MP Ball and the police superintendent have postponed giving statements and acknowledging charges to cyber police until 4-5 March after financial trails linked to gambling websites surfaced. The investigating police team emphasized that failure to appear will lead to arrest warrants.
On 20 Feb 2026, reporters reported that the investigation unit of Division 3, Cyber Crime Suppression Bureau, expanded their probe into an online gambling network connected to a well-known politician in the northeastern region. They investigated online gambling websites “huaysodplus” and “Banhuay98,” gathering evidence to issue arrest warrants for those involved, including local politicians from Kalasin province: Mr. Pathanun Chandorn, known as “Councilor Ney,” aged 29, Mr. Pathompong Phutao-ngern, aged 31, known as “Councilor Piao,” along with three others, totaling five people.
Additionally, summons were issued for Mr. Plakorn Pimphanit, or MP Ball, a prominent politician, and a police superintendent from a station in Maha Sarakham province to provide information and acknowledge charges. They face accusations of "jointly organizing or facilitating gambling, making schemes, promoting or advertising directly or indirectly to encourage others to gamble (online lottery), organizing gambling through electronic media without authorization from officials, jointly committing money laundering offenses, and conspiring with two or more persons to commit money laundering." This followed findings of financial transactions linking them as beneficiaries within the gambling network, reported on the afternoon of 20 Feb 2026.
The latest update at Division 3, Cyber Crime Suppression Bureau, Government Complex Chaeng Watthana, Laksi district, Bangkok, reports that media groups gathered to cover the scheduled appearance of the summoned individuals to give statements and acknowledge charges. Cyber police had summoned MP Ball and the police superintendent from a station in Maha Sarakham province to provide information.
Initially, it was reported that their legal teams coordinated with police to postpone the meetings with investigators. The police superintendent requested to reschedule his statement for 4 March 2026, while MP Ball asked to meet on 5 March 2026. The investigating officers stated that if either fails to appear as scheduled, they will request the court to issue arrest warrants.