Chuwit urges Big Joke probe into Pheu Thai PM candidate’s tax scheme accusation

[snoop1130]

 

A former Thai politician urged the Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Tha Police (RTP) to initiate an investigation into allegations levelled against the Pheu Thai Party’s prime ministerial candidate.

 

After the Pheu Thai Party announced that they would propose Srettha Thavisin as their PM candidate, former politician and soapy king Chuwit Kamolvisit announced that he had evidence which could prove that Srettha did not meet the PM requirement and urged Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn to investigate.

 

Chuwit claims that Srettha, alongside his real estate development company, Sansiri, engaged in various actions aimed at minimising tax obligations. He then held press conferences to reveal the evidence he had on the allegations to the public.

 

During the press conference, Chuwit claimed that Srettha and other relevant people fraudulently minimised tax payments from 521 million baht to only 59.2 million baht.

 

Chuwit reckons Sansiri bought an expensive plot of land on Salasin Road in Bangkok for 4 million baht per square metre making the land the most expensive piece of real estate in all of Thailand. Twelve individuals jointly hold ownership of the plot meaning they had to pay about 521 million baht in taxes after the sale.

 

Chuwit contended that Srettha and Sansiri masterminded a scheme in which the land was purchased separately from each owner, on different dates. This orchestration allowed each landowner to pay taxes at a notably reduced rate.

 

By Petch Petpailin

Caption: Photo via Facebook/ ชูวิทย์ กมลวิศิษฎ์

 

Full Story: https://thethaiger.com/news/national/chuwit-urges-big-joke-probe-into-pheu-thai-pm-candidates-tax-scheme-accusation

 

-- Thaiger 2023-08-17

 

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[Tropicalevo]

All of the dominoes are falling nicely for the watch man.

[2baht]

Go for the jugular, Chuwit! There's no end to the crooks you could cruel! 

[hotchilli]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Chuwit claims that Srettha, alongside his real estate development company, Sansiri, engaged in various actions aimed at minimising tax obligations.

What major corporation doesn't?

[paddypower]

2 hours ago, hotchilli said:

What major corporation doesn't?

that's the wrong question to ask.  all major corporation minimize their tax bills LEGALLY -  that is called tax avoidance. In just about most countries, this tax scheme would be described as an artificial series of transactions in order to EVADE tax. that's criminal.

[phil2407]

He's only used loopholes in the law, nothing illegal (as most people or companies would do if they knew about them)

[mikebell]

2 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Srettha

seems eminently to suitable to manage this corrupt corporation known, the World over, as Thailand.

[bamnutsak]

For some reason I assumed Srettha Thavisin was an MP.

 

He is not.

 

(Yes, I understand that the PM does not have to be an elected MP.)

 

 

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, paddypower said:

that's the wrong question to ask.  all major corporation minimize their tax bills LEGALLY -  that is called tax avoidance. In just about most countries, this tax scheme would be described as an artificial series of transactions in order to EVADE tax. that's criminal.

And the grey area that lays between.

[Srikcir]

18 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

And the grey area that lays between.

As legal analysts might say, "results may vary."

 

"Judicial decisions (in Thailand) are not binding, but in practice Supreme Court decisions are persuasive, have some precedential value, and are often used as secondary authoritative sources of law. "

https://untimely.libguides.com

Throw into the judicial mix the lack of jury trials, cases going directly to the Supreme Court without having to pass through intermediary court reviews and decisions and authority of the Supreme Court itself to independently investigate and present what it deems relevant evidence, a legal decision can be highly unprecedented in Thailand. 

[ignore it]

So it's no longer former politician and whistle blower, it's back to soapy king.   

 

I can barely keep up.

[PETERTHEEATER]

7 hours ago, hotchilli said:

What major corporation doesn't?

Again, tax avoidance, is not illegal whereas tax evasion is. As hotchilli has noted, corporations employ legal advisors to find legal ways to reduce their tax liability which seems to be the case here.

I suggest it is the reporter's text that implies illegality. Chuwit is not stupid. He almost certainly has evidence to show tax evasion and not simply avoidance