Push for DSI chief to probe land deals

[Lite Beer]

Push for DSI chief to probe land deals
PIYANUT TAMNUKASETCHAI
THE SUNDAY NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE DEPARTMENT of Special Investigation (DSI)'s Bureau of Special Crime 3 will on Tuesday ask DSI chief Suwana Suwannajutha to consider taking up alleged money-laundering through property transactions by Supachai Srisupa-aksorn, the embattled former chairman of the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative, a senior official said yesterday.

Citing a report by DSI bureau chief Pol Lt-Colonel Somboon Sarasit, Justice Ministry permanent secretary Pol Col Dusadee Arawuit also said that after getting Suwana's nod, the case would be passed on to the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO).

Earlier, a source at the DSI said that DSI investigators would probe members of five families who allegedly made transactions and property trade with Supachai.

The investigators were checking land title deeds allegedly bought with embezzled money by Supachai before selling and transferring them to other persons. The DSI move is a bid to seize ill-gotten assets for remedial measures to benefit the affected cooperative members, the source said.

The agency found that Supachai sold and transferred eight plots totalling 41 rai (seven hectares) in Pathum Thani's Klong Luang district to Alisa Asavabhokhin, the daughter of billionaire land developer Anant Asavabhokhin.

At the same time, the investigators also found another 10 plots were sold, with Supachai listed as the co-owner, the source said.

As a result, the investigators looking into money-laundering cases will check the evidence and probe further into suspicious transactions between Supachai and members of the five families, focusing on how and when the plots were acquired, the source added.

The investigators suspect that Supachai sold and transferred a large number of plots to other persons in a bid to avoid having them seized.

On Friday, the DSI and related agencies froze assets belonging to two women, Pathumphorn Butsri and Phakamas Amornwong, who were reportedly close to Supachai, after searching their homes in Chiang Mai's Mae Rim district.

The source said the walls of the homes would be checked for hidden money after a tip-off claimed Supachai had stored assets in the two houses.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Push-for-DSI-chief-to-probe-land-deals-30256971.html

-- The Nation 2015-03-29

[Strangebrew]

Pretty soon if this keeps up Thailand might need more prison's for the crooks but the up side with all the crooks in jail it will be less crowded on the roads.

[fosseway]

"The walls of the homes will be searched" it's good that they give them a warning !!

[SOTIRIOS]

...let's get the list going.....

[Robby nz]

Reported elsewhere that the land plots in question are all close to or associated with a certain temple.

[JOC]

>>The agency found that Supachai sold and transferred eight plots totalling 41 rai (seven hectares) in Pathum Thani's Klong Luang district to Alisa Asavabhokhin, the daughter of billionaire land developer Anant Asavabhokhin.<< Quote

Anyone with a little knowledge of Thailand will understand, that the investigation stops there.

Getting too close to the untouchables................

BTW. Mr. Anant is the majority owner of the listed company: Land and Houses

[Srikcir]

At the rate that land deals are found to be corrupt, I wonder if there are any legitimate land deals left that weren't products of corruption. For any foreign investor thinking of investing billions of baht in Thai real estate, due diligence to ascertain legitimate title may be almost impossible to guarantee with the depth of corruption in the whole government process.

This situation of dubious land ownership may forestall near-future foreign investment needed for industrial and commerial development of Thailand. It won't, unfortunately, forestall foreign investment into neighboring countries should they take the initiative to strengthen land title laws. Thailand will become the Hub of Too Little Too Late.

[rubl]

The Bangkok Post has an article today on land ownership. It would seem 530 ex-MPs of any colour or party own about 70 thousand rai worth a bit more than 18 billion Baht. They also own more that 1800 buildings worth more than six billion Baht.

Not sure a push for investigation will be really successful, but a nice "land and house tax" might give the Minister of Finance the means to keep the deficit under control.

[geriatrickid]

Waste of time. DSI accomplished nothing in Phuket when it was asked to investigate encroachments. The land titles office simply refused to cooperate.

[halloween]

Waste of time. DSI accomplished nothing in Phuket when it was asked to investigate encroachments. The land titles office simply refused to cooperate.

The DSI accomplishing nothing is not at all unusual - MIB, photo'd grenade chucker, etc. Why do you repeat their BS excuse as fact?