Former Deputy Finance Minister Woraphak Thanyawong affirms he has never been involved in or supported scammers or transnational crime. He plans to use facts, documentary evidence, and verifiable procedures to clarify the situation before both Thai courts and U.S. authorities.
On 16 Sep 2026 GMT+7, Mr. Woraphak Thanyawong, former Deputy Minister of Finance, posted on Facebook regarding reports that his name appeared in a letter from the chair of certain U.S. House of Representatives committees sent to the U.S. Departments of State and Treasury.
He clarified that the letter was a request for U.S. government agencies to investigate and assess whether individuals named meet the legal criteria for sanctions measures. It was not the result of an investigation or a judgment that he committed any wrongdoing, nor does it mean he has been sanctioned by the U.S.
He firmly denies ever being involved in, supporting, or having knowledge of activities related to scam centers, money laundering, human trafficking, cybercrime, or any transnational crimes as alleged.
Today, he has officially contacted the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury to request a channel for submitting factual information and documentary evidence for U.S. agencies to review. He is also sending letters to the chairs of the two committees to request an opportunity to clarify facts and obtain related information to address any concerns directly.
He is fully prepared to cooperate with the investigation and believes that the best way to respond to such serious allegations is through facts, evidence, and verifiable processes.
Regarding some previous allegations against him, he has chosen to pursue justice through legal processes by filing defamation suits against those who disseminated such claims. Currently, one case is under court consideration, and another has completed a preliminary inquiry and is awaiting the court's decision.
“I will not speculate whether my name appearing in the U.S. letter is related to allegations pending in Thai courts. What I will do is use facts, evidence, and verifiable processes to clarify the matter before both Thai courts and U.S. authorities. For details of some allegations under court review in Thailand, I will not disclose or dispute them via the media at this time to avoid affecting the justice process. When appropriate progress occurs, I will inform the public,” Mr. Woraphak said.