The Pheu Thai Party has come under fire after a police probe found that many houses owned by a suspected nominee of a Chinese criminal syndicate tied to businessman Chaiyanat "Tuhao" Kornchayanant were developed by a company with members of the Shinawatra family as shareholders.
On Nov 29, police raided 11 locations across Greater Bangkok, including a luxury housing project in the La Salle area of Samut Prakan.
The raids were carried out as officers expanded their probe into the criminal network believed tied to Tuhao, the source said.
Tuhao immediately became a prime suspect after police on Oct 26 raided the Jinling Pub on Charoen Rat Road in Yannawa district where 104 patrons -- 99 of them Chinese nationals -- tested positive for drugs.
He turned himself in on Nov 23, after Bangkok South Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest over his alleged involvement in the drug trade. While Tuhao denied all of the charges, the court denied him bail.
Police searched three out of the 50 houses in the La Salle project, which are owned by a suspected nominee of the drug syndicate, the source said, noting officers seized for examination a Toyota Alphard and three safes.
The housing project consists of 66 units, each costing between 35-60 million baht, the source said.
Citing accounts by witnesses at the project, the source said Chinese tourists were often seen being taken to these houses at night for parties, which frequently caused loud noises that disturbed the neighbours. It was found that the housing project was developed by SET-listed developer SC Asset Corporation, the source said.
According to the Stock Exchange of Thailand, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, head of Pheu Thai's inclusion and innovation advisory panel and the youngest daughter of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, is the largest shareholder of SC Asset shares with 28.82%, followed by elder daughter Pintongta Shinawatra Kunakornwong with 27.89%.
Khunying Potjaman Damapong, Thaksin's former wife, has the fourth-largest shareholding with 2.78%.
Police also raided a luxury condominium worth over 100 million baht in the Charoen Nakhon area of Bangkok, where they seized a Porsche 911, two G-Class Mercedes Benz off-roaders, and one Toyota Alphard, said the source.
Authorities believe the syndicate used a Thai nominee to purchase the homes in Samut Prakan, as well as a number of luxury apartments in Bangkok, the source said.
According to the Isara News Agency, Nudeeporn Phetphanomporn, the daughter of former deputy prime minister Pol Gen Pracha Promnok in the Yingluck Shinawatra government, is the second-largest shareholder, with 75,000 shares in a propery rental company in Phuket of which Tuhao is the largest shareholder, with 80,000 shares.
Ms Nudeeporn is the wife of Sarawuth Phetphanomporn, a Pheu Thai MP for Udon Thani and deputy party secretary-general.
Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn previously confirmed media reports that Tuhao married a niece of Pol Gen Pracha, also a former national police chief.
Previously, former politician and massage parlour tycoon Chuvit Kamolvisit said Tuhao is Pol Gen Pracha's nephew-in-law.
At a meeting yesterday, Pol Gen Surachate said that police have also issued arrest warrants for three other suspects, including a former police inspector, found to be executives of a company with Tuhao as chairman.
"If they are detained, police expect to find more money. Previously, police seized only about 100,000 baht from Tuhao. It is impossible for a businessman like him to have only 100,000 baht in his bank account, he said.