Whistleblower Chuvit Kamolvisit on Thursday asked police to investigate two land purchases by the property developer Sansiri Plc when it was run by Srettha Thavisin, the prime ministerial candidate of the Pheu Thai Party.
The former massage parlour tycoon brought his complaint directly to Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, the deputy national chief, at the Royal Thai Police Club. Mr Chuvit said he wanted investigators to look into Sansiri’s purchases of two land plots on Sarasin and Thong Lor roads.
In the Sarasin Road case, he has alleged that Mr Srettha and the company were complicit in tax evasion by 12 sellers, who divided the plot up and made separate transfers over 12 days.
In the Thong Lor case, he accused the company of using a housekeeper and two security guards as nominees to acquire land for a luxury condominium and misstating the price it paid.
Sansiri, which is listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), has denied both allegations. Mr Srettha has already filed a defamation lawsuit against Mr Chuvit over the Sarasin case.
Pol Gen Surachate said he would conduct an investigation and that he intended to find facts for the sake of the public interest.
Sansiri told the SET on Wednesday that it had purchased the Thong Lor plot directly from N&N Assets Co, and that the housekeeper and security guards were with the selling company, not with Sansiri.
Mr Chuvit has been highlighting what he says are questions about the ethical conduct of Mr Srettha as the Pheu Thai Party prepares to nominate the former Sansiri boss for prime minister. The vote in parliament is expected to take place next Tuesday.
Pheu Thai is still trying to put the finishing touches on a new coalition after withdrawing from an eight-party alliance led by the Move Forward Party, which won the May 14 election.
Pheu Thai came second in the general election with 141 seats while Move Forward has 151 seats in the 500-seat House.
Mr Srettha quit as chief executive officer and president of Sansiri (SIRI) in April. Earlier he transferred his shares in the company to his daughter.