Rangsit revealed the name “Qiu,” son of tycoon “Sia T,” involved in a 40 million baht bribery case. He expressed suspicion that after eight months the case had not advanced and no charges were filed despite clear evidence. He hinted that the case is linked to money laundering and online gambling and vowed to expedite resolution within two weeks.
On 2 July 2026, Rangsit Rom, party-list MP and Deputy Leader of the People’s Party, as well as Chair of the Legal, Justice and Human Rights Commission, spoke about developments in the 40 million baht bribery case involving Minister Chaiyachon Chidchob of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society. He said the alarming issue is that the accused, named “Qiu,” is the son of tycoon Sia T, connected to 4,000 online gambling websites. Qiu allegedly offered money to Minister Chaiyachon at a restaurant meeting, but the minister had already made a statement to the parliament. To date, no summons has been issued for Qiu. Police have 30 days before forwarding the case to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC). Although witnesses including Worasit Liangprasit and the current Deputy Minister of the Interior were questioned, police have not interrogated the most important person, Qiu, but have sent the case file to the NACC.
Rangsit said this is a major case involving money laundering and online gambling. Despite Minister Chaiyachon filing complaints eight months ago, no legal action has been taken against Qiu regarding the gambling websites. Alarmingly, Central Investigation Police informed the commission that Qiu has been involved in bribery related to the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society continuously, yet the ministry has taken no action. This strange situation, where Qiu connected to online gambling and money laundering is not legally pursued, raises questions about why no action has been taken despite the minister's complaint.
Rangsit added that during commission hearings, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society did not know who Qiu was, and police have not issued summonses. He views this as disappointing corruption involving government agencies connected to online gambling, which may permeate various sectors. Qiu remains in the country, and it is unclear what government agencies are doing.
Rangsit explained that information should be divided into two parts. The first involves Qiu allegedly promising to pay a bribe of 1,000 baht per URL for 4,000 URLs, totaling 40 million baht, which Minister Chaiyachon denied. The person who informed the minister was Worasit, a Satun MP at the time, though his motive is unclear. If he is a government official, he should have filed a legal complaint. However, over ten days after reporting to Minister Chaiyachon, no complaint was filed. Therefore, the commission cannot yet determine whether the actions of Worasit and an assistant MP from Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province, initials C.H., are related to wrongdoing.
Rangsit pointed out that this issue raises questions about possible collusion. Furthermore, Minister Chaiyachon's refusal of the bribe does not negate Qiu's offense, as offering a bribe is a completed crime regardless.
“I worry there may be a process to close this case by involving authorities with legal power. I hope this is not the case. Minister Chaiyachon took the trouble to file a complaint involving a large sum and many websites, yet no one has acted against Qiu. This is a major issue that Minister Chaiyachon must address,” Rangsit said.
Rangsit said the case reflects corruption and money laundering problems linked to government agencies. The Central Investigation Police informed the commission that Qiu had paid bribes to the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society even before Minister Chaiyachon took office, yet no investigations or summonses to verify facts have been conducted by any government agency.
Rangsit noted that in such cases, Central Investigation Police should forward the case to the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) to trace financial transactions. However, the police currently claim they lack authority over online gambling cases, which fall under the Cyber Crime Investigation Division. The case information was only transferred to the Cyber Police on 1 July.
Rangsit expressed concern about a possible process using legal authorities to end the case, highlighting two main shortcomings: the internal investigation process of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, which never summoned Qiu—a responsibility of Minister Chaiyachon—and deficiencies in the police investigation stage.
Initially, the commission ordered all related agencies to convene and find solutions to end the passing of responsibility between them. They must report back to the commission within two weeks. It was emphasized that under normal justice procedures, if the accused fail to appear after summonses one to three, authorities must seek a court-approved arrest warrant. Any failure to follow these procedures must be held legally accountable.
