BANGKOK – People’s Party (PP) leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut has accused Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul of weak leadership and criticised the government’s slow response to the growing scam crisis.
The People’s Party (PP) leader aimed Mr Anutin’s remarks at The Standard Economic Forum on Wednesday, saying they lacked clear plans to dismantle scam networks and illegal call centres. He described the comments as rhetoric without direction.
At the “Thailand’s Next Frontier: A National Economic Vision” event, the prime minister argued that scams take hold where laws are weak, then insisted Thailand has strong enforcement bodies, naming the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO), the Royal Thai Police, and the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB).
He promised tougher action on scams, narcotics, and human trafficking within the first four months of his government.
Mr Anutin also addressed speculation about former deputy finance minister Vorapak Tanyawong, saying he faced allegations rather than charges and had stepped down voluntarily after consulting the prime minister.
He said the government had given full backing to the agencies handling these crimes, including flexible funding and daily progress meetings, and claimed these were already producing results. He pointed to major drug seizures, confiscations of assets tied to scams, and the cancellation of a key suspect’s citizenship.
The Prime Minister had taken no decisive action
Mr Natthaphong rejected these points as superficial. He argued that the so-called open cheque for state agencies signalled poor accountability and no coherent policy. He said this approach shifts responsibility to the bureaucracy and shows a lack of political will.
He warned that scams and grey businesses are now embedded in the Thai economy, causing losses in the hundreds of billions of baht.
He said the prime minister had taken no decisive action in the past month, choosing instead to set up subcommittees while two cabinet ministers remain under suspicion for links to scam networks.
The opposition leader also claimed that key ministers, Capt Thamanat Prompow and Mr Vorapak, had avoided a House committee review, and that Amlo, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the CCIB had shown little willingness to cooperate.
He said the prime minister had effectively shifted into neutral and left officials unable to act, and questioned whether delays were designed to shield powerful figures and slow investigations.
He urged the government to set up a single task force, work with foreign embassies in the US, UK, Singapore, and South Korea, and suspend any ministers under suspicion.
He warned that if the government fails to deliver real outcomes, the opposition will use every parliamentary tool to expose and dismantle criminal networks before Thailand gains a reputation as a hub for money laundering and cybercrime.
Anutin Backs Police
In a separate move, Mr Anutin voiced full support for Thai police efforts to target cross-border scam operations, including possible deployments to other countries such as Cambodia.
He said his administration is ready to provide the funding and resources needed for a sustained clampdown, and dismissed criticism from the opposition Pheu Thai Party over the pace of action.
Speaking at Government House on Tuesday, Mr Anutin said he backed a proposal from Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej, the assistant national police chief, to send Thai officers to countries where scam groups operate.
He said cooperation is already in place and noted that the national police chief, Pol Gen Kittharath Punpetch, was meeting Asean counterparts to discuss scams, human trafficking, and the drug trade, which he described as regional priorities.
Asked about deployments to Cambodia, he said that they should go, but that operational decisions rest with the police chief. He said government policy is clear and that he cannot interfere with police orders.
He added that the government will provide budgets and coordinate resources, while the police will carry out operations.
