Chinese tycoon busted in drug party donated 3 million baht to govt

Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin admitted that the Chinese businessman busted in the illegal drug party in Bangkok this week donated three million baht to Palang Pracharath Party last year, but added that the donation was rendered legally.

The police raided a Chinese karaoke venue named Jin Long which was secretly operating outside legal hours in the Sathorn area of Bangkok in the early hours of Wednesday morning. More than 200 Chinese citizens were arrested and more than 100 people in the group tested positive for drugs.

Thai PBS reported that a Chinese businessman, Haozhe Du, or Chaiyanat Kornchayanan, was allegedly behind the karaoke venue and several other illegal entertainment venues in Bangkok, Phuket, and Pattaya.

Information that Chaiyanat donated money to the Parang Pracharath Party was revealed on Thai social media and news media. It is alleged he donated the money to the government, and started a business soon after the donation before gaining Thai citizenship.

Somsak acknowledged that Chaiyanat donated three million baht to the Palang Pracharath Party in 2021.

Somsak said that the party does not do background checks on individual donors but he investigated the donation process with the Office of the Election Commission of Thailand and found that everything was legal and above board.

Somsak revealed that Parang Pracharath Party members do not know Chaiyanat personally and many donations are given anonymously.

Somsak confirmed that the party received the donation legally according to the political process, so Chaiyanat’s businesses and citizenship are in no way related to any bribery allegations.

The latest update on the drug party yesterday revealed that several Chinese suspects were sued and imprisoned at Bangkok South District Court after they were found guilty of using drugs. The other suspects, about 30 people, denied all the allegations.

Police revealed they are conducting further investigations into the group and would prosecute them today according to the law.