Bangkok: Mr. Kritsada Intamara, known as an anti-corruption lawyer, appeared at the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) with Ms. Thipawan, the seventh accused in Special Case No. 97/2016, to request the return of seized assets. This case, involving Mr. Somsak and 12 others, pertains to charges of fraud, document forgery, money laundering, and organized theft, totaling over 2.5 billion baht. Despite nine years having passed, the case remains unresolved, with assets like commercial buildings and row houses, valued in the tens of millions of baht, seized but exploited by outsiders for rental income.

According to Thai News Agency, Attorney Krisada highlighted that Ms. Thipawan’s involvement in Special Case No. 97/2559 is due to her financial transactions with individuals related to the case, but she has no direct involvement in the embezzlement from Thai Military Bank (TMB), the complainant. Ms. Thipawan borrowed money for personal business, not from TMB, and was included in the case due to her financial links to other suspects.

This case, recognized as a special case in 2016, was forwarded to the prosecutor in 2019 but was returned to the DSI considering it an extraterritorial case. Ms. Thipawan has continually cooperated with investigators, denying any loan transactions with TMB and explaining her role as a mobile phone vendor who borrowed approximately 10 million baht for business purposes.

Ms. Thipawan expressed distress over the prolonged case, stating her health issues and financial struggles. Her commercial property, seized and used by outsiders as a pigeon racing club, has an appraised value of approximately 178 million baht. She seeks justice and clarification on why her property is being utilized despite its seizure.