The BSC has resolved to designate as a special case, the case of conspiracy in money laundering offenses by individuals or groups involved in a secret society, related to the acquisition of senators in 2024

On Thursday, March 6, 2025, at 09:00 AM, at the 10th floor meeting room of the Ministry of Justice building on Chaeng Watthana Road, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) convened the Board of Special Case (BSC) meeting no. 3/2568. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Phumtham Wechayachai, Deputy Prime Minister, as Chairman of the BSC, along with Police Colonel Thawee Sodsong, Minister of Justice, as Vice Chairman of the BSC, and Mrs. Pongsawat Neelayothin, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, attending as a board member. Police Major Yutthana Praedam, Director General of the DSI, served as a member and secretary. A total of 18 board members attended the meeting.

This meeting follows the BSC meeting no. 2/2568 held on February 25, 2025, regarding the agenda item to consider the request to investigate the 2024 Senate election process (investigation case no. 151/2567) as a special case under Section 21, paragraph one (2) of the Special Case Investigation Act, B.E. 2547 (2004), which falls under the duties and authority of the BSC to consider. The meeting discussed the matter and resolved that the DSI should gather additional facts and submit the matter through the Sub-Committee again to the BSC meeting today. The BSC considered the facts presented by the Sub-Committee, which opined that the case were grounds for criminal offenses of secret society. This offense serves as a predicate offense for money laundering. The BSC has issued the Notification of the Board of Special Cases (No. 8), B.E. 2565 (2022) Prescribing the Nature of Crime Regarded as Special Case under Section 21 Paragraph One (1) of the Special Case Investigation Act, B.E. 2547 (2004), which details the relevant offenses and this matter falls within the duties and authority of the Director General of the DSI to consider and order an investigation as a special case. Although the predicate criminal offense of secret society involvement is another criminal offense that is not a special case, there remained a question regarding whether the estimated value of damages or assets related to the secret society offense amounted to three hundred million baht or more. Therefore, it was proposed to submit the matter to the BSC for a decisive ruling under Section 21, paragraph five, and to amend the case title to 'Case of Conspiracy in Money Laundering Offenses by individuals or groups involved in a secret society under Section 209 of the Criminal Code and Related Laws' to align with the facts presented for consideration.

After the meeting, Mr. Phumtham Wechayachai, Deputy Prime Minister, as Chairman of the BSC, revealed that the majority of the votes agreed to change the case title as proposed. They resolved to designate 'Case of Conspiracy in Money Laundering Offenses by individuals or groups involved in a secret society under Section 209 of the Criminal Code and Related Laws,' as proposed by the secretariat, as a special case under Section 21, paragraph one (1) of the Special Case Investigation Act, B.E. 2547 (2004). Any criminal cases with continuous or related offenses in relation to this special case, such as the offense of secret society involvement under Section 209 of the Criminal Code, including offenses under Section 116 and criminal money laundering offenses under Section 77, final paragraph of the Organic Act on the Acquisition of Senators, B.E. 2561 (2018), are considered special cases under Section 21, paragraph two, which can proceed with investigation without requiring a resolution to designate such cases as special cases under Section 21, paragraph one (2).

However, if the special case inquiry official find any offenses under the Organic Act on the Acquisition of Senators, B.E. 2561 (2018), Section 77 (1), which falls under the duties and authority of the Election Commission Office, they shall notify the Election Commission Office for consideration according to its duties and authority.