Land, assets seized from two women

JUSTICE MINISTRY agents raided four locations in Chiang Mai province yesterday to search homes of two women said to be close to the embattled former chairman of Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative.

Assets worth millions of baht listed as belonging to the women have been frozen. 

A senior ministry official also examined the title deeds of land plots located in Pathum Thani province that were sold by the ex-chairman, Supachai Srisupa-akrosn, to Alisa Asavabhokhin, a daughter of billionaire land developer Anant Asavabhokhin.

Dussadee Arayawuth, a deputy permanent secretary, said that there was no evidence Supachai returned Bt298 million he paid for the eight plots to the cooperative. 

Dussadee said he had assigned the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) to probe all purchases of land or transfers of land made by Supachai during his time as cooperative chairman from 2009 to 2013. All owners of land plots involving purchases, sales or transfers relating to Supachai will later be questioned by the DSI including Alisa, he added.

So far it has been discovered that a number of land plots are owned by Sathaphorn Watthanasirinukool, a former Wat Dhammakaya monk, as the nominee, he added.

In Chiang Mai, a team of ministry officials and DSI and AMLO agents froze assets belonging to Pathumphorn Butsri and Phakamas Amornwong after searching their homes in Mae Rim district. 

The agents were acting on tip-offs that Supachai gave a large number of valuables to both women.

The search at Pathumphorn’s home turned up 40 brand-name handbags, 12 luxury cars, gold ornaments and gold bars. 

The agents said that Supachai allegedly bought land plots covering 45 rai (7.2 hectares) in total using Pathumphorn’s name. 

 

Supachai a follower 

Pathumphorn, who runs a spirits incarceration charity, said Supachai was a follower and the belongings were given to her by followers.

Justice Ministry agents raided a nearby home belonging to Phakamas and found a car, Bt200,000 and gold bars and ornaments weighing five kilograms in total. 

AMLO secretary-general Seehanart Prayoonrat said both women had 90 days to declare the sources of money they used to buy the valuables, to free them from the AMLO’s seizure. A source estimated that both women’s assets subject to seizure were worth around Bt10 million. A senior DSI official, Pakorn Sucheewakul, said abbot Phra Dhammachayo would need to meet with DSI agents for questioning, after he postponed an earlier appointment citing an illness. 

The monk called of yesterday’s appointment, for a second time, and the DSI said the next appointment had not yet been scheduled.