THAILAND – The Thai court has convicted Thai senator Upakit Pachariyangkun, who is related to the drug kingpin Tun Min Latt, a confidant of Min Aung Hlaing, who was arrested by the Thai government. He has been charged with six cases including money laundering.
On December 14, the Thai Criminal Court in Bangkok charged Thai Senator Upakit Pachariyangkun with drug trafficking. He was indicted on six counts, including money laundering and involvement in a transnational criminal organization.
Upakit, a 62-year-old Thai senator, has denied all charges and is currently out on bail of 10 million baht (around $287,000) without being arrested.
Min Aung Hlaing’s trusted drug kingpin Tun Min Latt was arrested in Bangkok in September 2022. Dean Gultula, son-in-law of Thai MP Upakit, Upakit and 2 other Thai nationals were arrested along with him.
In December 2022, four people, including Tun Min Latt, were arrested for drug dealing. The Thai government charged him with money laundering and involvement in transnational crime.
During the arrest and investigation of drug kingpin Tun Min Latt, millions of US dollars were seized, and the bank book of Min Aung Hlaing’s daughter, Khin Thiri Thet Mon, and the apartment property owned by Min Aung Hlaing’s son, Aung Pye Sone, were seized from Tun Min Latt.
Last month, The Office of the Narcotics Control Board of Thailand has seized more than 400 million baht ($11.5 million) of Thai lawmaker Upakit’s assets on suspicion of being linked to illegal business. After that, 285 million baht (8.2 million dollars) was seized again on suspicion of his involvement in drug and money laundering.