Anti-narcotics officials in Samut Prakan seized about 3 billion baht in property today (Friday), allegedly belonging to Chinese businessman Chaiyanat Kornchayanant, aka “Tuhao”.
Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin said that the Office of the Narcotics Control Board exercised its authority under the narcotics law to seize the businessman’s property for examination, to determine whether it was acquired with money earned from illegal activities.
The property seized includes 5.75 hectares of land in Samut Prakan, the Divalux Resort and Spa hotel and five luxury cars. Earlier, property worth about 1 billion, also allegedly belonging to Chaiyanat, was seized by the ONCB.
Somsak said, however, that the hotel can still operate as usual,until there is an order from the court to impound or confiscate it, adding that Chaiyanat has the right to present evidence to prove that all the property was acquired by legitimate means.
He also said that there is other property, allegedly belonging to the businessman, which investigators are trying to locate and seize.
According to information obtained by the Justice Ministry, including information provided by Chuwit Kamolvisit, former MP and massage parlour tycoon, Chaiyanat founded a company in 2012 with 50 million baht registered capital. The company has three directors, who are himself, a Mrs.Patcharin and a Mrs. Rattana. Years after, the company built the hotel in Samut Prakan.
So far, Chaiyanat has been charged with conspiring to traffic in narcotics, which is directly related to money laundering.
Somsak said police in charge of the investigation are yet to charge Chaiyanat with money laundering.
Source: Thai PBS World
