Sabai Properties / Kitt & Murray

[Japhrodisiac]

Pol Col Pravuth Wongsinil, chief of the consumer and environment protection unit, said Lauren Daniel James Fray (Name Wrong), 32, is a British national and owner of Sabai Thani Property Co.

''Mr Fray entered Thailand as a tourist (When ?, and the assumption is that he always remained a tourist, despite that fact that in the previous sentence they refer to him as a business owner) and used loopholes in Thai laws (followed or broke the law?) to buy and sell public land and real estate with the assistance of Thai lawyers,'' (if true, are these people being arrested as well?) he said.

A source said Mr Fray held 49% of the company and used the names of employees to hold another 51% stake. He did not put his own money into the company. (Illegal?)

Mr Fray bought property in Laem Mai Kaen. The DSI found the property belonged (still belongs to, or did belong to before the sale?) to the Treasury Department.

Mr Fray divided the land into nine plots. Thais who conspired with him pretended to buy them. (huh?)

Mr Fray sold the sections for 22 million baht each to Sabai Thani in order to allow foreigners to occupy the land and houses as juristic persons.

''This caused the state to lose more than 70 million baht in taxes,'' (given the maximum level of corporate tax is 30%, how is this possible with development costs etc? a complete load of nonsense)DSI spokesman Pol Col Narat Sawettanant said. Mr Fray is charged with illegal buying and selling of land.

In July 2006, the DSI arrested Kim Lingegaard Neilsen, a member of the Bandidos, on Koh Samui. ]

Seems to me that they got the name wrong. Fact or not?

My point about the Bangkok Post in particular is that they will report anything without checking the facts and quite frequently get them wrong. Their standard of reporting is abismal. The Nation is far better but not always guilt free.

My point being that the Bangkok Post cannot be relied upon to give a factually correct report of what happened and that before we all condemn Lawrence - or anyone else for that matter - would it not be better to learn of the true facts? Certainly I was brought up in a society that believed in being innocent until proven guilty. Clearly there are people on this forum who are more than happy to condemn on rumour and suspicion alone.

I agree, there is no application of any critical thinking skills whatsoever. I have no involvement with these people, and will feel terrible for anyone who loses money and/or property because of this (as well as people thrown in jail based on grudges or speculation), but the reporting is just unbelievably bad. It seems that any western high school newspaper "reporter" would do a much better job than this.

[jocwaoh]

he has probably been arrested on a technicality of some sort

Actually, for 4 counts of violating the Foreign Business Act:

1) Avoiding / violating the law by being a non-Thai who has Thai nominees hold shares so that he can conduct business; (Violation of FBA Section 36)

2) Violating the law by being a non-Thai who trades prohibited land; (Violation of FBA Sections 8 and 37; also a violation of the Forest Act)

3) Trading land w/out permission; (Violation of FBA Sections 8 and 37)

4) Conducting land allocation w/out permission (Violation of FBA Sections 7 and 37; so also a violation of the Land Allocation Act)

All of which are criminal offenses...hardly "technicalities."

[Totster]

WE have been informed that this person has been released.

Topic closed until if and when any more information becomes available

Totster