BANGKOK, July 16 (TNA) – A Chinese network has used over
240 Thai nominees to set up 40 companies with over 5.3 billion baht worth of
combined assets.
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) searched a
company office in Bangkok which is the principal firm for running the illegal
businesses in Thailand.
According to DSI Director-general Korawat Panprapakorn,
legal documents, business contracts and other evidence showed that the group of
Chinese nationals had used Thai nominees as shareholders to create majority
Thai-owned companies.
All 40 illegal firms were linked to a Chinese man, named
Kaew Zae-Lee, who received Thai citizenship in 2015 by bribing a local official
in Chiang Rai province.
Backed by a group of Chinese investors, Kaew, or Chen Pao,
had set up many companies in Thailand until his Thai citizenship was revoked on
Wednesday.
Using Thai nominee shareholders to run business in Thailand
had affected national security, said Korawat in the press conference.
The administrative official in Chiang Rai has been fired and
is being prosecuted.(TNA)
