Thai Officers To Sue Chinese-Funded Project for Defying Construction Ban Sign

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The luxury mansion construction project by the Chao Phraya River

BANGKOK — The Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) issued a statement on October 7, 2024, providing an update on Chinese investors who had defied an AMLO seizure order and resumed luxury mansion construction by the Chao Phraya river.

AMLO stated that its officers had brought an order dated September 18, 2024, to temporarily seize and freeze land and buildings in the Sanam Bin Nam area for a period not exceeding 90 days, and posted it at the entrance of the project. However, the order was removed while construction continued.

It stated that the removal of the seizure warrant sign affixed by officers falls under the category of damaging, destroying, or rendering unusable a seal or sign affixed by officers as evidence in the course of a seizure or confiscation.

“This constitutes an offense under Section 141 of the Penal Code, punishable by up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to 40,000 baht, or both. Therefore, we will take appropriate legal action,” said the statement.

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Police officers, administrative officials, Nonthaburi City Municipality officials, and Nonthaburi Immigration Police officers inspect the luxury mansion construction project by the Chao Phraya River on October 7, 2024.

On the same day, police officers, administrative officials, Nonthaburi City Municipality officials, and Nonthaburi Immigration Police officers inspected the aforementioned construction project. The site is located along Nonthaburi 1 Road, near the Ministry of Commerce, covering an area of approximately 30 rai (about 12 acres) adjacent to the Chao Phraya River.

At that time, there were many workers engaged in construction within the project. Most of them were found to be foreign workers, both Chinese and Myanmar nationals, who had obtained proper work permits.

The engineer supervising the construction informed the officials that they had not removed the AMLO’s order but had merely moved it to the back of the entrance gate. This was because the sign that officials had initially attached to the gate had come loose, so they relocated it to the inside of the gate instead.

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Police officers, administrative officials, Nonthaburi City Municipality officials, and Nonthaburi Immigration Police officers inspect the luxury mansion construction project by the Chao Phraya River on October 7, 2024.

Regarding the continued presence of workers on the site, the engineer explained that the construction was not related to the AMLO’s order, and the project owner had already appealed against the AMLO’s seizure order. Halting construction at this point would adversely affect the contracting companies involved in the construction work.

Police Colonel Pisut Chantarasuwan, Superintendent of Rattanathibet Police Station, explained that the AMLO’s seizure order was temporary, prohibiting the removal of any structures from the area.

The construction contractor had not moved any structures out, and workers continued to work because the owner could appeal the order within 90 days. During this period, they have the right to continue construction until AMLO issues a post-appeal decision.

According to a report by Matichon, a leading Thai media outlet, Pol. Lt. Col. Jak Chulkarat, Director of Division 3 of AMLO, together with Ms. Thipwan Wannasopon, Director of Division 4, led officers to post a confiscation notice at the entrance of a luxury villa development on the Chao Phraya River at Nonthaburi 1 Road, Bang Kraso Subdistrict, Mueang District, Nonthaburi Province on October 1.

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This was done to confiscate assets related to the project which is being developed by a Chinese-invested company.

Matichon reporters visited the construction site of the luxury villa on October 4 and found that work was still underway. Workers were constantly going in and out of the building site. The confiscation sign at the entrance had already been removed.

The news report stated that the Chinese-funded company is developing luxury riverside villas on a plot of approximately 30 rai (approximately 48,000 square meters) located along Nonthaburi 1 Road and directly on the Chao Phraya River.

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There are many workers engaged in construction within the project. Most of them are foreign workers, both Chinese and Myanmar nationals, at the luxury mansion construction project by the Chao Phraya River on October 7, 2024.
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The project comprises villas priced between 100 million and 700 million baht. These are 5-storey detached luxury apartments with a total of 60 units, each with a basement and swimming pool. The development also includes a 2-storey commercial and office building and a pier. Construction work began in February 2024, with completion scheduled for February 2025.

The Chinese company, which was established in partnership with Thai individuals, was founded in March 2022 with a registered capital of 1.5 billion baht. It focuses on real estate development, including the sale of land and houses, as well as the purchase and sale of riverside residences and commercial properties. The construction project is believed to employ many Chinese workers who enter and leave the country on tourist visas.

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