Whistleblower Chuvit Kamolvisit is now claiming that a problematic 6-million-baht cash donation was a gift from a friend in the massage parlour business and did not come from an associate of an allegedly corrupt police officer, investigators say.
Mr Chuvit offered the new explanation in interviews with Crime Suppression Division (CSD) officers this week, Pol Col Anek Taosuparb, the CSD deputy chief, said on Wednesday.
The former massage parlour tycoon and politician last week handed over the money to the CSD and asked them to investigate its source amid growing questions about the case.
The CSD has also invited an officer with the Thai initial Por and a casino owner with the alias “Sak Rama III” for further questioning.
These were the men who brought a paper bag containing the cash to the Chuvit-owned Davis Hotel on Sukhumvit Soi 24, according to Atchariya Reuangrattanapong, a lawyer who campaigns for crime victims’ rights.
Pol Col Anek said CSD officers cannot reveal further details about their investigation just yet.
Pol Maj Gen Montri Thetkhan, the CSD commander, said investigators also want to speak with Mr Chuvit’s nephew, Pao. Both Mr Chuvit and activist lawyer Sittra Biabangkerd claim Mr Pao knows more about the suspended officer and alleged online gambling kingpin “Inspector Sua”.
Mr Pao has fled abroad, said Pol Maj Gen Montri.
Mr Chuvit said earlier that he accepted the 6 million baht from an associate of Inspector Sua, and that the money was an attempt to get him to stop pursuing the online gambling case. He said he told the donor he had no intention of backing off, and later donated all the money to Siriraj Hospital and Thammasat University Hospital.
However, both public hospitals decided to return the donations to Mr Chuvit after Mr Sittra claimed that the money came from a shady source. Mr Chuvit then handed over the problematic donation to the CSD on March 31.
In a related development, Pol Maj Gen Theeradej Thamsuthee, commander of the investigation division of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, is suing Mr Atchariya for defamation.
Pol Maj Gen Theeradej submitted his complaint at the Criminal Court on Wednesday in response to a claims by Mr Atchariya that the police Anti-Corruption Division (ACD) was linked to drugs.
The court has set June 19 for a first hearing date.