Thai Deputy PM disputes allegations linking PT Group to gambling sites

Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, has responded to allegations made by former Democrat Party MP Sirichoke Sopha regarding links between the PT Group and online gambling. Sirichoke claimed that Pokkhet Ratchakitprakarn, the Deputy PM's son and an executive at PT Group, is connected to Maxbit, a company with transactions involving the gambling website Shuffle.com.

Phiphat defended the legality of the business transactions, stating that the companies involved are properly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). He dismissed Sirichoke's claims as an attempt to gain political relevance, noting that Sirichoke has lost three consecutive elections. Phiphat added that his son would provide a formal clarification regarding the matter next week.

In a separate critique, Sirichoke challenged the Bhumjaithai Party's stance against casinos, questioning why major online gambling platforms remain easily accessible to Thai citizens despite government efforts to block URLs. He provided a list of active gambling websites, demanding that the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society take concrete action to shut them down.