B170mn in Phuket businesses seized in Chinese triad crackdown

More than 100 officers from multiple local and national law-enforcement agencies arrived on the island to enforce court search-and-seizure warrants at eight locations, Region 8 Police reported on Nov 30.

The businesses included a jewellery retail showroom, a real estate company, a bird’s nest products operation, a clothing outlet, retail rubber products venture, a herbal medicines operation and even an internet installation services company.

All eight businesses were connected to Bangkok-based businessman Chaiyanat ‘Tuhao’ Kornchayanant, who turned himself in last week after the Bangkok South Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest over his alleged involvement in the drug trade. Chainat denied the charges.

Details of the eight businesses raided yesterday (Nov 30) were given as:

1. Ever Union Company Limited, registered on May 9, 2013, capital B20m, real estate rental business, located at 88/9 Moo 4, Wichit. Chaiyanat had 80,000 shares, Mrs Nudiporn Petchpanomporn had 75,000 shares, Ms Suchada Massis 25,000 shares and Mrs Wattanaree Kornchayanan had 20,000 shares.
2. The City Center Company Limited, registered on May 16, 2019, capital B5mn, a real estate company, located at 88/8 Moo 4, Wichit. Chaiyanat had 30,000 shares, Mr Sitthiphaiboon Kamnil and Miss Suchada Masmis had 10,000 shares each.
3. King Birds Nest Phuket Co Ltd, registered on 19 September 2011, capital B10mn, sells bird’s nest and bird’s nest products, located at 70/90 Moo 4, Wichit. Chaiyanat had 60,000 shares, Mrs Watanaree Kornchayanan had 30,000 shares and Mr Sithiphaiboon Kamnil had 10,000 shares.
4. Queen Legend Company Limited, registered on 30 July 2014, latest capital B30mn, business selling souvenirs, retail clothing, costume and body jewellery and all kinds of leather goods, located at 88/9 Moo 4, Wichit. Chaiyanat had 15,400 shares, Mrs Watanaree Kornchayanan 8,500 shares and Mr Sithiphaiboon Kamnil 6,100 shares.
5. Modern Latex Company Limited, registered on March 1, 2012, capital B30mn, sells mattresses, pillows, bags made of rubber, located at 80/5 Moo 4, Wichit (1 person was found at the scene, Pathompong Kalara, Thai national, a resident of Moo 4, Wichit, only acting as manager/supervisor of the place, etc., and from the search did not find anything illegal). Chaiyanat had 180,000 shares, Mrs Wattanaree Kornchayanan 60,000 shares and Mr Sithiphaiboon Kamnil 60,000 shares.
6. Modern Gems Phuket Company Limited, registered on December 22, 2011, capital B50mn, a jewellery retail store, located at 88/8 Moo 4, Wichit. Chaiyanat had 300,000 shares, Mr Sitthiphaiboon Kamnil 150,000 shares and Mrs Watanaree Kornchayanan 50,000 shares.
7. Royal Park Phuket Co Ltd, registered on March 1, 2012, capital B20mn, operating as a business selling herbal medicines, located at 80/3 Moo 4, Wichit. Chaiyanat had 120,000 shares, Mrs Watanaree Kornchayanan 40,000 shares and Mr Sithiphaiboon Kamnil 40,000 shares.
8. Royal Internet Company Limited, registered on August 16, 2012, capital B2mn, wired and wireless internet service, located at 70/90 Moo 4, Wichit. Chaiyanat had 16,000 shares, Mr Zhao Zhe Zhao Zhe 3,900 shares and Mr Pisanu Pholcharoen 100 shares.

Region 8 Police declined to reveal any further details of the raids, saying that it was an ongoing investigation by national police divisions.

However, police did confirm that the raids were conducted with the intent of investigating breaches of Anti-Money Laundering Act B.E. 2542, among other related laws.

NATIONWIDE

The raids in Phuket came as police arrested another alleged triad boss during raids in Bangkok and seven other provinces yesterday (Nov 30), as the purge of Chinese gangs operating “grey businesses” in Thailand continued, reports the Bangkok Post.

Teams of police raided 34 locations in eight provinces – executing 12 search warrants in Bangkok, eight in Phuket, six in Samut Prakan, four in Chon Buri and one each in Prachuap Khiri Khan, Nakhon Sri Thammarat, Pathum Thani and Ayutthaya.

The raids came after deputy national police chief Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn said evidence showed Chinese triads were linked to criminal activities in Thailand. Major operations were in Samut Prakan, where a company was the registered owner of the private jet of Chinese businessman Chaiyanat, and tour companies with more than 80 buses and a hotel worth several hundred million baht were located.

