Phuket MP summoned for third time in foreign nominee inquiry
The DSI has summoned People's Party MP Somchart Techathavorncharoen to provide information about alleged foreign nominee arrangements involving property in Phuket.
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has summoned People's Party MP for Phuket Somchart Techathavorncharoen to meet investigators on Monday, 14 September, for the third time in an inquiry into alleged foreign nominee arrangements.
The DSI's Security Crime Division is examining evidence indicating that Somchart may be a shareholder and director of private companies that jointly own property and condominium units in Phuket with foreign nationals. Investigators are checking whether the arrangements breached the Land Code, particularly rules prohibiting Thai nominees from holding assets on behalf of foreigners.
Somchart had been scheduled to report to investigators but asked to postpone the meeting until the end of September, citing parliamentary duties. The justice minister said the DSI had summoned him again, noting that some companies in the area had closed and land had been offered for sale at unusually low prices.
The minister said the closures and sales below actual value could indicate that owners were giving up possession, and that the DSI had been instructed to examine the matter further.
If Somchart fails to appear for the third summons, investigators will proceed under Section 24 concerning failure to comply with a summons, the minister said.
The minister also said a separate investigation into a People's Party-list MP's alleged involvement in an online foreign-exchange investment scheme was expected to be completed and submitted to prosecutors by the end of September.
