Leicester’s owner, King Power, accused of £327m corruption in Thailand

[onthesoi]

11 minutes ago, Jonmarleesco said:

The link with Leicester is supposed to imply what? 

 

You're confused as to why an English language newspaper based in the UK would mention( in an article about KP & corruption ) that KP happen to own a UK premiership football team?

 

Why wouldn't they mention it?

Edited July 13, 2017 by onthesoi

[robblok]

7 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

I do not discount a falling out of political favour as the reason for this probe. He has been protected for last 10 years and only now has been investigated. Prayut is a witness and has implication. 

Yes a friend of the Shins with the same ethics.. skimming of the government.. that money could have gone into the health budget. I guess this is political Eric ? No wonder he was a friend of the Shins.. and now the Shins want someone convicted of insider trading to be PM.. what high standards. 

 

This is just one of the reason why it was good the PTP was dislodged.. otherwise this guy could have gone on skimming and stealing. 

[bangrak]

10 hours ago, smedly said:

perhaps they are missing the point and should be looking at how King Power got exclusive rights to the airport and who allowed that to happen and why, what followed is mute, the whole thing should be investigated from start to finish - what a bucket of worms that would open up lol

You don't mean the former owner of Manchester City, do you? 'Him', again...? 

[Prbkk]

9 minutes ago, robblok said:

Yes a friend of the Shins with the same ethics.. skimming of the government.. that money could have gone into the health budget. I guess this is political Eric ? No wonder he was a friend of the Shins.. and now the Shins want someone convicted of insider trading to be PM.. what high standards. 

 

This is just one of the reason why it was good the PTP was dislodged.. otherwise this guy could have gone on skimming and stealing. 

I think you might be overstating the strength of that relationship while ignoring others.

[robblok]

6 minutes ago, Prbkk said:

I think you might be overstating the strength of that relationship while ignoring others.

Maybe I am.. but it is striking how someone who probably got his concessions from Thaksin (I can be wrong here) does not get investigated during the reign of the PTP and now gets investigated and caught. But I am not surprised actually, we all know the Shins have questionable morals.. I mean come one someone with insider trading conviction as a PM just because she is a Shin.. so much for democracy. 

 

If you know better do tell me more I am open here.. but its a bit much of a coincidence. 

[Prbkk]

3 minutes ago, robblok said:

Maybe I am.. but it is striking how someone who probably got his concessions from Thaksin (I can be wrong here) does not get investigated during the reign of the PTP and now gets investigated and caught. But I am not surprised actually, we all know the Shins have questionable morals.. I mean come one someone with insider trading conviction as a PM just because she is a Shin.. so much for democracy. 

 

If you know better do tell me more I am open here.. but its a bit much of a coincidence. 

I know nothing more than what's being reported in the press: those reports suggest that the individual has well and truly moved on from the Thaksin connection and has been forging all manner of relationships. 

Patronage, cronyism, corruption....should be condemned regardless of the origin.

[robblok]

1 minute ago, Prbkk said:

I know nothing more than what's being reported in the press: those reports suggest that the individual has well and truly moved on from the Thaksin connection and has been forging all manner of relationships. 

Patronage, cronyism, corruption....should be condemned regardless of the origin.

 

100% in agreement.. but you forget nepotism.. or is that too close to home ? (not your home but PTP leadership)

[Pridilives]

21 minutes ago, robblok said:

Yes a friend of the Shins with the same ethics.. skimming of the government.. that money could have gone into the health budget. I guess this is political Eric ? No wonder he was a friend of the Shins.. and now the Shins want someone convicted of insider trading to be PM.. what high standards. 

 

This is just one of the reason why it was good the PTP was dislodged.. otherwise this guy could have gone on skimming and stealing. 

