Panthongtae Shinawatra faces legal action

[webfact]

Panthongtae faces legal action

By THE NATION

 

File photo: Thaksin and Panthongtae

 

BANGKOK: -- AMLO files complaint against Thaksin’s son over Bt10m money-laundering case, despite official claiming lack of evidence.

THE ANTI-MONEY Laundering Organisation (AMLO) has filed a complaint with the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) against Panthongtae Shinawatra, son of ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, in a money-laundering case connected with the multi-billion-baht loan fraud linked to the state-owned Krungthai Bank.

 

Pol General Chaiya Siriamphunkul, AMLO secretary-general, said AMLO officials had agreed to take legal action against Panthongtae, who allegedly received a Bt10-million cheque from Wichai Krisadathanont of the real estate firm Krisada Mahanakorn Group.

 

The money-laundering charge is also connected to an earlier corruption case in which Thaksin was accused of abusing his power while in office by ordering Krungthai Bank’s top executives to extend a Bt9.9-billion loan to the real estate group based on highly inflated collateral.

 

Earlier, Viroj Nualkhae and Suchai Chaovisit, former top executives of Krungthai Bank, were sentenced to 18-year jail terms by the Supreme Court for their roles in extending massive loans to companies affiliated with Krisada Mahanakorn Group.

 

The AMLO chief said his agency had already forwarded documents and evidence, including those related to Panthongtae and other people’s financial records, to the DSI for further action.

 

A former deputy DSI chief previously said he had been recently transferred to an inactive post at the Prime Minister’s Office after refusing to file money-laundering charges against Panthongtae due to insufficient evidence.

 

Panthongtae also wrote on Facebook last week that there was a government witch hunt in the case against him, in which he said there were more than 300 financial transactions involving many people and organisations that had not been investigated. Regarding the Bt10-million cheque, he said the amount was “tiny”, representing only a 0.1 per cent of the entire amount at issue, and that he had already returned the money.

 

At this stage, the AMLO chief said it was the duty of the DSI to pursue the money-laundering case against Panthongtae.

 

Regarding the Yingluck government’s fake government-to-government rice export deals, AMLO had already seized more than Bt13 billion worth of assets from convicted suspects, Chaiya said. Former commerce minister Boonsong Teriyapirom and ex-deputy commerce minister Phumi Saraphol were recently sentenced to lengthy jail terms in the case for incurring multi-billion-baht damages to the state by approving bogus deals.

 

He said the case had a 10-year statute of limitations so authorities were empowered to seize more assets if they were found to be owned by convicted suspects.

 

Chaiya also referred to another case in which a group of suspects alleged operated “zero dollar” tour programmes for Chinese tourists wanting to visit Thailand by offering unusually low-priced packages. 

 

The visitors then were allegedly lured into buying expensive items and services while on holiday.

 

Chaiya said the civil case against suspects was separate from their recent acquittal by the Criminal Court, since the case could be reviewed by the Appeals and Supreme courts.

 

The suspects’ assets have already been seized by AMLO based on the anti-money laundering law.

 

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam told a seminar on international standards on preventing and suppressing money-laundering activities that a tough anti-money laundering law was a necessary tool to combat illegal activities. 

 

He also cautioned that excessive powers could corrupt authorities so there should be a fine balance on the issue.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30326616

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-09-14

[leeneeds]

I have heard that the apple never falls far from the tree,

[ezzra]

 If they can't get the father or the aunt, so they go after

the boy, let's shake the tree they say, and see what will fall out....

 

However, the trick is not only to charge people with wrong doing,

but rathar to make it stick and without the case taking

years and years to go through the courts as many accuesd

here in this country are known to do.... 

[Samui Bodoh]

I truly have no idea if he is innocent or guilty.

 

But, the timing seems to be directly related to Yingluck doing her runner.

 

Anyone dispute that?

[inThailand]

Runner number 3 in the making? 

[Thailand]

Witch hunt, no such thing. 

[ChrisY1]

They sure hate the Shins.....but definitely not a witch hunt....of course not!

[ramrod711]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Regarding the Bt10-million cheque, he said the amount was “tiny”, representing only a 0.1 per cent of the entire amount at issue, and that he had already returned the money.

So, guilty as charged then. His pathetic defense, a lot of other people did it too. Sounds like one of my childhood excuses, you know, the ones where your mother said "if Jimmy jumped off a bridge".

[wakeupplease]

1 hour ago, inThailand said:

Runner number 3 in the making? 

