Phuket police raid 8 places linked to Chinese grey capitalist

A LARGE police team raided and seized assets at eight targeted places in Phuket with these found to be linked to the network of Chinese grey capitalist Mr. Chaiyanat Kornchaiyanant, alias Tu Hao, who was earlier arrested on drug charges, Sanook.com said today (Dec. 1).

Upon being instructed by National Police Chief Pol. Gen. Damrongsak Kittiprapas and Deputy National Police Chief Pol. Gen. Torsak Sukwimol, the head of Provincial Police Region 8 Pol. Lt. Gen. Suraphong Thanomchit led a team of hundred policemen from various units to raid these suspect places.

The two key locations are a snake farm selling snake products and Modern Gems Phuket Company’s large showroom with both being located at Wichit subdistrict, Mueang district.

A certain amount of assets were seized for inspection from these two business centres that were really large covering over 10 rai each. The buildings were also beautifully built and worth hundreds of millions baht.

Meanwhile Deputy National Police Chief Pol. Lt. Gen. Surachate Hakparn, whose nickname is Big Joke, said he has reported his investigation of the network linked to Chinese grey capitalist Chaiyanat, or Tu Hao, to National Police Chief Pol. Gen. Damrongsak who in turn will inform Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Naewna newspaper said.

He mentioned that the ongoing crackdown had led to a lot of Chinese grey capitalists escaping Thailand.

He added that he held talks with the Laotian national police chief and mentioned that if the two countries join hands people with dual nationalities would have to go elsewhere. These people had fled China to Cambodia and from there to Thailand and Laos.

Hundreds of other people of various nationalities who had been living here illegally had also fled because they were afraid of being caught.

Police are also checking if arrested Chinese grey capitalist Mr. Tony or Mr. Chen Zhaohui’s business visa is valid or not and if not it has to be revoked.

All those involved in granting illegal visas will be prosecuted, he warned, pointing to over 57-year-old foreigners being granted student visas as a case in point.

However Pol. Lt. Gen. Surachate said so far investigation of grey capitalists had not found any links to politicians with the collected evidence currently being analysed by Anti-Money Laundering Office and the Narcotics Control Board.

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Top, below and Front Page: The large snake farm and jewellery company’s showroom in Phuket that police raided. Photos: Sanook.com

Insert: Deputy National Police Chief Pol. Lt. Gen. Surachate Hakparn. Photo: Matichon