Further updated: Gambling on lese majeste

The case involving senior police, including an uncle of Srirasmi Akharapongpreecha, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn’s official consort, is widening and becoming murkier, not least because of the claim that lese majeste is one of the charges against some of those arrested.

How is this case, which could be a succession issue, a political purge, a struggle for control of the police and the wealth that flows to top cop positions or all of these, a lese majeste case? It isn’t entirely clear, although former Rak Prathet Thai Party leader Chuwit Kamolvisit has hinted at one angle in a story at The Nation where it is reported:

In Chuwit’s statement, he said a gambling den inside the Colonze massage parlour on Rama IX Road was operated by people who cited backing from the monarchy. This den generated large profits from gamblers and was able to pay a daily “protection fee” of Bt20 million to the police for nine months of operation in 2001, before it relocated to Soi Ratchadaphisek 18, the same year. It operated there for 24 days, starting August 1, before it closed down after being exposed by media reports.

On social media, many have said that the arrested cops claimed to be working for the Crown Prince, and the family connection noted above might make this seem a reasonable assumption. If they really were working for the prince, then the successionists will have a field day in sorting out the meaning.

As a footnote, we noticed that Srirasmi seems to have a slightly different English name now.

Update 1: BBC reports that “Mr Pongpat [Chayaphan], his deputy Kowit Wongrungroj and the former marine police chief Boonsueb Praithuen are accused of referring to the monarchy in illicit deals.” It adds that police chief Somyos Pumpanmuang states: “The suspects had been making false claims to gain benefits through police promotions, illegal gambling and illegal oil trading…”.

Update 2: Paul Chambers is interviewed on the case, putting pieces together.