AMLO to seize assets worth over Bt200 million

By Piyanuch Thamnukasetchai 
The Nation

 

File photo

 

THE ANTI-MONEY Laundering Office (AMLO) committee has resolved to temporarily seize assets worth more than Bt200 million in relation to three key cases, AMLO acting secretary-general Pol Maj-General Rommasit Viriyasant revealed yesterday.

 

On Tuesday, the AMLO committee resolved to seize 97 assets worth Bt213.300 million over the 2011-16 tax fraud charges filed against businessman Thongchai Rojrungrangsi and other business associates in the zero-dollar tour scandal, he said.

 

 

The case against Thongchai and associates, including AO Transport Co, came up as part of the Thai authorities’ crackdown on tour operators who reportedly offered Chinese visitors free or very low-cost hotel and flight packages to Thailand but then lured them into buying overpriced souvenirs during the trips.

 

The committee also resolved to seize three assets worth Bt81,000 in the methamphetamine possession case involving a 27-year-old suspect Bancha Surin and others, who were arrested in Chiang Mai in 2015. Their arrests had led to the police discovery that Bancha’s father, Somjit, was also allegedly dealing with drugs in the North from 2001-14, Rommasit said. 

 

In a case of human trafficking involving the prostitution of Myanmar girls under 18 filed against Bangkok-based Nataree Entertainment massage parlour owner Prasert “Ko Luck” Sukkhee, 58, the AMLO committee resolved to seize 48 assets. The AMLO has also sent a request to the court for the state to appropriate three items worth Bt1 million. 

 

 

In addition, the AMLO committee agreed to request court orders for the state to appropriate 80 assets worth Bt31 million from six other cases.

 

The AMLO generally would seize assets temporarily during a case investigation for inspection, allowing suspects or their associates to provide explanations about asset origins within a given period of time. After a ruling by the court in the cases, it proceeds with a request for the state to appropriate the assets. 

 

In the cases of assets that are expensive to maintain, perishable, or depreciating that pose a potential burden to the state, AMLO may opt to hold auctions to sell them off.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30343968

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-04-26

What exactly is illegal about these 'zero dollar tours' ? Surely the Chinese or whoever can do whatever they want?

1 hour ago, ukrules said:

What exactly is illegal about these 'zero dollar tours' ? Surely the Chinese or whoever can do whatever they want?

I don't underunderstand what is illegal about a tourist coming here cheaply and shopping at the shops that the tour company promotes. 

These cases baffle me. 

10 minutes ago, greenchair said:

I don't underunderstand what is illegal about a tourist coming here cheaply and shopping at the shops that the tour company promotes. 

These cases baffle me. 

They seem to have created some tax fraud charges especially for the occasion. I expect there will be some bus and speedboat bargains coming up soon for certain "connected" people.

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

"......but then lured them into buying overpriced souvenirs during the trips"

Thai travel agents wouldn't lure tourists into Thai owned shops to buy overpriced souvenirs now would they?. Only the inscrutable and cunning Chinese would do something wicked and evil like that. Double standards yet again.

1 hour ago, webfact said:

On Tuesday, the AMLO committee resolved to seize 97 assets worth Bt213.300 million

so what happens to these seized assets ? auctioned off ? proceeds into the police coffers and then their pockets ?

2 hours ago, ukrules said:

What exactly is illegal about these 'zero dollar tours' ? Surely the Chinese or whoever can do whatever they want?

Simple, the wrong people were making the money, now the right people are raking it in. All OK now, sorted.

Yet again a case that stinks.

They are making up laws / rules as they go along.

As already mentioned the wrong people were making the money, and this cannot be allowed.

You have to be in the cliche or we come after you, pathetic.

This is a complicated case where some of the people involved in running

those companies were Chinese nationals using fake Thai ID, on top of hiding behind complex maze of companies fronting for other companies in order to avoid paying due taxes and other income related payment to the state....

Edited April 25, 20188 yr by ezzra

2 hours ago, ezzra said:

This is a complicated case where some of the people involved in running

those companies were Chinese nationals using fake Thai ID, on top of hiding behind complex maze of companies fronting for other companies in order to avoid paying due taxes and other income related payment to the state....

avoid paying due taxes and other income related payment to the state....

 

really "to the state"

6 hours ago, ukrules said:

What exactly is illegal about these 'zero dollar tours' ? Surely the Chinese or whoever can do whatever they want?

There is no law per se against 'zero dollar tours.'

In fact businessman Thongchai Rojrungrangsi and other business associates ( OA Transport, Royal Paradise, Bangkok Handicrafts, Royal Gems and Thai Herb) in the zero-dollar tour scandal had been acquitted by the Criminal Court of racketeering, money laundering and violating tourism and tour guide laws due to lack of "solid evidence." "These defendants were not the ones who brought the tourists from China."

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30324927

 

There are laws and agreements which in effect discourage 'zero dollar tours.' Such as:

• Thailand-China agreement that online tour packages require minimum prices
• require Thailand registration of Chinese tour guides
• Thailand-China procedures to discourage tour abandonment of Chinese tourists in Thailand

https://www.todayonline.com/world/asia/weeding-out-zero-dollar-tour-groups-save-thai-tourism

As the article points out, the charges against Rojrungrangsi et al are income tax evasion and nonpayment of other government fees. 

 

Frankly, with those charges following the acquittal of the parties from the original criminal charges instead of being included in the original charges appear in part "piling on" by Thai authorities - keep adding new charges until something sticks. Meanwhile, impound all their assets and auction them off before any conviction.

 

 

Edited April 26, 20188 yr by Srikcir
add another link

6 hours ago, greenchair said:

I don't underunderstand what is illegal about a tourist coming here cheaply and shopping at the shops that the tour company promotes. 

These cases baffle me. 

The problem is the gems (as an example) flogged on the tourists are substandard products.

When the buyers get them appraised when they get home they find they are of poor quality

and worth considerably less than the "special" price they paid. This reflects badly on Thailand.

Besides all these businesses are Chinese owned and operated so Thai business people are not

getting their cut. 

8 hours ago, ukrules said:

What exactly is illegal about these 'zero dollar tours' ? Surely the Chinese or whoever can do whatever they want?

In international trade it is called transfer pricing, and shifts the tax liability from one jurisdiction to another, thus creating a tax fraud ... nothing new, nothing tailor made for this case....

Much the same with the phone or on-line scammers. If you’re stupid enough to give your bank info or transfer money to a stranger for promises of riches or posing as a government or bank official then you deserve to be scammed. Stop wasting police and court time on these cases. Start wising up!

5 hours ago, Ulic said:

The problem is the gems (as an example) flogged on the tourists are substandard products.

When the buyers get them appraised when they get home they find they are of poor quality

and worth considerably less than the "special" price they paid. This reflects badly on Thailand.

Besides all these businesses are Chinese owned and operated so Thai business people are not

getting their cut. 

Ahhh that's the problem. SOUR GRAPES

4 hours ago, wirat69 said:

In international trade it is called transfer pricing, and shifts the tax liability from one jurisdiction to another, thus creating a tax fraud ... nothing new, nothing tailor made for this case....

International trade..?????? You're joking, right..??