The Senate committee on the Promotion of Good Governance will investigate supposed connections between two executives of the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo) and alleged triad boss Chaiyanat "Tuhao" Kornchayanant.
The investigation is in response to a letter submitted to the Senate speaker on Dec 19 by former Democrat MP Watchara Phetthong.
The letter called for an investigation to find out whether Pol Maj Gen Piyapan Pingmuang, the chairman of Amlo's board and Theppasu Bavornchotidara, the acting secretary-general of Amlo, have breached the law or ethical standards.
Tosaporn Yamwong, acting secretary-general of the Senate, on Friday said the Secretariat of the Senate had submitted the matter to the committee to carry out background checks on the two Amlo officials.
The letter was endorsed on Dec 23 and included allegations that members of a dubious Chinese business group had met with Pol Maj Gen Piyapan after work and during a party.
Mr Watchara urged the committee to inspect whether the third floor of the Amlo building was changed from a secretary-general's office into Pol Maj Gen Piyapan's office and to figure out when it was changed and approved by whom.
In addition, Mr Watchara urged the committee to check whether Amlo had approved a return of assets to the dubious Chinese business group, or any online gambling groups, in the past five years.
Further investigations also include an ethics check on a Chinese business group from the Thai Merchant Association under royal patronage, as well as an investigation into the source of money and transaction routes of a Chinese group that reportedly bought luxury houses from SC Asset Corporation PLC at the price of 60 million baht each on average.
Meanwhile, former politician and massage parlour tycoon Chuvit Kamolvisit on Thursday shared a video clip — depicting Mr Chaiyanat threatening seven contractors who had constructed silk, natural rubber and pearl centres — to Wichai Chaimongkhon, secretary-general of the Office of Narcotics Control Board.
