Anutin praised the Bank of Thailand Governor for strict monitoring after detecting unusually high cash withdrawals during the election period. He urged all banks to be strict and said it should be the Election Commission's duty to investigate, as the Prime Minister is a political competitor and could be accused of abusing power unfairly.
At 09:15 on 29 January 2026 at the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul commented on Bank of Thailand Governor Vithai Ratanakorn's disclosure of abnormal cash withdrawals exceeding 450 million baht. He said it is the duty of the Bank of Thailand Governor and all banks to report unusual financial transactions to the Bank of Thailand. Regarding routine duties, it is the Governor's responsibility, and he noted that the Governor has acted appropriately. The Governor also stated that such cases would be reported to the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) and the Royal Thai Police for full investigation.
When asked if he thought money was being used in this election, Anutin said since he is not involved, he does not consider it, and that responsible parties exist. He agreed it is correct to act if irregularities are found. He added that Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith does not normally contact the Bank of Thailand Governor directly but would issue directives and praised the Governor for managing and monitoring irregularities and for providing prior explanations.
"This kind of explanation is good. It shows the Bank of Thailand Governor is serious. So now, all bank branches must strictly report if anyone tries to withdraw 100 or 500 baht bills. They should refuse withdrawals and report rigorously. This is good because it increases political transparency," he said.
When asked if there was a chance to request information from the Bank of Thailand Governor regarding illegal use of withdrawn funds, Anutin said this must be handled by the Election Commission because the Prime Minister is a competitor. If he got involved, it could be claimed he was abusing power unfairly. He said the most he could do was call the Finance Minister and praised the Bank of Thailand Governor for taking a serious stance on financial transactions during the election period.