Thailand has accused a unnamed Malaysian company operating in the south of the country of being “a transnational crime syndicate,” according to a local media report.
Both Thai and Malaysian authorities are investigating their business practices after the Thai Attorney General’s office began investigating how a company that paid no taxes, and reported yearly losses, was able to expand so vastly in a short space of time.
The Malay Mail reports that an inside source has said that all of the government agencies involved have been told to speed up their investigations, as all signs are pointing to the company dealing in illicit trade.
To get an idea of the extent of the investigating bodies involved, here are some of the government departments comprising the special task force assembled to take the company down: the Attorney General’s Office, the Department of Special Investigation, the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, the Office of Narcotics Control Board and Anti-Money Laundering Office, the Revenue Department, the Department of Business Development and Thailand’s central bank, the Bank of Thailand. Basically, The Avengers of Thai crime fighting.
This is the first time that Thailand has established a multi-agency task force, hinting at the seriousness of the allegations against the unnamed Malaysian company.
On the Malaysian side, the big guns have been called in as well, and the committee includes, and is not limited to, the Attorney General’s Chambers, the Customs Department, the Anti-Corruption Commission, Bank Negara, Immigration, and “the police.”
According to the inside source, the company began rapidly expanding in Thailand in 2013, operating with 20 subsidiary companies running hotels, entertainment outlets (ahem), theme parks, money exchange and restaurants.
Thailand is accusing the company of having caused the country financial losses worth “billions of Baht” (1 billion Baht = US$ 30 million). The details of what that incurs have not been revealed. Get your popcorn and start guessing who the mystery company is.
