Thai Govt Critic Ekkayuth Feared Abducted

[webfact]

POLITICS
Tycoon missing
The Nation



Govt critic Ekkayuth feared abducted; last seen late Thursday; hard-disk stolen

BANGKOK: -- Anti-Thaksin businessman Ekkayuth Anchanbutr has been missing since Friday night and his lawyer and relatives suspect he might have been abducted.

Suwat Apaipak, Ekkayuth's lawyer, told reporters yesterday the businessman, who has openly opposed the Pheu Thai government, was last seen at a restaurant in the Saphan Kwai area on Thursday night and was heard over the phone for the last time on Friday.

Suwat said Ekkayuth had dinner with a few friends at the Kratae Kitchen restaurant at 10.30pm on Thursday and might have been abducted at 11pm that night.

Suwat said Ekkayuth did not show up for an appointment to play golf with friends on Friday and when one of the friends called him, he answered and said he was busy with a senior person and had to cancel the golf session.

Ekkayuth's sister, Arunee Sunthornpat, 51, filed a complaint with the Crime Suppression Division at 1pm yesterday, saying her brother could not be reached by phone since 8pm on Friday.

Arunee told police that Ekkayuth called his sister, Supaporn Waenlor, at 9am on Friday, telling her to give a chequebook to a driver of the company. The driver was told to meet Ekkayuth at Gate 8 of Suvarnabhumi Airport.

But when the company driver went to the airport, he did not see the businessman, only Ekkayuth's personal driver, identified as Santiparp Phetduang. He saw Ekkayuth's van parked near Gate 7.

Santiparp took the chequebook and told the company driver to wait for 45 minutes.

He returned with three cheques for Bt5 million signed by Ekkayuth and the company driver was told to cash the cheques at Siam Commercial Bank's Town in Town branch.

Initially, the bank would not allow the cheques to be cashed because Ekkayuth had signed the wrong date - but bank officials called him and eventually allowed the driver to take out Bt5 million in cash.

The driver returned to the airport but Ekkayuth was still not there. Santiparp turned up to take the money and left the scene in the van, Arunee told police. The personal driver is also not traceable.

Suwat said Ekkayuth's abductors also went to the businessman's house to steal a computer connected to his security camera system. "They may be a big gang because they went to his house to eliminate the evidence," Suwat said.

He said relatives found Ekkayuth's house door open at 8pm on Friday and the computer's hard disk, which recorded feeds from security cameras, was missing.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Pol Lt-General Khamronwit Thupkrajang said Ekkayuth's relatives filed a complaint with police at the Wang Thonglang Police Station on Saturday midnight.

Khamronwit said he had instructed police to speed up the investigation.

"I have instructed the investigators to check it. Officials concerned will hold a meeting at 10.30am tomorrow [Monday] to check the facts," Khamronwit said.

Parnthep Pongpuapan, the spokesman of the People's Alliance for Democracy, said he had not yet been informed of Ekkayuth's disappearance.

Ekkayuth has lately attacked former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra on his Thai Insider website and Facebook fan page. He made headlines last year when he alleged on his website that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra skipped a House meeting to meet businessmen at the Four Seasons Hotel.

After his disappearance was reported on TV and social media, several of Ekkayuth's supporters went to his Facebook fan page to post messages showing their concern for him.

Several high-profile people have gone missing, including Muslim lawyer Somchai Neelapajit in 2004, who has been pronounced dead legally.


-- The Nation 2013-06-10

[Thai at Heart]

No mention of how this tycoon made his fortune. He has many many enemies.

[smutcakes]

No mention of how this tycoon made his fortune. He has many many enemies.

Yes, interesting that they use a purposely leading headline, then they will bitch and moan when they are pulled up on it.

Edit: Sorry it seems the Thai Visa Headline is misleading rather than the article.

Edited June 10, 2013 by smutcakes

[ramrod711]

No mention of how this tycoon made his fortune. He has many many enemies.

Most of them probably wearing red shirts

[Thai at Heart]

No mention of how this tycoon made his fortune. He has many many enemies.

Most of them probably wearing red shirts

Go do a little reading, this guy is a first rate ****

[CelticBhoy]

^ Must be to skip a golf date. That's just not on.

[FarangTalk]

Another one bites the dust.

Open criticism of anyone, especially the rich and powerful in Thailand is hazardous for your health.

[Redhawk]

Pyramid scheme investment, fled the country, attacking governments, lost of life due to his actions. I think there are some people around, still a little bit upset about him.

[jalansanitwong]

A picture tells a thousand words.

He doesnt look like your friendly good samaritan.

[CrisRMenumate]

This guy skipped the country in 1984 and stayed away for 20 years for the statute of limitations to run out on his charges related to a failed "pyramid" scam... scheme. is it surprising he has possible enemies? just asking?

[FarangTalk]

This guy skipped the country in 1984 and stayed away for 20 years for the statute of limitations to run out on his charges related to a failed "pyramid" scam... scheme. is it surprising he has possible enemies? just asking?

