Prayut urged to step up legal action against own nephew over grey business

By Thai Newsroom Reporters

PRIME MINISTER PRAYUT Chan-o-cha was suggested today (Feb.15) to step up legal action against one of his own nephews who has been accused of involvement in a money-laundering scam surrounding a Chinese-born grey businessman.

During censure debate without a subsequent vote of confidence at parliament, Pheu Thai MP Jiraporn Sindhuprai called on Prayut to see to it that the authorities promptly bring his nephew, namely Pathompol Chan-o-cha, to justice in the face of allegations that he had been involved in the money-laundering activity perpetrated by the grey businessman, namely Chaiyanat “Tu Hao” Kornchaiyanan.

Prayut’s nephew, who is son of former Third Army Region chief/current Senator Preecha Chan-o-cha, has run Contemporary Construction Ltd. Part. which had grabbed millions of baht in construction projects run by army units, especially those where his father used to take command, since his uncle rose to power by way of the 2014 coup which he orchestrated as army chief.

Finally, Pathompol had allegedly acted as one of Tu Hao’s nominees by buying a fleet of Chinese-built tour buses with ill-gotten money from drugs and gambling dens provided for his Chinese customers in this country, Jiraporn said.  

The tour buses with which Tu Hao would accommodate Chinese tourists to and from Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya were reportedly leased in the name of Pathompol’s firm as part of the money-laundering scam, she said.

 She said the police had reportedly questioned Pathompol in hush-hush fashion without much progress in relation to the money-laundering charges filed against the Chinese-born grey businessman with whom Prayut’s nephew had allegedly connived.

Besides, Pathompol had allegedly taken part in undue conspiracies among front contractors to grab those construction projects in the army barracks, the opposition MP said.

Jiraporn accused Prayut’s nephew of having evaded corporate income tax for his firm by allegedly filing fabricated losses in lieu of gains.

Without mentioning his relative by name, Prayut responded to the allegations raised against him merely by daring the opposition lawmakers to sue him in court and follow the established judicial process instead of launching verbal barrages on individuals who were not taking part in censure debate at parliament.

Prayut assured that he will not indiscriminately protect anyone who may have been accused of wrongdoings but stopped short of telling how he may view the way in which his nephew has done business as alleged.

CAPTIONS:

Top and Front Page: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha during the censure debate at parliament today, Feb. 15, 2023. Top photo: Thai Rath, Front Page photo: Matichon

Insert: Pheu Thai MP Jiraporn Sindhuprai speaking during today’s censure debate. Photo: INN News

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