Off blacklist, Bee eyes private-equity ventures

  The SEC has informed him that he is no longer on the blacklist, he told reporters yesterday.
The commission had accused him when he was director of International Engineering of a financial scam, and it took the case to the Department of Special Investigation.
However, the SEC dropped the legal case last September.
Bee said he was not interested in taking over Thoresen Thai Agencies as news reports had suggested.
The report damaged his reputation, he said.
“I have learned from the experience of being on the blacklist that I have to change the way I do business by consulting more with those who are keen on the issues, and I must know more about it.”
He said he had started to do business again after a seven-month absence.
He is looking for opportunities to invest in the financial sector, real estate and construction. Those firms must list on the stock market and have market capitalisation of Bt100 million to Bt30 billion, and he wants to join in management of such firms.
“I am negotiating three deals with investments worth Bt10 billion, of which Bt8 billion would be in the financial sector,” Bee said. He said he planned to conclude those deals this year. He hopes he can see a return on investment of up to 300 per cent.
Thawatchai Pittayasophon, a director of the SEC, said the commission was still considering whether Bee is qualified to be director of any company.
The procedure is expected to be concluded within a month.