PM files ‘tea money’ defamation complaints - Bangkok Post

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul leads cabinet ministers to a weekly cabinet meeting at Government House on Tuesday. (Photo: Chanat Katanyu) Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has filed police complaints against opposition MP Rukchanok “Ice” Srinork and the owner of the “Godd Dam” Facebook page over the circulation of a fake claim linking him to a 7-million-baht “tea money” payment.

Mr Anutin assigned his personal lawyer to file the complaint at the Thong Lor police station in Bangkok on Wednesday afternoon against Chairat Rekhawatthana, 26, and Ms Rukchanok, a People’s Party-list MP.

The complaint followed the publication of an image of a fake bank transfer slip showing Mr Anutin as the recipient of 7 million baht, with the payment allegedly described as tea money. Ms Rukchanok, who has more than 2 million Facebook followers, subsequently shared the post on social media.

The lawyer initially filed charges of defamation by publication and offences under the Computer Crime Act, asking police to take legal action against the two people.

Mr Chairat was arrested on Wednesday after cybercrime police obtained a warrant from the Criminal Court. He has denied being the owner of the Facebook page in question.

The investigation began on Monday after the Godd Dam Facebook page, which had about 130,000 followers, published what it claimed was evidence of a 7-million-baht transfer to a bank account bearing Mr Anutin’s name.

The post alleged that the transfer was a “tea money” payment made in 2023 while Mr Anutin, now the prime minister, was serving as a deputy prime minister and interior minister. The government dismissed the claim as fake news.

Kasikornbank subsequently said it could not find the recipient account number shown in the image in its system. As well, it said, the daily limit on such transfers was 5 million baht.