MGR Online — "Pom Phawut" brings evidence to clarify his position in the Forex case and denies all charges, after a financial trail linking him to 28 million baht came to light. He says his comments on the TH-AI Passport project were personal criticism and had nothing to do with seeking any benefit in the case.
Today (3 Aug.) at 6:30 p.m. at the Government Complex on Chaeng Watthana Road, Building C, on the side housing the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), reporters noted that Mr. Phawut Phongwithayapanu, a party-list MP for the People's Party, had traveled to acknowledge the charges against him before a team of special case investigators from the Technology and Information Crime Division, in connection with the unauthorized Forex trading case. This was pursuant to the second summons issued to him as a suspect, on charges of "jointly borrowing money in a manner that constitutes fraud against the public, jointly defrauding the public, operating a securities business as an unauthorized securities broker, operating a futures trading business without authorization or registration, jointly entering false computer data into a computer system in a manner likely to cause damage to the public, and conspiring — by agreement among two or more persons — to commit money laundering, and having committed money laundering offenses as a result of such conspiracy and joint participation in money laundering." He spent more than four hours meeting with the team of investigators before coming out to speak to the media.
Mr. Phawut revealed that he had traveled today to acknowledge the charges with the DSI, and had brought all his evidence to provide information and give explanations to the officials. Everything is now part of the case file. He confirmed that he denies all the charges, because for the many counts that have been filed against him, he has explained them straightforwardly and in good faith. Should there be any additional questions, or should further information be required, he said he would be happy to provide it at a later time.
Mr. Phawut further revealed that, regarding the financial trail of over 800 million baht that had appeared in news reports prior to this, he confirmed that the investigators had not cited any circumstances related to that sum of money at all. Furthermore, concerning the examination of the financial trail, he said he had already brought all the evidence to the DSI. He is therefore confident that the entire financial trail does not originate from any scam or deception of the public in any way, and that the money entered through lawful channels.
Mr. Phawut went on to say that, as for the sum of 28 million baht linked to him — whether investigators are treating it with suspicion — he wished to clarify that it is a sum he is able to account for, though he must reserve the details for now. He said he is not worried at all, because it is something he can explain, and that he has answers to all the questions the investigators asked.
Mr. Phawut reiterated that the 28 million baht showing a connection to him — he maintains his original statement that the money came from gold trading, along with other sources, all of which he is able to explain. When asked whether he felt the charges were overly severe, he said he was a little privately concerned, but that he understood the officials, because he is confident in his explanations and he is not someone who has committed any wrongdoing of that nature. He confirmed he is ready to cooperate with the authorities in every way.
Regarding fierce criticism that he had completely reversed his position after the Forex case arose — given that he had previously been pushing to scrutinize the TH-AI Passport project — Mr. Phawut explained that he had offered that analysis of the TH-AI Passport project because it happened to be directly in front of him at the time, though he had already apologized, acknowledging that he may have spoken from only one angle and that he had no ulterior motive. After speaking with MP Ice, there was greater mutual understanding; communication within the party has taken place and there should be no hard feelings between them.
"As for whether I spoke up in order to trade it for a benefit in the Forex case — if it could be traded for a benefit in the case, I wouldn't be standing here right now. So, absolutely not. It was simply criticism in the line of duty, because each MP has their own angle of criticism. But I used to be a businessperson, so I criticized from the angle that I thought would be most useful."
