Hunt for billion-baht Ufun scam suspects continues in Phuket

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Hunt for billion-baht Ufun scam suspects continues in Phuket
Tanyaluk Sakoot


Ufun suspects Damrongsak Pitisuk, 38, and his wife Pornthicha, 37, were pictured at an Ufun gala event. Photo: Darawan Naknakhon

PHUKET: -- Police are hunting at least four more suspects in Phuket for their parts in the Ufun investment scheme that has allegedly defrauded more than 120,000 Thais out of an estimated B38 billion.

“Only one of the remaining four suspects in Phuket is a Phuket native,” said an investigator from the Consumer Protection Board (CPB) Phuket office, who asked not to be named.

“But all four are fugitives wanted on warrants.”

Investigators managed to contact the Phuket native fugitive, who assured officers that he would surrender to police.

“But he has yet to present himself,” the CPB investigator told The Phuket News. “We are looking for him now. We still think he is hiding in Phuket.”

The investigator declined to name the four fugitives, or specify how much money they are suspected of funnelling through the Ufun scheme.

Ufun suspects Damrongsak Pitisuk, 38, and his wife Pornthicha, 37, both wanted on an arrest warrant issued on June 23 this year, surrendered at Chalong Police Station last Sunday (August 23), and were presented to the press the next day.

“Both suspects received Achievement Awards for being excellent employees of Ufun at the Black Night party by URICH in December 2014,” said Col Angkul Klaiklueng, Chief of the Royal Thai Police Consumer Protection Division, which operates out of Bangkok.

Police believe that Damrongsak and Pornthicha defrauded more than 100 people of their investments, and had nearly B40 million in investor funds funnelled through their bank accounts. (See story here.)

Damrongsak and Pornthicha have been charged with defrauding investors and working together as part of a transnational criminal organisation.

An investigator with the Consumer Protection Board, who asked not to be named said, “The investigation into others is still ongoing. Both Damrongsak and Pornthicha will be sent to the Consumer Protection Board head office in Bangkok for further questioning.”

“We are still investigating 100 more cases of people being defrauded through Ufun,” he said.

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is currently tracing 35 financial transactions from Ufun networks to 10 countries between January 2014 and April 28, 2015, said Pol Lt Col Pakorn Sucheevakun, director of the DSI’s Technology and Information Inspection Centre.

Assistant police chief Suwira Songmetta in June said that the Ufun scam had been plotted in Malaysia and spread to Australia, Britain, China, France, Germany, Guinea, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/hunt-for-billion-baht-ufun-scam-suspects-continues-in-phuket-53832.php


-- Phuket News 2015-08-27

[clockman]

Strange law Thailand has. Suspects if they feel like it will present themselves. Or not! The police seem powerless?

[stevenl]

Strange law Thailand has. Suspects if they feel like it will present themselves. Or not! The police seem powerless?

Strange conclusion.

[sexybabe]

Strange law Thailand has. Suspects if they feel like it will present themselves. Or not! The police seem powerless?

Huh???????

[catinthehat]

Strange law Thailand has. Suspects if they feel like it will present themselves. Or not! The police seem powerless?

Huh???????

Not so sure that it is a written law...........................although it is the norm here and perfvectly acceptable to the RTP. Allows the ones with societal standing, wealth and clout to plan their future and where and how they will live and spend their ill-gotten gains.

The

Imagine in a civilized country how this would play out:

And bear in mind that we are talking about those who have already had arrest warrents sworn out for them.

Find them, cuff them, read them their rights, book them (prints and mug shots), goes before the judge next day to hear charges, possibility of bail. And possibly plead. And FYI disguises/masks large sunglasses are not allowed while following these processes.

Disclaimer: Before I am drawn and quartered and my remains sent to the far corners of the UK by the TV experts I will state that I am not a legal expert and am only expressing what I understand as to how the western legal system works from the eyes of a layman in my own humble opinion.