Senator Upakit Pachariyangkunov has been charged with conspiracy in money laundering and drug trafficking, Deputy Prosecutor General's Office spokesman Kosonlawat Intujunyong said on Thursday.
According to the spokesman, the attorney general intends to rule on July 26 regarding the senator's drug trafficking charges.
Senior Public Prosecutor Vatcharin Panurat, who leads the team of investigators in the Upakit case, submitted 79 files of his investigation, as a result of which the senator was indicted.
Senator Upakit came under media scrutiny after the arrest of Burmese businessman Tun Min Latta in Bangkok last September on charges of drug trafficking and money laundering. Upakit reportedly had close ties to Tun Min Latt, who is an associate of Burmese military figure General Min Aung Khlaing.
During a parliamentary debate in February, opposition MPs claimed that Upakit was a business partner of Tun Min Latta. However, the senator insisted that he was not involved in any dubious dealings with a Burmese merchant.
In March, Upakit reported to the narcotics police to face allegations of money laundering and links to a transnational criminal organization, which he denied.
The senator was not detained because he came voluntarily to review the charges, without a warrant or invitation from public prosecutors.
Upakit was one of 250 senators appointed after the coup.
Author of the article: Ekaterina Antonova
