Magic Skin suspect's Porsche ditched in parking lot

Police examine the Porsche Boxster abandoned at Chao Phraya 3 massage parlour in Bang Phlad district of Bangkok early on Thursday morning. (Police photo)
Police examine the Porsche Boxster abandoned at Chao Phraya 3 massage parlour in Bang Phlad district of Bangkok early on Thursday morning. (Police photo)

Police seized a Porsche Boxster car allegedly owned by a suspect in the Magic Skin products case at Chao Phraya 3 massage parlour in Bang Phlad district, Bangkok, early on Thursday.

Staff at the massage parlour on Arun Amarin Road told police someone left the yellow and white luxury car in the parking area just after midnight, as they were about to close up for the night. It was not locked and the key was left inside.

Deputy police chief Wirachai Songmetta said a document inside the car showed it belonged to Apiwat Pongpatananukul, one of seven suspects in the Magic Skin case, which centres on the marketing of substandard and unlicensed cosmetic and food supplement products.

Media reported that Apiwat operates the POS Cosmetics (Thailand) factory in Samut Sakhon. Magic Skin products were reportedly made there.

The car's abandonment follows a police announcement on Wednesday they intended to seize 30 vehicles worth about 68 million baht believed bought by Magic Skin owner Wannapa Puangson and her husband Korn Puangson.

They couple are alleged to have used money from the sale of their illegal products to buy 30 vehicles worth about 68 million baht, assets which were then concealed by registering them in other people's names - mainly relatives and second-hand car dealers. 

Dozens of celebrities who were paid to promote their substandard products are also being interviewed by police investigators.

Sales agents who purchased millions of baht worth of Magic Skin products for resale, and are now stuck with unmovable stock, are also suing for compensation.

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Vocabulary

  • abandonment: the act of leaving a person, thing or place with no intention of returning - การทอดทิ้ง, การละทิ้ง
  • compensation: money that someone receives because something bad has happened to them - เงินชดเชย
  • conceal: to hide something  - ซุก ซ่อน
  • luxury: the best and most expensive of something - ที่หรูหรา 
  • massage parlour: a place where you can pay to have a massage - โรงนวด,สถานบริการ (อาบ,อบ,นวด)
  • seize (verb): to take something using force - ยึด, จับกุม
  • substandard: not as good as you would normally expect, or not good enough to be accepted - ต่ำกว่ามาตราฐาน
  • sue: to take legal action against a person or organisation, especially by making a legal claim for money because of some harm that they have caused you - ฟ้องร้อง
  • suspect: a person who is thought to have committed a crime - ผู้ต้องสงสัย
  • unlicensed: not having a license or the correct papers to do something - ไม่ได้ตีทะเบียน, นอกกฎหมาย
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