Dachai probes 1 billion baht substandard imports for money laundering

MGR Online•Politics•22d ago

Reader Briefing

MP Dachai Ekapathapee and the committee on money laundering and narcotics probe the import of substandard goods worth over 1 billion baht for potential money laundering links.

•Over 700 legal entities had more than 1 million substandard items seized by TISI.
•Seized goods include reinforcing steel, structural steel, electrical wires, and electrical appliances totaling at least 1,000 million baht.
•The committee is investigating money trails and the Ultimate Beneficial Owners of the importers.
•Dachai Ekapathapee warned that international trade can be used as a channel to hide the source of funds.

Overview

•On September 30, Dachai Ekapathapee announced progress on the investigation of seized substandard goods.
•The Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) seized products from more than 700 legal entities, totaling over 1 million pieces with a value of at least 1,000 million baht.
•Seized items include construction materials like reinforcing and structural steel, as well as electrical wires, batteries, and skincare appliances.
•Dachai Ekapathapee questioned how these goods passed customs procedures before being seized by the Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI).
•The investigation aims to determine if these high-value imports are linked to money laundering through methods like misrepresenting product prices.
•The committee will focus on checking funding sources, shareholder structures, Ultimate Beneficial Owners, and financial transaction trails.
•The committee plans to invite representatives from the Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI), the Customs Department, and related legal entities to provide evidence at the Parliament Building.
•Dachai Ekapathapee emphasized that the committee is seeking facts and tracing money, not accusing specific companies or interfering with judicial processes.

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Key Quotes

Dachai Ekapathapee

"When finding imports of substandard products in quantities and values as high as a billion baht, there is reasonable suspicion to investigate whether international trade processes are being used to hide illegal financial transactions."

เมื่อพบการนำเข้าสินค้าที่ไม่ได้มาตรฐานในปริมาณและมูลค่าสูงถึงระดับพันล้านบาท จึงเป็นเหตุอันควรสงสัยที่ต้องตรวจสอบว่า กระบวนการค้าระหว่างประเทศถูกนำมาใช้แฝงการทำธุรกรรมทางการเงินที่ผิดกฎหมายหรือไม่

Dachai Ekapathapee

"The safety of people's lives and property must not be traded for the illegal benefits of any group."

ความปลอดภัยในชีวิตและทรัพย์สินของประชาชน ต้องไม่ถูกแลกกับผลประโยชน์ที่ผิดกฎหมายของกลุ่มใดกลุ่มหนึ่ง

Key Entities

Person

Dachai Ekapathapee(ดาชัย เอกปฐพี)

An MP for Lampang from the Kla Tham Party and a member of the committee on the prevention and suppression of money laundering and narcotics.

Organization

Kla Tham Party(พรรคกล้าธรรม)

The political party to which MP Dachai Ekapathapee belongs.

Committee on the Prevention and Suppression of Money Laundering and Narcotics(กรรมาธิการการป้องกันและปราบปรามการฟอกเงินและยาเสพติด)

The committee investigating the links between substandard imports and money laundering trails.

Thai Industrial Standards Institute(สำนักงานมาตรฐานผลิตภัณฑ์อุตสาหกรรม)

The agency that seized over 1 million substandard products from more than 700 legal entities.

Customs Department(กรมศุลกากร)

The agency responsible for customs procedures that the committee intends to invite for clarification.

Anti-Money Laundering Office(สำนักงาน ปปง.)

The law enforcement agency that the committee will coordinate with if abnormal financial transactions are found.

Law

Customs Act 2017(พระราชบัญญัติศุลกากร พ.ศ. 2560)

The law under which the import of these substandard goods may be an offense.

Place

Parliament Building(อาคารรัฐสภา)ℹ️

The location where the committee will hold its next meeting to hear evidence.