Panthongtae to be questioned on alleged money-laundering

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his son

Panthongtae arrive at Suvarnabhumi airport in 2008.

 Mr Panthongtae may be questioned over allegations of

 money-laundering in the 9.9-billion-baht Krungthai Bank

 loan scandal. (Photo by Apichit Jinakul)


The Department of Special Investigation has called

Thaksin Shinawatra's son Panthongtae for questioning over

 alleged money-laundering in a 9.9-billion-baht Krungthai

Bank loan scandal.

DSI deputy director-general Somboon Sarasit said on

 Thursday that DSI interrogators have called in

 Mr Panthongthae, Kanchanapha Honghern and Manop Divari

 for questioning on Friday.

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 However, the three requested more time to prepare documents,

 and the DSI put off the questioning. It will issue a new

summons "later". No date was set for the interviews.

Mrs Kanchanapha is secretary to Thaksin's ex-wife Khunying

Potjaman na Pombejra and Mr Manop is the father of former

 Pheu Thai MP Sita Divari who is also a former chairman of

Airports of Thailand (AoT).

 They were identified as recipients of cheques for money that

 Krungthai Bank lent to real estate developer

 Krisda Mahanakorn.

 They would be asked about the debts for which the cheques

 had been issued, Pol Lt Col Somboon said.

None of the three had contacted the DSI to say if they would

show up for the questioning, he said.

 Last August the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for

Persons Holding Political Positions found 24 people guilty

 of wrongfully approving more than 9.9 billion baht in loans

 to affiliates of Krisda Mahanakorn between 2003 and 2004,

even though the firm was listed with the state-run bank

 as a non-performing debtor. The lending happened under

the Thaksin government.

Two former bank executives, bank president Viroj Nualkhair

 and board chairman Suchai Jaovisidha, were found guilty

 of granting the illegal loans. They were sentenced to

18 years in jail.

The money trail allegedly indicates that the Krisda Mahanakorn

 owner signed a cashier's cheque worth 26 million to go to

Mr Panthongtae, but it was cancelled immediately afterwards.

The money trail also suggests that part of the loan was used

 to buy shares in AoT.

 DSI investigators are suspicious about the cancelled cheque,

 suspecting money-laundering was involved.

 

News,Political,Bangkok Post ,21 January 2016.

 

In my viewpoint,this case involve the illegal loan that

was found already so who involved with the money used

must be investigated.

 As the three suspected did not contracted the DSI to show up

for the questioning,it was the duty of DSI to call them more

and use legal action with the case.

 

Sincerely Yours.