WHY WAS THE CHAIRMAN OF AIRPORTS OF THAILAND (AOT) HAVING LUNCH WITH A WELL-KNOWN CYBERSCAM CENTER OPERATOR?

About a month ago a photograph of Cambodian cyber scam center operator Rithy Raksmei and Thai Police Gen Jirabhop "Kong" Bhuridej having a friendly lunch in a Bangkok restaurant was published on the Thai news Facebook page, CSI La. The claim attached to the photo was that the gathering took place in May 2025.

Within days the photograph had become national news in Thailand and had led to a somewhat mumbled and unconvincing explanation from the Thai police. After all why was the supposed head of the Cybercrime squad having a convivial chat with a well-known and wanted cyberscam center operator like Raksmei?

 The Thai police claimed it was an official bilateral meeting between the Thai authorities and representatives of the Cambodian police to discuss cybercrime and it didn't take place in May 2025 but in November 2024. 

Of course the reason for why Rithy Raksmei - who was already known by the US authorities to be operating cyberscam centers since at least 2019 and closely connected to scam center kingpin Kok An - was there was never fully explained but enough shade had been thrown on the original story in order for the Thai police to quieten the obliging Thai press. 

But, someone was else was at that lunch gathering. 

The former Inspector General of the Thai Police, General Visanu Prasattongosoth, who by November 2024 had been retired from that role for at least 18months. 

However, in November 2024 Visanu was in a different role. He was the Chair of the Board of Directors of Airports of Thailand (AOT), a role he held from Nov 2023 to Jan 2025. 

The AOT released a report in November 2024 naming Visanu as chairman.

So what on earth was the Chairman of a company as important as AOT doing at such a meeting? He was no longer a police officer, so was not there in any official capacity and attending such a meeting with a well-known and powerful criminal had obvious reputational risks. Was the rest of the board of AOT aware Visanu was attending such a meeting? Do AOT's shareholders - who include powerful and "ethical" global investment funds like the Norwegian Government Pension Fund - know that the then chair of the board was having cosy lunches with well known and soon to be-sanctioned cyber criminals?

These questions are unlikely to be answered and it's doubtful that they'll be raised anywhere other than this blog. 

 Systemic corruption is so deeply ingrained in Thailand that its existence is barely even noticed never mind remarked upon. 

Nonetheless we'll keep raising the questions others won't.