The Thai government has rejected an online claim that Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul received a 7 million baht transfer, accusing a Facebook page of spreading false information to damage him politically.
Government Spokesperson Ekkapob Pianpises responded to the allegations today, October 26, after a Facebook page called Godd Dam circulated an image purporting to show a bank transfer to an account bearing Anutin’s name.
The image reportedly showed a transaction dated October 31, 2023, accompanied by a message suggesting the payment was tea money, a term commonly associated with unofficial payments or bribes.
However, the alleged transaction has not been officially verified, and no confirmation from the bank involved has been reported.
In a Facebook statement, Ekkapob dismissed the image as false and accused its publisher of deliberately spreading misleading information for political purposes.
He alleged that the original account could be operated from overseas and that politicians and networks associated with an unnamed political party had helped circulate the post.
The spokesperson further claimed that coordinated social media activity, including the use of bots, was intended to increase engagement before the original post disappeared.
He argued that such tactics could leave those who shared the allegations facing legal consequences while the original publisher avoided responsibility.
Ekkapob also questioned whether a politician would knowingly accept a multimillion-baht transfer from an unexplained source into a bank account that could be traced.
He also pointed to the mechanics of the transfer itself, saying that moving more than 5 million baht requires an approved limit extension from the bank.
The disputed post subsequently became unavailable. However, it remains unclear whether the page administrator removed it or Facebook took it down.
Assistant Government Spokesperson Ubonrat Thaonoi also criticised the circulation of the image, particularly among politicians who shared it without confirming its authenticity.
She said bank records could establish whether the alleged transaction took place and noted that politicians, including the prime minister, were required to submit asset declarations to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).
The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society has been monitoring the page, which Ekkapob said has repeatedly spread false information. The ministry has previously had posts removed and the page temporarily shut down.
He said it was now tracing the network behind the account, and would pursue it whether or not it operates from within Thailand and regardless of the IP address used.
No formal police investigation or legal action concerning the post has been confirmed.
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The story Anutin’s team denies 7 million baht ‘tea money’ transfer claim as seen on Thaiger News.