Banyin tells of land deals with Chuwong and the fatal crash

In an interview with Nation TV, Banyin said he met Chuwong two years ago while they were doing a special course at the Thailand National Defence College (TNDC). He said he persuaded Chuwong to buy a plot of land on the riverbank opposite the Nakhon Sawan provincial hall, under a deal that 60 per cent of it would be owned by the late businessman and the remainder by him. 

They also bought another plot together in Phitsanulok province and had planned to launch a Bt2-billion project on it. 

“I stood to gain more than Bt300 million from these two investments. But now that Chuwong has died, I stand to gain nothing,” he said.

Banyin said he also asked Chuwong to help set up a political party, called “Choo Chart Thai”, with the late tycoon as party leader and himself as secretary-general. They were planning to raise Bt5 billion to fund political activities. 

The former minister said Chuwong had entrusted him with the management of three stock portfolios, one worth Bt50 million co-owned by the late tycoon and their TNDC colleagues, a second worth Bt50 million wholly owned by Chuwong, and a third worth Bt400 million. 

He said Chuwong had signed transfer documents giving Bt300 million worth of shares to two women – a caddy and a broker. He also insisted that the late tycoon had checked the documents and written e-mails to the two women telling them about the transfer – adding that if there had been anything fraudulent about the documents, Chuwong would have been the first to notice. 

The ex-minister recounted that he, Chuwong and their friends had planned to hold a golfing party on June 26 to celebrate their graduation from the Capital Market Academy. On that day, he said, he was heading to Chuwong’s office to consult him about the construction of a house, when he met the late tycoon’s driver and asked him if he had brought Chuwong’s golf clubs. The driver said no, because his boss had thought the appointment was on June 27. So Chuwong instructed the driver to go home to pick up his clubs, Banyin said. 

After golfing, he said, Chuwong drank two glasses of wine, but he had stayed off alcoholic beverages. Banyin offered to drive the late businessman home, but did not check to see if he was wearing a seatbelt. He said he suspected Chuwong had fallen asleep at the time when he had to swerve sharply to avoid another car cutting in before him and ended up hitting a tree. 

He said he lost consciousness and only woke when someone knocked on the window. He then noticed that Chuwong’s head was between the console and the gearshift. He had tried to move his friend’s body, but could not because he too was injured. So he called a rescue centre and told his wife to let Chuwong’s wife know about the crash.

Banyin said rescue workers tried to resuscitate Chuwong – and even heard one of them saying that he was alive. 

He apologised to the late tycoon’s family for not revealing that Chuwong had an intimate relationship with the two share recipients. He said Chuwong wanted him to keep that secret because he didn’t want his wife to find out, and he did what he was told because he owed his friend a debt of gratitude. 

Banyin also said the late businessman often used his phone to call the two women, which is why his telephone records show he called them often.