Every Thai know that Vichai from King Power be connect to Newin Chidchob who help him make billions from monopoly. How come nobody here talk corruption about Newin join Democrat party and make Vichai billionaire just talk Thaksin. 55555, not about Thaksin just show you no nothing just bla bla bla about wrong thing

[Eric Loh]

4 minutes ago, robblok said:

Maybe I am.. but it is striking how someone who probably got his concessions from Thaksin (I can be wrong here) does not get investigated during the reign of the PTP and now gets investigated and caught. But I am not surprised actually, we all know the Shins have questionable morals.. I mean come one someone with insider trading conviction as a PM just because she is a Shin.. so much for democracy. 

 

If you know better do tell me more I am open here.. but its a bit much of a coincidence. 

Sometimes you talk too much. You don't have the privilege to use the company name and the Garuda statue in front of their HQ  without accorded with special endorsement. 

[robblok]

3 minutes ago, Pridilives said:

Every Thai know that Vichai from King Power be connect to Newin Chidchob who help him make billions from monopoly. How come nobody here talk corruption about Newin join Democrat party and make Vichai billionaire just talk Thaksin. 55555, not about Thaksin just show you no nothing just bla bla bla about wrong thing

Sorry I am not a Thai.. but before Newin was connected to Thaksin.. and that was around the time concessions for the Airport were given.. right or not ?

[MyFriend You]

I bought a watch for my wife from King Power in the Airport, (Okay, she liked it, I knew it was too expensive but what the hell)and was given a TVA paperwork to turn into the TVA Refund window - went there and as told I had to go to customs and show them the watch, well, my wife had boarded a plane, so I threw the envelope into my backpack and forgot about it, next time she came in, I decided to give the TVA Refund another shot, we went to the Customs office and he checked the paperwork, looked at the watch on her wrist and Stamped my paperwork, back to TVA Refunsd window, they came back with a stack of 1000 baht bills, about  23,000 baht, appears they charged me about $700 TVA - 35% - wonder how many tourists never went there to get their money back??  ...........and I thought King Power was TVA exempt?? But not at the Omega Shop.

Edited July 13, 2017 by TunnelRat69

[MyFriend You]

Close King Power at the Airport!!!!!     did I just see a pig fly??

[CHRISTIANa9]

Its just a misunderstanding. Gov was referring to top line which Mr Leicester was referring to bottom line. Im sure t paper work will clear it up. In whose favour?

[Artisi]

11 hours ago, smedly said:

perhaps they are missing the point and should be looking at how King Power got exclusive rights to the airport and who allowed that to happen and why, what followed is mute, the whole thing should be investigated from start to finish - what a bucket of worms that would open up lol

Your not trying to say there might be something amiss with awarding the rights to swampy,  are you? 

[trainman34014]

10 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

I doubt much will happen to Kings here in Thailand.....a few more lame mentions from the insipid media here....maybe a fine, but this issue will soon to be quietened......

The elite all drink at the same pub!

Correction....All eat from the same corrupt Trough !

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The Bangkok Post filed a Reuters report on this case on its website today at 5:46 pm. Very curious that the reporting on this apparently originated with the Guardian prior to the Thai media -- even though the moving partyhere is a Thai government official.

 

Meanwhile, recall that this isn't the first go-round for King Power. They had a pretty involved case of alleged wrongdoing at Swampy previously where it was alleged that they had taken over much greater areas of the airport than they were allowed under their operating agreement, and of course weren't paying for the extra space they were using.

 

The Reuters report is kind of odd: Even though the plaintiff here is part of one of the current government's anti-graft agencies, it sounds like he's filing the lawsuits as a private party. The Reuters report says he's already filed one lawsuit, is planning a second one in a few days, and has two others planned.  The Reuters report also says the AOT is named as a co-defendant in the suit/suits. The Reuters report was filed online at 4:34 pm today.

 

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-thailand-king-power-idUSKBN19Y0Y7

 

Edited July 13, 2017 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[maxcorrigan]

4 hours ago, Jonmarleesco said:

The company owns Leicester - owning British (or English) football clubs seems to be a foreign pastime - and its business is duty-free sales. Now it stands accused of corruption, in a land where corruption has an ISO rating.

 

The link with Leicester is supposed to imply what? 