Does any criminal Thai actually have a shred of decency or self-respect?

Or are they all like this man; self-serving, irresponsible, cowards?

[chainarong]

This guy skipped the country in 1984 and stayed away for 20 years for the statute of limitations to run out on his charges related to a failed "pyramid" scam... scheme. is it surprising he has possible enemies? just asking?

Shades of someone in Dubai

[geriatrickid]

I would expect this to be a "business"' dispute.

The large cheques being cashed should send up a large flapping cautionary flag.

Edited June 10, 2013 by geriatrickid

[thaicbr]

I would expect this to be a "business"' dispute.

The large cheques being cashed should send up a large flapping cautionary flag.

Either that or the business is about to go under again and he is escaping.. again. It would be interesting to find out WHEN the 5million was put in the bank and how much is left.

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE Q6

[FarangTalk]

This guy skipped the country in 1984 and stayed away for 20 years for the statute of limitations to run out on his charges related to a failed "pyramid" scam... scheme. is it surprising he has possible enemies? just asking?

Shades of someone in Dubai

Shades of former Democrat leader Chuan Leekpai's brother Raluek etc.

Thaksin didn't set the trend for absconding, he merely followed it.

[sjjmmi]

Drove down to Malaysia in his lambo

[ratcatcher]

Not much sympathy from me I'm afraid. Looks like something's come back to bite him.

[winstonc]

WHO CARES,,,,,,,,,,,,,reap what you sow my son,,now jog on,,,

[A Member]

This guy skipped the country in 1984 and stayed away for 20 years for the statute of limitations to run out on his charges related to a failed "pyramid" scam... scheme. is it surprising he has possible enemies? just asking?

Well maybe just one or two but nothing serious...LOL

[Robby nz]

Only 5 million B, if he has shot through he wont get very far with that.

The missing disk from the security cameras would seem to indicate there is something on there someone doesn't want seen.

And the driver, the one who received the money appears to have also to be missing.

The question that comes to mind; who would 5mill be of more value to?

[Payboy]

Initially, the bank would not allow the cheques to be cashed because Ekkayuth had signed the wrong date - but bank officials called him and eventually allowed the driver to take out Bt5 million in cash.

So, this guy ran a Ponzi scheme, was absconding for 20 years and the bank manager still takes instructions from him by phone. Way to go Thai banking!

[Bellweather]

Only 5 million B, if he has shot through he wont get very far with that.

The missing disk from the security cameras would seem to indicate there is something on there someone doesn't want seen.

And the driver, the one who received the money appears to have also to be missing.

The question that comes to mind; who would 5mill be of more value to?

According to an sms from my Post text service, timed 11.21hrs, th van and driver have been found in Phatthalung but Ekkayuth is still missing.

[DiamondKing]

5 Million is Peanuts to him but a lot of money for some small time bad guys or someone that may of lost money in the alleged Ponzi Scheme to me sounds like we might not be seeing those 2 guys again (sleeping dogs tell no lies, as the saying goes.

[Thai at Heart]

Reggie Perrin?

[mrtoad]

This guy has pissed off a lot of people - including The DL. Others that have done that have also gone missing.

Apart from that, this is a thoroughly dishonest indvidual who has many enemies, and has flouted the law for his own benefit.

Sounds quite familiar to the fugitive in the desert.

Edited June 10, 2013 by mrtoad

[Joe Mamma]

Isn't PTP translated to Pay To Play.

[SOTIRIOS]

.... do we even have to state the obvious.....

...although someone might come up with a 'soap opera-type' explanation.....

[Lite Beer]

MISSING BUSINESSMAN
Ekkayuth's driver found in south


File photo : Ekkayuth ®

BANGKOK: -- Police have found the driver of businessman and government critic Ekkayuth Anchanbutr who has been missing since last week, national police chief Pol General Adul Saengsingkaew said Monday.

The man, Santiparp Pengduang, was found in the southern province of Phatthalung. The police chief declined to say whether Santiparp was involved with the disappearance of Ekkayuth, or whether Ekkayuth was safe, saying it is under investigation.

The police in questioning the driver are looking at two possible motives: personal and business conflicts, Adul said.

Ekkayuth's lawyer Suwat Apaipak said he doubted whether Ekkayuth's disappearance was related to the fact that he had recently fired three employees from his company even though one of them is understood to have a personal relationship with Santiparp. The driver was also unlikely to have been able to abduct Ekkayuth on his own. In addition, those behind any abduction must have knowledge of the legal and investigation process as they have cut links to the investigation.

Saying that police officers might have been involved, Suwat noted that Ekkayuth had conflicts with many police officers.

-- The Nation 2013-06-10

[drdoom6996]

Another one bites the dust.

Open criticism of anyone, especially the rich and powerful in Thailand is hazardous for your health.

Especially if your name is Shinawatra.

[Robby nz]

Where is the 5mill B?