Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has had her assistant file a police report against a man who has reportedly been showing off "fake" text conversations with the premier on the Line application to deceptively inflate his level of influence.
The suspect, identified as Thanyatep Sirithapsadechakul, 32, allegedly showed screenshots of purported conversations he had engaged in with the premier to an actress he was dating in a bid to convince her of his status and power.
The actress, Rinyarat Watchararojsiri, had announced her engagement to Mr Thanyatep four days before she found out he was a married man who had deceived her into believing he was a high-profile bachelor.
He also allegedly claimed his father was the founder of the Pheu Thai Party, which is untrue, and showed the actress photos of himself wearing a party member jacket from the time of former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
Ms Paetongtarn said on Tuesday she did not know the man in question and had never chatted with him on Line, dismissing the screenshots as fakes.
Government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub, who also serves as an adviser to the PM, confirmed the faked nature of the Line conversation. He said the man was also in possession of counterfeit business cards bearing the Prime Minister's Office logo.
Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, meanwhile, said a fact-finding investigation had found that Mr Thanyatep hired two soldiers to provide him with a motorcade service. The soldiers admitted to moonlighting for money.
Mr Phumtham, also a deputy prime minister, said the soldiers were not assigned by the military for the motorcade. They did not use an army vehicle but their personal car to complete the deception. As a result, they will face disciplinary action, he said.
Digital Economy and Society Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong said he had never met the suspect at the Pheu Thai HQ.
Pol Lt Gen Trairong Phiwpan, chief of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau, also dismissed Mr Thanyathep's claims of having chatted with him on the Line app. He, too, filed a police complaint.
On Monday, Mr Thanyathep jumped from the 3rd floor of the Khok Kram police station in Bueng Kum district. He was found with a broken spine. He was to be questioned after being exposed by the actress on a TV talk show.
