AMLO freezes B7bn of Klongchan Credit Union assets

– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community

PHUKET: THE Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) yesterday decided to freeze 7 billion baht of assets after learning that the money had been unlawfully transferred to different people by Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative’s former chairman Supachai Sri-aksorn.

Eight people close to Mr Supachai, who has been charged with embezzlement by the Department of Special Investigation, now own these frozen assets, AMLO secretary-general Seehanart Prayoonrat said.

The assets include stocks in many companies, houses and other structures, vehicles, land deeds, bank deposits, valuables including gold bars, jewellery, rare amulets and firearms, he added.

Mr Seehanart explained that these frozen assets along with the 4bn baht already seized will be returned to members and beneficiaries of the Klongchan Credit Union and other cooperatives that invested in it.

He also said that Wat Dhammakaya had, so far, returned 684 million baht that it received in 13 cheques from Mr Supachai, and that AMLO would be checking to see if such payments had been made to other monks.

A DSI source said the owners or representatives of 28 businesses that obtained loans totalling 13bn baht would be questioned to determine if the loans had been granted as per the cooperative’s regulations.

This is because many of these companies have not fully repaid the loans, which resulted in cash flow problems for the cooperative.

— Phuket Gazette Editors