The son of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is among four people due to be questioned over the multi-billion-baht Krungthai Bank (KTB) loan scandal, a source at the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) said Tuesday.
They will be quizzed as part of a DSI probe into the money-laundering aspects of the case. It is alleged the four received part of the more than 9.9 billion baht loan.
The four being probed are Panthongtae Shinawatra; Kanchanapha Honghern, secretary of Thaksin's ex-wife Khunying Potjaman na Pombejra; Wanchai Honghern, Mrs Kanchanapha's husband; and Manop Divari, father of former Pheu Thai MP Sqn Ldr Sita Divari.
The money trail allegedly indicates that Wichai Krisdathanon, owner of real estate developer Krisdamahanakorn, signed a cashier's cheque worth 26 million to Mr Panthongtae, but it was cancelled immediately afterwards, the source said.
The money trail also suggests that part of the loan was used to buy shares in Airports Of Thailand Plc.
DSI investigators are suspicious about the cancelled cheque, suspecting money-laundering was involved, the source added.
On Aug 26, the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office-Holders found 24 people guilty of wrongfully approving more than 9.9 billion baht in loans to affiliates of developer Krisdamahanakorn from 2003 and 2004, even though the firm was listed with the bank as a non-performing debtor.
Pol Lt Col Somboon Sarasit, chief of the DSI's Bureau of Special Crime 3, said DSI investigators are preparing to press charges against four to six people in connection with the money-laundering case.