Pichan clarified that the issue involving Phawut is a personal responsibility. He emphasized that the party maintains disciplinary standards and does not protect wrongdoers. He views this as a process aimed at undermining credibility, pressured by political factions due to the investigation into the TH-AI Passport project.
22 Jun 2026 GMT+7 Mr. Nattapong Ruangpanyawut, leader of the Prachachon Party, said during a shadow cabinet meeting of the Prachachon Party at the Parliament building regarding the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) briefing on cracking down on illegal Ponzi scheme networks and foreign currency trading (Forex), Forex, which included the name of Mr. Phawut Pongwitthayaphanu, a party-list MP of the Prachachon Party, emphasizing that Mr. Phawut has already communicated on his official personal page and is believed to be ready to clarify with all relevant agencies. However, we are waiting for clear information from the DSI regarding the exact nature of the allegations against Mr. Phawut, as he is still a suspect. Meanwhile, the Prachachon Party has its own internal standards and processes for handling such matters.
Meanwhile, Mr. Pichan Chaowattanawong, secretary-general of the Prachachon Party, said that considering the DSI’s press conference, society questions whether there is political motivation behind the events. Following live broadcasts by various media on that day, it was known that the DSI planned to announce on three topics but ended up releasing only one. Despite media in the briefing room questioning why the other two issues were not addressed, there was no explanation; instead, journalists were directed to view seized evidence in front of the DSI building.
Regarding the statement implicating Mr. Phawut, the DSI did not even clearly identify him as a suspect but created public doubt around him. I raise the observation and question whether this is an attempt to undermine the credibility of Mr. Phawut and the Prachachon Party in their investigations of government projects. Is it an effort to reduce the intensity of our scrutiny?
Mr. Pichan continued, that it is Mr. Phawut’s responsibility to clarify matters to society and prove himself. The allegations remain unclear; if one follows social media, they suggest charges as severe as transnational crime or money laundering, which are serious. Nonetheless, Mr. Phawut is ready to undergo the process to prove the facts. In his statement, he also said he would not invoke parliamentary immunity to avoid the process. The Prachachon Party is not complacent and will have a disciplinary committee investigate our politicians as well. This is our standard and culture; we do not protect wrongdoers.
Regarding whether Mr. Phawut will sue if the allegations prove false, Mr. Pichan said he questions what Thailand and its people gain from the DSI’s announcement. We want to see all government agencies, including the DSI, work straightforwardly and solve problems for the people. However, the DSI did not announce the other two important cases prepared, which also involve fraud damaging the public. The legal process has not yet reached the stage to detail these, but I want to encourage civil servants who work with the public’s interests in mind. I believe society will support them.
When asked whether the Prachachon Party suspects political pressure because the DSI press conference mentioned Mr. Phawut’s full name first but did not name an actor involved in the foreign currency trading network until the Q&A session, Mr. Pichan expressed sympathy for the officials’ work and suggested it might be political pressure aligned with the investigation of the TH-AI Passport project by the Budget and Justice Committees on Thursday (18 June). On Friday (19 June), efforts appeared to create a narrative to undermine the credibility of our investigations. Thus, he sympathizes with civil servants who must fulfill duties to satisfy political interests.
Regarding Mr. Phawut’s absence following the DSI press conference, Mr. Pichan responded that it is Mr. Phawut’s responsibility to clarify to society. The Prachachon Party is not complacent and is using its disciplinary committee to examine the facts so the public following this case can see that neither Mr. Phawut nor the party is hiding any information, and we will fully carry out our party duties.