MP faces gambling host, laundering, transnational crime charges

PUBLISHED : 24 Aug 2026 at 14:58 MP Chonnaput Naksua speaks to reporters at the Office of the Attorney-General in Bangkok on Monday. (photo supplied) The Department of Special Investigation on Monday recommended that public prosecutors arraign Klatham Party MP Chonnaput Naksua on charges of organising illegal online gambling, money laundering, transnational crime and illegal assembly.DSI officials delivered files to the Office of the Attorney-General in Bangkok holding about 12,000 pages of case evidence outlining the charges against Mr Chonnaput, a 36-year-old opposition MP for Songkhla. Mr Chonnaput is suspected of involvement in illegal gambling websites and related offences in other countries. The attorney-general had earlier instructed the DSI to separate the case from another case against a large network of online gambling hosts in southern Thailand with suspected cash flows of about 1 billion baht. In the previous case, DSI officials searched 10 locations in Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Songkhla and impounded assets worth about 10 million baht, including a Toyota Alphard van, luxury bags and property. The DSI has also arrested two women who were among the 26 suspects in the previous southern gambling case. Mr Chonnaput said at the Office of the Attorney-General on Monday that he denied the transnational crime charges and was ready to defend himself against all charges. He said although he was an MP, he could not enjoy immunity at this stage because that was available to sitting MPs only during the interrogation process. The offence of participation in a transnational crime organisation carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years and illegal assembly seven years.