Firm wants DSI to clear its name

Ongoing investigation suggests that somebody else might have used the company’s name to make the questionable purchases. Pseudoephedrine is commonly used in cold medication, but can also be used as a precursor chemical for the production of methamphetamine. Relevant authorities in Thailand have been strictly controlling the use of pseudoephedrine-based medicines in recent years, and might ban the medication soon.
According to South Korean authorities, a Thai firm called UTAC Thai had imported nine batches of pseudoephedrine-based medicines from Seoul.
“The address, telephone numbers, logos, e-mail addresses and names of the authorised directors of that firm are totally different from those of my company,” UTAC Thai’s acting CEO and vice president Thanakom Chavasiri said yesterday.
Thanakom was at the DSI headquarters yesterday to submit a petition with DSI chief Tarit Pengdith. In the petition he called for justice, saying that since his firm’s name got linked to the smuggling of the banned medicines, customs officials had been conducting thorough examinations of UTAC Thai products, which is causing delays in the work process.
“There is also a risk that our products will be damaged from heat,” Thanakom said.
Meanwhile, Tarit confirmed that UTAC Thai had firmly denied any links to the smuggling of pseudoephedrine-based medicines from South Korea.
“No illegal items have been found after searches at the company, so it is possible that its name has been used by someone else,” Tarit said.
He added that two other Thai firms were suspected of having smuggled pseudoephedrine-based medication from South Korea, but they had yet to provide any statements.
The DSI is currently looking into the smuggling of pseudoephedrine-based medicines. Next week, a senior official from Taiwan’s Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau will visit Thailand to help with the probe.