Tuhao 'nominee' grilled

Patcharin Ittiwattana, an alleged close aide and Thai nominee of Chinese businessman and suspected crime boss Chaiyanat "Tuhao" Kornchayanant, appeared with her lawyer on Tuesday for another interrogation session conducted as part of an ongoing investigation into a major Chinese criminal syndicate operating in Thailand.

Thaweesak Buntham, the lawyer, said Ms Patcharin provided information through him to police investigators regarding her name being listed as a board member for several companies linked to Mr Chaiyanat, named as the board chairman.

She had previously met the investigators and provided them with information on two occasions, said the lawyer.

Pol Col Phakphum Phitsamai, deputy chief investigator of Provincial Police Region 4 and a key member of the police investigation team, said Ms Patcharin gave information about her assets, the money trail and business operations linked to Mr Chaiyanat.

A former police official who is a brother of Ms Patcharin, as well as another woman identified only as Suchada, who are also named as members of the same companies' boards, will be invited for questioning tomorrow, said Pol Col Phakphum.

Also on Tuesday, another woman identified as Lhin was questioned by the same team concerning her role in the companies linked to Mr Chaiyanat and his allegedly shady business, said deputy national police chief Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn.

This woman was named along with Ms Patcharin as a board member of three to four companies linked to Mr Chaiyanat, said Pol Gen Surachate, adding the two women are friends and were found to have handled numerous transactions for the companies.

So far, the two women have provided helpful information and have not been linked to any illegal activities, he said.