Auto-loan companies on Monday demanded the return of about 200 vehicles recently seized from an illegal consignment service under investigation by a Bangkok police officer who committed suicide last month.
In a letter submitted to Justice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya, representatives from the Thai Hire-Purchase Association asked for the fair resolution of the confiscation of 204 vehicles from the parking lot of IT Square in Laksi district in November.
Yai Panthoen, legal affairs chief for the association, said that the cars and trucks had been illegally consigned by their owners without registration certificates after they defaulted on loans valued between 100,000 and 1 million baht issued by banks and auto-finance companies who are association members.
He said vehicles seized were worth about 60 million baht and the lenders wanted the cars returned to them to avoid losses.
Mr Yai denied the association's demand had anything to do with the Jan 29 suicide of a 32-year-old police captain at Thung Son Hong station, who was handling the vehicle-seizure case.
It was reported that the late officer, Thawee Muenlak, might have developed a serious conflict with some parties involved in the seizure.
Pol Col Termphao Siriphubal, chief of Thung Song Hong station, on Monday denied reports he had pressured Pol Capt Thawee to speed up the case. He said he had not seen the captain for five days before the death.
Suggesting other possible motives, Pol Col Termphao alleged Pol Capt Thawee had been in a dispute with wife and also had a long discussion with another officer over the transfer of a fraud case.
The vehicles were seized from IT Square in November when two men reportedly related to a fugitive local used-car dealer were arrested there.
Sources said the alleged scam matched illegally consigned vehicles with the registrations of cars and trucks wrecked in road accidents. They then would be sold or dismantled for parts.