Chaiyanat turned himself in last week after the Bangkok South Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest over his alleged involvement in the drug trade.

During Wednesday’s operation, police raided three companies in Huai Kwang district of Bangkok and detained a Chinese national Chen Zhaohui, or “Mr Tony’”, at Belle Condominium on Rama 9 Rd on charges of supporting or colluding in running a business operated by foreign nationals, when foreigners are not allowed to operate such business.

The arrest of Mr Tony followed a raid on a pub operated by Space Plus Club Management (Thailand) Co early this month. Natson Hutasewi, a Thai national and executive of the firm, was arrested and charged with being a nominee for Chinese investors running the business.  

Mr Tony was found to be a business partner who brought more than B100mn from Chinese investors to invest in the pub.

He is accused of heading one of five Chinese triad gangs under investigation for running grey businesses in Thailand, as earlier mentioned by Pol Gen Surachate.

Police had earlier arrested alleged bosses of three triad gangs ‒ Tuhao, Shui Tai Wei (a.k.a. David) and Yu Chang Fei.    

The fourth gang was led by Mr Tony and a “Mr Johnny”, who has reportedly fled. The other gang leader, Mr Ming, had reportedly also fled the country, said a police source.

Police were preparing applications for court warrants for the arrest of more people involved in criminal activities. 

Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol, deputy national police chief, said on Wednesday that police raided 11 locations in Bangkok and Samut Prakan on Tuesday. The places were found to belong to Chinese investors with suspected links to Chaiyanat (“Tuhao”).

Tuesday’s operation followed the seizure of luxury cars during a raid on Jinling pub in Yannawa on Oct 26. Many Chinese patrons there tested positive for drug use.

Police extended the investigation and found that one of the seized cars was frequently driven into a luxury housing project in the Lasalle area of Samut Prakan and parked there, said Pol Gen Torsak.

The officers then raided the housing estate and seized a number of assets for examination. The owners of those assets must present necessary documents showing how they were acquired to authorities, the deputy national police chief said. 

The investigation would be extended to pursue those who acted as nominees for foreign nationals, Pol Gen Torsak said.

Pol Gen Surachate and Pol Gen Torsak took officials to examine a private jet seized from Mr Chaiyanat “Tuhao” at Bo Fai airfield in Prachuap Khiri Khan.

Pol Gen Surchate said further investigation found that the jet was owned by Modern Latex Co with links to Mr Chaiyanat, who served as an executive and major shareholder of the firm.

The Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) earlier issued a letter to seize the private jet, said Pol Gen Surachate.

Police and officials from the ONCB and the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo) were inspecting the private jet, conducting DNA tests, using sniffer dogs to detect illicit drugs and determine those who had been on board.

Test results would be submitted as forensic evidence and included in the police investigation to ensure the accuracy and concision of the case, the deputy national police chief said.

“Today we have seized more than B4 billion of assets. Now, accumulated assets seized are worth more than B5bbn. We will report the assets to the ONCB and Amlo for further action,”’ said Pol Gen Surachate.

Pol Gen Torsak said he and Pol Gen Surachate would handle the case based on evidence, not on social media sentiments.  Those who were found involved in criminal activities would face legal action.

Calm down Kurt, no-one has been even charged yet. Dont be upsetting your nurse.

Question: Are the Phuket taxi/Van certels also in hands of powerful ( chinese?) Triads? And how about Bangla Rd area? Everything seems to be possible.

These 'Chinese' Triads only can excist/do business with help of Thai 'nominees, a by Thai Land & Transport Offices accepted construction, as seen by foreigners who buy a house and put land on name Thai nominee. (Two different Land Office procedures)

Further investigations should be conducted to find who in authority in Thailand 'allowed' these criminals to operate such large scale businesses for so long without any previous attempts to stop them. No way this could happen without influential partners.

Some of these illegal businesses since 2012 legally registered! More than 10 years! Only possible with help of corrupt Government Officials at high places. Things like 80 buses + a hotel + a plane, wow, big business. And it was never a Officialdom eye catcher during last decade?  hahaha.

Seems a lot of powerful people behind all these 'chinese' scenes are going to miss their brown Christmas month bonus envelope, or a free 'thank you' flight in that private plane. 

Nothing about Tuhao's wife, who is a serving police Colonel, being investigated though. Its not difficult to see how he was able to spread his tentacles. No one gets this powerful without greasing the right people.