The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has denied the wife of Sanga "Kofuk" Kungwan, who is believed to have fled an 18-billion-baht tax fraud case, is being released from detention so she can reunite with her husband abroad.
Mr Sanga, a native of Ranong who holds dual Myanmar-Thai citizenship, is thought to have fled the country through a land border crossing after he was found to have falsified documents for non-existent oil exports, which he used to claim tax refunds over the course of 10 years, worth at least 18 billion baht.
The authorities said Mr Sanga originally set up an internet business based in Bangkok and also operated online gambling.
On Feb 1, some 27 locations connected to Mr Sanga's online gambling business were raided in several provinces. Seven suspects were arrested in the operation, including Mr Sanga's wife, and assets worth more than 100 million baht seized.
The DSI is now looking to use the online gambling case as a springboard to expand the investigation into the alleged tax fraud.
The DSI said that last weekend, a message was posted on TikTok claiming that a high-profile politician, with the assistance from DSI lead investigators, was lobbying to have Mr Sanga's wife released on bail so she can reunite with him abroad.
In response to the claim, the department released a statement denying Mr Sanga's wife was being freed on bail. In fact, the DSI said that on March 9, the Criminal Court rejected her request for bail on the grounds that the charges against her carry a heavy punishment and that she posed a flight risk.
Sanga: Fled the country
DSI investigators were working on both the online gambling and tax fraud cases. They have met every Wednesday to review progress in the probes and expected the cases to be wrapped up next month before recommending an indictment against the suspects, according to Wacharin Phanurat, deputy chief of the Office of the Attorney-General's Department of Investigation.