13-1-2024 (BANGKOK) Former Labour Minister, Suchart Chomklin, has established a legal team to navigate the implications he faces in a bribery and human trafficking case related to the deployment of Thai workers to Finland for berry picking. Mr. Suchart, vehemently denying any involvement or remuneration in the alleged human trafficking activities, has enlisted legal advice as the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) probes the case.
While the DSI has refrained from naming individuals, a statement revealed the pursuit of malfeasance charges against two former ministers and two high-ranking officials at the Labour Ministry. The allegations suggest a payment of 36 million baht for approving Thai workers to be sent to Finland. Transactions involving millions of baht were traced to the bank accounts of the two former ministers, spanning from 2020 to 2023.
Mr. Suchart, who assumed the role of labour minister in August 2020, maintained his innocence, emphasizing that no charges have been pressed against him at this stage. He questioned the fairness of the treatment he has received, particularly from a female broker who, according to him, lacks evidence to substantiate the accusations. Mr. Suchart claimed that the broker, facing legal actions in Finland, implicated senior officials to secure her release.
Asserting his innocence, Mr. Suchart questioned the allegations, stating, “I insist on my innocence, and if the anti-graft agency finds no grounds in the allegations, what will the DSI do to compensate me?”
DSI spokesman Woranan Srilam indicated that the case would be forwarded to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) due to its involvement with political office holders and state officials. The case, involving a potential violation of Section 149 and Section 157 of the Criminal Code, is expected to be submitted to the anti-graft agency within 30 days, as stipulated by Section 61 of the charter.
The DSI initiated the investigation after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs alerted the agency to reports of Thai workers, engaged as fruit pickers in Finland, falling victim to human trafficking.
