The Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo) has filed a fresh money-laundering complaint against two suspects linked with Tranlee Travel, a company suspected of operating illegally on behalf of foreign interests in Phuket.
Pol Maj Gen Thirapol Thipcharoen, chief of Phuket police, said the money laundering charge has been levelled against Veerachai Khamphaipraphankul and Kritchakorn Rungmongkholnam.
According to the provincial police chief, the money laundering case is the latest in a series of criminal charges against the pair who were listed as the firm's major shareholders.
Tranlee Travel Co grabbed headlines in 2016 when the firm, which offered a full-function tour service in Phuket, was raided on suspicion that it was illegally owned and run on the behalf of foreigners.
Authorities found there were at least 15 companies in the network operating tourism-related businesses such as hotels, tour buses, ferries, restaurants and souvenir shops.
Amlo stepped in to investigate and seized assets belonging to the company, including 117 buses and 35 boats from Tranlee for further investigation. The Civil Court then ordered the confiscation of the company's assets which were put up for auction and fetched about 204 million baht, said Pol Maj Gen Thirapol.
Mr Kritchakorn turned himself in to police to face charges including criminal association and making false statements to state officials. Mr Veerachai remains at large.
The suspects are foreign nationals accused of faking Thai national ID cards used to register the business.
Pol Maj Gen Thirapol said the Phuket provincial court on Feb 15 this year found Mr Kritchakorn guilty of criminal association and sentenced him to seven years and six months in jail.
Mr Kritchakorn, who was temporarily released on bail, has 18 cases pending in the court, said the police officer.
According to Pol Maj Gen Thirapol, the case against Tranlee is the result of joint efforts made by authorities to crackdown on foreigners using Thai nominees to run businesses in Phuket.
He said the agencies concerned will continue the crackdown on alleged use of nominees to make sure that foreign investments comply with the relevant laws including the Foreign Business Act.