This is a follow-up on our previous two posts, here and here. It also links with the series of stories broken last year by Whale Hunting and our posts regarding their reporting.
Thai Enquirer has a story on acting Agriculture Minister and former heroin trafficker Thammanat Prompao and acting Education Minister Narumon Pinyosinwat, both of the gangster party, Kla Tham.
It states that the Department of Special Investigation will summon the two next week “as witnesses in its investigation into the Worldcoin iris-scan project, which reportedly collected biometric data from around 1.2 million Thai citizens in exchange for digital currency.”
Thammanat. Clipped from Khaosod
It states that both:
were witnesses to a March 27, 2024, memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES) and Singapore-based Prime Opportunity Fund VCC for a pilot project to develop the Thailand International Digital Business and Finance Center (TIDC).
Yesterday, DSI conducted raids on a story that goes back to at least November last year., with AMLO having frozen some accounts a couple of weeks ago. Here’s the information about this:
…DSI conducted raids on five locations linked to the project, including TIDC Holdings at The Unicorn Building in Phaya Thai, TIDC Worldverse Co., Ltd., TIDC Co., Ltd. (25th floor, Gaysorn Tower), M Vision Public Co., Ltd., and the residence of Mr. Opas Chedpun in Ladawan Village, Rama 2. Investigators recovered documents and four remaining iris-scan devices to trace how the biometric data was stored and whether it was transferred overseas. Authorities suspect TIDC Co., Ltd. may have served as a storage point for the scanned data.
Other companies “under scrutiny include Jade Empire Co., Ltd., TIDC Co., Ltd., and TIDC Worldverse, as well as Singapore-based funds Prime Opportunity Fund VCC and Capital Asia Investments (CAI).”
It is an interesting list as Jade Empire is “connected to Cambodian businessman Yim Leak and South African-born financier Benjamin Mauerberger, alias “Ben Smith,” both implicated in transnational online scams and money-laundering operations.” AMLO has frozen some “9.2 billion baht in assets linked to these networks, and Jade Empire reportedly arranged a Thai work permit for Ben Smith.”
Former DES Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong and former Permanent Secretary Wisit Wisitsora-At, now Securities Exchange Commission chair, “have already provided testimony…”.
Thammanat and his gangster party are positioned to be coalition makers after the 2026 election.
Political Prisoners in Thailand 
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