The Criminal Court has denied bail to a wealthy computer programmer and his actress wife who allegedly operated a major gambling website and a pornographic site.
Officers arrested Phumphat Prasertwit, 42, his wife Thamolphan Phanuchitputthiwong, 40, and Chetchai Hongkham, 38, on Thursday, said Pol Col Pornsak Laorujiralai, deputy chief of the Crime Suppression Division.
All three were detained under warrants issued by the Criminal Court on Dec 13 for allegedly colluding in disseminating pornographic material, organising online gambling, conspiring to commit money laundering and colluding in laundering money.
On Friday Mr Phumphat and Ms Thamolphan appealed to the court for temporary bail but the court ruled the offences they are accused of had a tremendous social impact and it was believed their wealth was acquired by unlawful means. The suspects could flee if granted bail, police said.
Mr Chetchai did not seek bail. All three suspects were taken to ฺBangkok Remand Prison.
Police also impounded assets, including many luxury cars, houses and high-end watches, worth over 700 million baht.
Police said they spent more than two years investigating the gambling network www.ufa24h.net and the pornographic website hd.star4k.com, and following their respective money trails, which were both linked to Mr Phumphat and his wife.
Several luxury cars are among the assets seized from former actress Thamolphan “Yam” Phanuchitputthiwong and her husband. (Photo supplied/Wassayos Ngamkham)
Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej, commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), inspects cash and other assets seized from the accused operators of gambling and pornography websites before a briefing on Friday. (Photo supplied/Wassayos Ngamkham)