Santika executive gets jail for failure to pay tax
Kesinee Taengkhiao
The Nation April 26, 2014 1:00 am

Visuk: Avoided Bt85m in taxes

BANGKOK: -- The Criminal Court yesterday sentenced a key executive of the Santika Night Club - which was engulfed in a deadly inferno during a countdown party in the early hours of 2009 - to one year in jail for excise-tax evasion.

Visuk Setsawat, the managing director of White and Brothers (2003) Co Ltd, was found guilty of not filing excise-tax forms while running the upscale nightclub in Bangkok between 2003 and 2008 to avoid paying Bt85.38 million in excise tax. And that had caused damage to the Excise Department.

Due to the huge amount of evaded tax, the Criminal Court decided not to suspend Visuk's jail term.

The defendant yesterday presented a land-title deed, worth more than Bt3 million, to secure his temporary release on bail.

His lawyer also vowed to appeal against the verdict.

Previously, Visuk successfully fought against a verdict in another case after the Court of Appeals overturned a lower court's ruling against him in relation to the fire.

On October 22 last year, the Court of Appeals acquitted Visuk even though the lower court sentenced him to three years in jail for recklessness leading to the death and injuries of others, as well as several other charges related to the blaze.

The entertainment venue apparently had too few fire exits, making it impossible for many patrons to escape the fire.

The fire started during a special-effects show and killed 59 people on site. More than 200 others were injured, eight of whom later died.

-- The Nation 2014-04-26

Another winner in the Thai justice system.....

He should have been in jail now and for the next 20 years....the system wouldn't have had to worry about a tax issue!

Truly a crazy place.....

Another bitch for Bang Kwang..........appeal pending.

Yes, a year in jail. This pathetic creature's own trial by fire.

Hopefully he will have to use the communal showers.

He's out on bail. Let's wait for Act 2.

another Thai soon to be living abroad?

'Due to the huge amount of evaded tax, the Criminal Court decided not to suspend Visuk's jail term'

It seems like judges here work very hard on 'suspending' jail terms for the rich.

He evaded paying over 80 million Baht in taxes. How could anyone even for a second consider suspending his jail term? And now he's out on bail. I guess he has important stuff to before he definitely goes to prison for a full year.

That reminds me of that case more than a decade ago when an expressway employee collecting fees in one of the booths was found to have embezzled some 80,000 Baht over the course of several years. He was sentenced to 50 years imprisonment.

And this punk gets ONE measly year for cheating the state out of 85 MILLION???

Please excuse my cynical smirk. I just can't help it.

He will never go to jail. he will go on the run until the sentence is no longer valid, or witnesses disappear, or judges are bribed.

I've read several different sources of this story and, nowhere do I see a financial penalty imposed; not even the original 85.36 million Baht owed to the taxpayers. I would gladly spend one year in prison to keep that amount in taxes for myself. Not bad pay for the one year in prison where I can buy the luxuries available to those who afford them. That said, I wouldn't bet that he will ever go to prison. He's got too many ranking police friends/partners to actually have to pay back to society what he stole. Certainly he stole lives unnecessarily. I do hope Karma is a real thing. This guy has a lot to answer for.

Cheeky bugga has a title deed for 3 million and its accepted, should have been 300 million.

In the UK, a mine owner is up for 14 years for deaths by drowning after his mine flooded.

Says a lot

This bloke should be in jail for the Santika fire, but in a country with a convicted fugitive running the government what is to be expected

My neighbour in Lamphun lost her Granddaughter in this Tragedy, They have not had any contact or received any money or advice on gaining some compensation. Terrible at the Funeral with the Old Gran showing all, the after Fire Photos, of the Deceased. Morbid for me ,no problems for others. The Mother of the Victim, was a mess for a few years and is now starting to come good again. Not Fair.

A year for tax evasion

and zip for 67 lives

One day there will be a reckoning

Cheeky bugga has a title deed for 3 million and its accepted, should have been 300 million.

The real irony is the land perhaps was bought with part of the tax money he owes.

it is all bullshit! You have moneeeeey? then you come with me this way I will relieve you. Something new???

Out on bail now.

Last we'll ever hear about it.

'Due to the huge amount of evaded tax, the Criminal Court decided not to suspend Visuk's jail term'

It seems like judges here work very hard on 'suspending' jail terms for the rich.

He evaded paying over 80 million Baht in taxes. How could anyone even for a second consider suspending his jail term? And now he's out on bail. I guess he has important stuff to before he definitely goes to prison for a full year.

No it appears that this is the second time that this prick has passed the exact size of brown envelope to the Criminal court. Everyone can be bought here. And the "haves" know this.