Foreign pastime i think it is probably an outlet for a type of money laundering, certainly in some cases!

[Stargeezr]

I have boycotted this company  ever since I heard of it. I was always suspicious of it getting the whole

airport at Swampy. Way too much corruption in Thailand..

Geezer

[webfact]

King Power accused of failing to pay airport duty-free revenue fees

By The Nation

 

File photo

 

BANGKOK: -- King Power International, the country’s largest duty-free retailer, is facing legal action by a Democrat Party politician who accused the company of failing to pay the government Bt14 billion in operating a lucrative duty-free franchise at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport.

 

Charnchai Issarasenarak, a former MP of the previous opposition party, said he would file his lawsuit today against King Power for alleged abuse of power without considering damages to the public and shareholders. He claimed this resulted in Bt17 billion in damages.

 

The politician is now deputy chairman of the National Reform Steering Assembly’s anti-corruption subcommittee.

 

Charnchai has been known for exposing irregularities involving state agencies and government projects. His past targets included the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) during the tenure of the previous governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra, who was his colleague in the Democrat Party.

 

King Power also owns England’s Premier League football club Leicester City. The company is owned and run by the Leicester chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who is one of Thailand’s wealthiest people, and his son Aiyawatt.

 

The original duty-free franchise contract granted in 2006 required 15 per cent of the income to be paid to the government. Charnchai alleged that King Power colluded with Airports of Thailand employees to pay the government only 3 per cent of the duty free revenue.

 

Earlier, Airports of Thailand’s president Nitinai Sirisamatthakarn denied the allegation, saying that King Power had adhered to its contract and paid the correct government fees.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30320692

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-07-14

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and and replies have been removed. 

[Prbkk]

Someone needs to ask: ( in addition to the well-known rip-off prices in duty free) why are the charges and taxes on tickets through BKK about 30% higher than other airports in the region? Is the BKK experience so great that the premium is justified? Where does the money go? Largely rhetorical questions.

[clockman]

Every sector of Thai society is corrupt. Its in there genes from birth.!

[Ulic]

Just so I can understand better, is the 15% fee to the Thai government on the gross revenue

of the King Power shops or is it 15% of the profit the shops generate ?

[Prbkk]

14 minutes ago, Ulic said:

Just so I can understand better, is the 15% fee to the Thai government on the gross revenue

of the King Power shops or is it 15% of the profit the shops generate ?

Gross sales

[Rimmer]

A flame has been removed:, please see the following forum rule that you agreed to when you signed up:

 

7) You will respect fellow members and post in a civil manner. No personal attacks, hateful or insulting towards other members, (flaming) Stalking of members on either the forum or via PM will not be allowed.

[Ace of Pop]

Never liked Duty Free..Get on the Jet,sit down and along comes Nob Head searching the overhead lockers to stow his stach that's cheaper on the streets anyway.Never finds anything empty because Mr Backpacks has filled the lot with his Bloody Tent n Drugs.Oh for the Old Days when peasants stayed in the Fields.[emoji67]?‍[emoji574]️


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[PremiumLane]

Hey, the owner needs a new diamond encrusted gold back scratcher, give them a break :)

[Jonnapat]

This is rich considering how they've got away with fleecing customers for years 

[halloween]

On 13/07/2017 at 5:21 PM, Prbkk said:

I think you might be overstating the strength of that relationship while ignoring others.

55555. You think? It was granted its airport monopoly under the government of then Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a man who knows what a monopoly is worth, and IMHO got his cut from it.

Behind every great fortune lies a great crime, and here's two examples in one post.

[Prbkk]

23 minutes ago, halloween said:

55555. You think? It was granted its airport monopoly under the government of then Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a man who knows what a monopoly is worth, and IMHO got his cut from it.

Behind every great fortune lies a great crime, and here's two examples in one post.

 

Have look at this thread from 2007. It's FAR more complicated than Thaksin...Thaksin....Thaksin ( but I know how much you like to bleat about him, even when he's irrelevant to the main story)