The Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO) says it has evidence to prove the guilt of 61 companies and individuals alleged to be funding anti-government protests.
PDRC secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban looks at foreign banknotes donated to his cause while addressing supporters at his Silom rally stage on Wednesday afternoon. The Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order says it has evidence to incriminate 61 firms and individuals guilty of bank-rolling PDRC protests. (Photo by Somchai Poomlard)
Anti-Money Laundering Office chief Seehanat Prayoonrat said on Wednesday afternoon that the CMPO has already appointed a working group to probe exactly who is funding the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) rallies.
Investigations are ongoing and the CMPO is poised to freeze the accounts of those implicated, he said, adding that the working group has solid evidence on 61 of the PDRC's alleged financial backers.
Those found guilty of violating the emergency decree will face up to two years in prison and/or a 40,000 baht fine.
Department of Special Investigation chief and CMPO member Tarit Pengdith, said the centre had decided to postpone revealing the names of firms and individuals said to be funding anti-government protests, but a list of 32 alleged financial backers has been leaked to the media.
He admitted that some of the names published by the media matched the CMPO suspect list.
Post Today newspaper named the 19 companies as Saha Pathanapibul Plc, Gaysorn Plaza, Siam Paragon Department Store, King Power Group, Dusit Thani Hotel, Siam Intercontinental Hotel, Riverside Hotel, Mitr Phol Group, Wangkanai Group, Boon Rawd Brewery Co, Thai Beverage Plc, Yakult (Thailand) Co, Neptune Co, Thai Namthip Co, Muang Thai Life Assurance Co, Hello Bangkok Co and Metro Machinery Group.
The 13 individuals were identified as Chumpol Suksai, Chalerm Yoovidhya, Pramon Suthiwong, Khunying Kallaya, Nuanphan Lamsam, Wimolphan Pitathawatcha, Dr Pichet Wiriyachitra, TayaTeepsuwan, Sakchai Guy, Krisana Mutitanant, Pol Gen Kitti Rattanachaya, Chitpas Kridakorn and Issara Vongkusolkit.
"I'm not suprised that I'm on the list because I knew it two weeks ago. I'm not frightened because I haven't done anything wrong and they just blindly put my name in the list," said Boonchai Chokwatana, the chief executive of Thailand’s leading consumer goods producer Saha Pathanapibul Plc.
He said it would be wrong to label the company as a financial "pipeline" to the PDRC, simply because protesters chose to buy the company's products.
"Sahapat is not interested in politics and we do our businesses transparently," Mr Boonchai said. "We don't need any political support, we don't support any political side and no PDRC members have asked for Sahapat's help."
He said it was likely that the caretaker government was attempting to discourage firms and individuals from getting involved with the PDRC, but warned the authorities that the move would likely turn people against them.
CMPO director Chalerm Yubamrung said Wednesday morning that those on the list of suspected financial supporters of the protests would be called in for questioning. If they can explain themselves and prove that they are not funding the PDRC, they will be free to go, he said.
He said executives of Dusit Thani Hotel and Siam Intercontinental Hotel had been questioned and insisted that they had not provided assistance to PDRC secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban. Both hotels also said Mr Suthep was not registered as a guest.
But Mr Chalerm said the CMPO has clear evidence that Mr Suthep was seen having dinner in the Dusit Thani Hotel at 10pm Tuesday. The centre will ask to review close-circuit TV camera footage from the hotel and question waiting staff to confirm whether Mr Suthep is staying there, he said.
"I curse businesses or anyone who supports the PDRC to oust the government," said the caretaker Labour Minister, predicting that those who back the protests financially could face their own financial problems within six months to a year.
"People in some companies used to be ministers, so they want their people to become ministers again. I denounce those who boycotted the election as shameless," he went on.
He added that the CMPO had chosen to postpone revealing the names of firms and individuals said to be funding anti-government protests because the working group needed to conduct a thorough examination of the list.