BANGKOK: The Thai government revoked citizenship of a Cambodian high-ranking businessman after he was accused of being involved with cyber-scam operations and human trafficking networks.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul signed an order on Friday (Oct 24) revoking the Thai citizenship of Phat Suphapa, who is also known as Ly Yong Phat (pic). Ly, a naturalised Thai national, is accused of maintaining Cambodian citizenship and involvement in illicit activities.
"I’ve just signed the order revoking Phat’s Thai citizenship,” Anutin told reporters. "This clearly shows our government is taking action where others in the past did not - even though we’ve only been in office for a few weeks and haven’t had much time.”
According to Thailand’s Interior Ministry, reports from the Anti-Money Laundering Office and the Department of Consular Affairs indicated Ly had connections with groups engaged in fraud and human-trafficking networks. He’s also been sanctioned by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control. Ly continued to use his Cambodian nationality despite having obtained Thai citizenship through naturalisation.
The move on Ly is the latest action Anutin has taken in less than a week to show he’s tough on scam operations.
On Wednesday, Deputy Finance Minister Vorapak Tanyawong announced he would step down a day after Anutin asked him to explain allegations that he and his wife are linked to Southeast Asian scam networks.
Ly’s conduct undermines national security and the public interest, according to the ministry’s announcement, which added that stripping him of his Thai citizenship aims to prevent potential harm to the public.
Ly has been described as an adviser to Hun Sen, Cambodia’s former prime minister and enduring power broker. It’s been reported he built his fortune on cigarette imports and exports, electricity generation and operating resorts and casinos. - Bloomberg
