Bangkok: Rome pointed out that he sent an invitation letter to Thammanat, not Thanadol, to clarify his relationship with Ben Smith, indicating that the committee has extensive information on his involvement with illegal investment funds. He declared that enough is enough to go after those who exposed the call centers. He asked who he was acting for and hoped the next government would implement proactive measures to suppress the situation.

According to Thai News Agency, Rangsiman Rome, a party-list MP and deputy leader of the Prachachon Party and chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on State Security, Thai Border Affairs, National Strategy, and National Reform, revealed that regarding the invitation to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Captain Thammanat Prompao to address the case of Benjamin Mauerberger (Ben Smith), he stated that in the committee’s deliberations, he personally invited Captain Thammanat, Education Minister Narumon Pinyosinwat, and Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaichanok Chidchob. The invitation was clearly written to him, so he could not accept the invitation to someone else. He was informed in writing that Captain Thammanat would be assigning a legal team, so he instructed his secretary that Captain Thammanat must attend in person. This is why Captain Thammanat’s representative or anyone else was not allowed to attend the meeting, as they were not invited. It’s simple: I
invited Captain Thammanat, not Thanadol.

Regarding Mr. Thanadol’s claim that he received a power of attorney and a clear appointment letter, Mr. Rangsiman explained that we had sent invitations to attend the meeting. Captain Thammanat, Mrs. Narumon, and Mr. Chaichanok are ministers, and we respect them. Immediately issuing summons authority would be excessive, as the usual practice is to use summons authority only when cooperation is not obtained. Captain Thammanat has consistently stated in interviews that he is ready to cooperate, but he sees no reason to use summons authority that would require a committee meeting resolution.

The invitation letter was a gesture of goodwill, allowing Colonel Thammanat to clarify the matter himself. He had been misunderstood by many, so he could clarify the situation. He didn’t know what had happened and why he hadn’t come. Today, he had a reasonable explanation: what were his priorities and when would he be coming? He needed to inform us so we could arrange for the committee to be ready to facilitate him on an appropriate date. However, we haven’t received any response today. I’m quite surprised, as Colonel Thammanat has been an MP for several terms and should know how the committee works. If it were a letter like this, he should know who not to send. A second round of invitations will definitely be held, and a date and time will be set at a later date.

However, Mr. Thanadol stated that Mr. Ben Smith and Mr. Ben, whom Mr. Rangsiman discussed, are different individuals. We need to verify this extensively. There are many sources of information linking Mr. Ben Smith to the gray funds in Cambodia. Mr. Thanadol, a lawyer and advisor to Colonel Thammanat, tried to mention Tian Tian Ventures. Benjamin Berger, if you look at the news, will find a long history of involvement, starting in the 2000s. One of the companies linked is Berger Security, which is accused of being the original call center company.

Mr. Rangsiman added that sometimes wrongdoers don’t use their real names, requiring verification of the facts. The problem is that the SEC has stated that this case has been before the Attorney General since 2021. The committee asked if there were any clear evidence or proof, such as fingerprints, which the agency stated were being sought. They added that they would not abandon this issue, as a key issue involving multiple processes is BIC Bank. Could Captain Thammanat explain why Mr. Ben Smith’s friend appeared at BIC Bank?

“If you want to discredit me, you need more information. Legal action has clear evidence, and we’ve begun the process of taking legal action against him in another matter. But you refuse. Will you accept that the gray capital is taking over the country? You’ve done nothing. You might say you have no responsibility. But today, you’re going to use every means possible to prevent cooperation from the committee, and have the working group try to sue me to silence me for what I’ve been trying to expose,” said Mr. Rangsiman.

Mr. Rangsiman insisted that he was fearless in his duties and urged the public to be vigilant in order to implement serious crackdowns. This government, not just this one, but the next, regardless of who wins the election, must have a proactive crackdown policy on transnational crime gangs. Enough with the crackdown on those who expose it, no different than your actions in the crackdown on call centers. I don’t know who you’re doing it for.