7 celebrities face questions over ‘beauty products’ ads
Police will on Wednesday issue summonses to the first batch of seven Thai celebrities for questioning over their alleged involvement with a well-known food-supplement brand at the centre of allegations that its products were sold without proper licences, national police deputy chief Pol General Weerachai Songmetta said on Tuesday.
More celebrities – reportedly totalling 56 – would be summoned gradually later, he added.
Weerachai said the celebrities’ claims about the products’ beautifying effects made in their “product review” advertisements might fall into the category of conspiracy to a crime.
He urged celebrities, as public figures, to check any goods in detail – especially their legal status – before agreeing to endorsing them.
Weerachai said that, on Tuesday afternoon, police would search a factory in Samut Sakhon that reportedly manufactured products for Magic Skin Co Ltd.
Weerachai said that an initial police investigation found that the firm’s products had allegedly illegally used Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hallmarks; that the company allegedly produced substandard products that didn’t really contain sheep placenta as claimed; and that its advertisements were allegedly exaggerated. He cited an initial police probe that found the products were of low cost and the company made more than 100 per cent in profit when sold.
Last week, police searched several factories linked to the firm and brought six suspects, including the company owner Wannapa Poungson and her husband/accountant Korn Poungson, into custody, following several consumers’ complaint about the products. The couple’s lawyer insisted that they were victims of bullying over a business conflict.