DSI deputy director-general Somboon Sarasit said today (Feb 25) that Panthongtae Shinawatra and Kanchanapha Honghern, secretary to Khunying Potjaman na Pombejra, would be questioned.
They were identified as recipients of cheques for money that Krungthai Bank lent to real estate developer Krisda Mahanakorn.
Last August the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions found 24 people guilty of wrongfully approving B9.9 billion in loans to affiliates of Krisda Mahanakorn in 2003 and 2004, even though the firm was listed with the state-run bank as a non-performing debtor.
The lending occurred during the government of Thaksin, who fled the country just before the Supreme Court’s criminal division sentenced him to two years in jail in 2008 for helping his ex-wife buy state land in inner Bangkok at a discounted value.
There was evidence that Mr Panthongtae had received a B10-million cheque, Pol Lt Col Somboon said. A cashier's cheque for B26 million was issued to Kesinee Jipiphop, Mrs Kanchanapha's mother. The money was spent buying shares in Airports of Thailand Plc (AOT) for employees of Mr Panthongtae’s two companies – How Come Entertainment, and Master Phone.
The DSI questioned Mrs Kesinee and Wanchai Honghern, Mrs Kanchanapha’s husband, for about an hour on Thursday. Mrs Kesinee admitted to receiving money from Wichai Krisdathanon, former executive of Krisda Mahanakorn, and also showed documents relating to some share acquisitions, Pol Lt Col Somboon said.
Interrogators at the DSI had already questioned about 200 witnesses, or about 70 per cent of all witnesses in the case, and most of them were company staff on record as recipients of cheques from Mr Wichai and his son Ratchada, he said. He expected the investigation would be concluded in April. Wacharin Phanurat, a prosecutor from the Office of the Attorney-General, said that the people were questioned as witnesses, but if they were later found to be involved with wrongdoing they would be charged.
Investigators and interrogators were focusing on alleged money-laundering by the management of Krungthai Bank and Krisda Mahanakorn, he said.
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