sisaket and Ubon Ratchathani and eastern provinces of Sakaeo and Trat.
The House committee’s sustained move in regard to government measures to combat such transnational, criminal networks apparently followed Thailand’s seizure of some 10 billion baht in ill-gotten, laundered assets managed and owned by those who have been reportedly blacklisted by the United States Department of Treasury.
The prime minister who concurrently acts as interior minister and leader of the Bhumjaithai has been repeatedly encouraged to eliminate all Cambodia-based scams covertly operated in Thailand where large sums of the ill-gotten money had been spent on the procurement of war weapons for Cambodian government forces along the disputed border and create undue wealth for Hun Sen and his son/Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet.
Without further, substantial funding from the Cambodia-based, transnational scams and money-laundering activities which are yet to be totally eradicated in Thailand, the Hun Sen regime could no longer be capable of waging war with the Thai armed forces, concluded former National Security Council chief Paradorn Pattanathabut.
Meanwhile, House Armed Services Committee Chair/People’s MP Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn advised that the Thai armed forces procure military drones from a reliable, domestic manufacturer in lieu of imported ones, given the fact that flight control systems and updated data could probably otherwise be hacked by foreigners who might possibly work for the Cambodians.
The Thai armed forces could probably have trouble operating varied types of imported drones such as those manufactured by Turkey and Israel, among others, because they may not efficiently correspond with one another in combat mode, Wiroj said.
He insisted that no commercial drones be adapted for use by the Thai armed forces fighting the Cambodians who have reportedly used drones in reconnaissance, ground attack and suicidal missions along the disputed border.
According to Chulalongkorn University’s political scientist Panitan Wattanayagorn, some unnamed, foreign mercenaries have been clandestinely working for Cambodia by operating attack drones against targets in Thai territory. He said those foreigners for hire included some in disguise of tourists spending leisure time in Thailand.
CAPTIONS:
Top – Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, left, and House Committee on State Security, Border Affairs & National Strategies & Reforms Chair/People’s MP Rangsiman Rome, right. Photo – MNG Online
Front Page – Rangsiman Rome. Photo – PPTVHD36
Insert – Thai F-16 and JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets again bombed casinos and scammer bases at Cambodian border town O’Smach , adjacent to Thai Chong Chom town, Surin province, at 11.10 a.m. this morning, Dec. 10, 2025. Photo – Amarin TV
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