With this kind of persecution you would not think twice about getting out.

[Thian]

30 minutes ago, ChrisY1 said:

They sure hate the Shins.....but definitely not a witch hunt....of course not!

If they just paid their tax and obeyed the laws they would not be hunted....simple as that.

[thesetat2013]

With this kind of persecution you would not think twice about getting out.

persecution? he freely admits guilt and then condemns the gov because 10 mil is only a small percent of the total...

[wakeupplease]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam told a seminar on international standards on preventing and suppressing money-laundering activities that a tough anti-money laundering law was a necessary tool to combat illegal activities. 

Just get rid of the CCA and you watch things change around here.

[wakeupplease]

9 minutes ago, thesetat2013 said:

persecution? he freely admits guilt and then condemns the gov because 10 mil is only a small percent of the total...

You must have read a different story to me.

[maeab101]

21 minutes ago, wakeupplease said:

You must have read a different story to me.

It was a small amount of money. Also he returned it. Why are they trying to make a example of him? Because of his name? looks like a witch hunt!

[Valentine]

Sounds like he is upgrading from cheating in uni exams.

[halloween]

2 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

I truly have no idea if he is innocent or guilty.

 

But, the timing seems to be directly related to Yingluck doing her runner.

 

Anyone dispute that?

Yes, it is a pathetic deflection for prosecution of a crime

[halloween]

19 minutes ago, maeab101 said:

It was a small amount of money. Also he returned it. Why are they trying to make a example of him? Because of his name? looks like a witch hunt!

If a bank robber is caught outside the bank and hands over the money is he innocent? If he had immediately returned the money he might have a defence that it was deposited without his knowledge, but that isn't what happened.

He claims he returned the money eventually, and it was a small amount. Neither are reasons not to prosecute.

[wales01]

Why the government are wasting their time and money, nothing is going to happen [emoji35][emoji35]


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[alant]

3 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

I truly have no idea if he is innocent or guilty.

 

But, the timing seems to be directly related to Yingluck doing her runner.

 

Anyone dispute that?

nope

[Juan B Tong]

They should indite him for his hair! 

[baboon]

2 hours ago, Thian said:

If they just paid their tax and obeyed the laws they would not be hunted....simple as that.

Yes they would. 2 coups demonstrate that and tax evasion was never cited as a reason for either.

[Searat7]

Maybe his BF does not want to move to Dubai

[ovi1kanobi]

1 hour ago, halloween said:

If a bank robber is caught outside the bank and hands over the money is he innocent? If he had immediately returned the money he might have a defence that it was deposited without his knowledge, but that isn't what happened.

He claims he returned the money eventually, and it was a small amount. Neither are reasons not to prosecute.

Yes, But he comes from a good family.

[ovi1kanobi]

Time to whip out article 44

[ovi1kanobi]

1 hour ago, maeab101 said:

It was a small amount of money. Also he returned it. Why are they trying to make a example of him? Because of his name? looks like a witch hunt!

They can't get his father or sister so they are going after him!

[Hogs]

3 hours ago, ramrod711 said:

So, guilty as charged then. His pathetic defense, a lot of other people did it too. Sounds like one of my childhood excuses, you know, the ones where your mother said "if Jimmy jumped off a bridge".

Did you read the previous article where the investigation team refused to file the charge as they had found ZERO evidence that supported the charge but they are going to file it anyway.

That sure sound a little dodgy to me no evidence but lets charge him anyway 

[Ace of Pop]

I truly have no idea if he is innocent or guilty.
 
But, the timing seems to be directly related to Yingluck doing her runner.
 
Anyone dispute that?

Thaksins Midnight Runners. Enter the Charts at....[emoji450]


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I have little doubt he's guilty of receiving the funds that grew out of a very big bank fraud scandal that was orchestrated during his father's administration.

 

But why AMLO is popping up with this now?  This case and the events behind it happened MANY years ago, and as the OP notes, two of the non-government players in this already have been sentenced to prison. Did they somehow forget about the son's role for all these many years. It certainly was no secret that he shared in the bounty of the fraud.

 

 

[nausea]

These displays of selective justice are doing more harm than good, methinks

 

[FritsSikkink]

4 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

They sure hate the Shins.....but definitely not a witch hunt....of course not!

Regarding the Bt10-million cheque, he said the amount was “tiny”, representing only a 0.1 per cent of the entire amount at issue, and that he had already returned the money