Move Forward MP denies involvement in extortion attempt

Fille photo : Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut

A Move Forward party MP has denied a suggestion that he was a part of a gang which tried to extort 1.5 million baht from the director-general of the Rice Department.

Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut said in his Facebook post today that his name was mentioned in the Line chat between Yotwarit Chomklin, one of the three suspects charged with extortion, and a member of staff at the secretariat of the House committee following up on budget management, headed by Natthaphong.

Yotwarit, serial petitioner Srisuwan Janya and a former election candidate of United Thai Nation party, Phimnattha, were charged with trying to extort 1.5 million baht from Natthakit Khongthip, the director-general of the Rice Department, in exchange for dropping their planned exposure of alleged corruption in the department.

Natthaphong said that Srisuwan and Yotwarit lodged a…