Srettha alleged of involvement in another property trading scam

By Thai Newsroom Reporters

REAL ESTATE TYCOON-TURNED-Pheu Thai prime-ministerial candidate Srettha Thavisin was again today (Aug.15) doubted he would ever run the country on basis of honesty and good governance, given allegations of his previous involvement in a suspected scam over a mega-million-baht property dealing.

In a press conference at a Bangkok hotel, political activist Chuwit Kamolvisit alleged Srettha of involvement in the corruption-ridden, zigzagging property business with the pricey purchase of a parcel of land in a lush Thong Lor area where a luxury condominium was built several years ago.

In his capacity as president of Sansiri Plc., Srettha had approved one billion baht in funding funnelled through Arnawat Co., an affiliate of the giant property firm where he had concurrently performed as director, to a nominee, known by the name of N & N Asset Co. and run by a housewife and a security guard, for the purchase of the Thong Lor land in 2015.

The nominee firm had bought the property for 565 million baht, leaving the balance of 435 million baht in payoff, all or part of which might allegedly have slipped into the pocket of the then-president of Sansiri Plc., according to Chuwit.

The maverick political activist alleged that relevant financial transactions plus an abrupt change in the directors of the nominee firm had been completed on the same day, followed by Sansiri Plc. finally buying the lush parcel of land for an overpriced 957 million baht at a later date.

Chuwit said the zigzagging business practice which had been allegedly riddled with embezzlement and kickbacks and with the help of such a nominee and undeniable involvement of Srettha as top executive official of the giant property firm might probably be repeated in government if he ever became prime minister.

“Srettha may say he did not know anything about that and if he became prime minister, he would indiscriminately hand out one billion baht in government funding for a housewife or a security guard to buy at will any pricey parcel of land around Thong Lor,” Chuwit said.

Today’s barrage launched by Chuwit against Srettha, known as personally associated with deposed prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, followed the one over which the political activist had earlier taken the Pheu Thai prime-ministerial candidate to task in relation to an alleged evasion of 521 million baht in personal income tax for the 1.57-billion-baht sale of a parcel of land on Sarasin Road in lucrative Sathorn area.

Meanwhile, Chuwit said he was concerned over the possibility that Srettha might manage to have one of his trusted associates, only identified in an initial as “Mr. T”, take part in the implementation of the Pheu Thai’s much-heralded, vote-wooing Digital Wallet project purely for profiteering reasons after he has taken the helm of government.

The sensational welfare-boosting project designed at the expense of an estimated 500 billion baht in the taxpayer’s money will provide a maximum of 10,000 baht in digital wallet to each Thai national at the age of 16 years and older to spend in a maximum of six-month time within a four-kilometre radius of their registered residence anywhere throughout the country.

CAPTIONS:

Pheu Thai candidate for prime minister Srettha Thavisin. Top photo: Thai Rath, Front Page photo: Matichon

Insert: Political activist Chuwit Kamolvisit. Photo: Matichon

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