The Office of Narcotics Control Board has seized a private jet and other assets belonging to Chaiyanat "Tuhao" Kornchayanant, an alleged leader of a Chinese crime group under investigation over his links to the drug trade.
Secretary to the Justice Minister, Sub Lt Thanakrit Jitareerat, confirmed on Sunday that a private jet being serviced at Bo Fai airfield in Prachuap Khiri Khan was seized for further examination, along with other assets linked to Mr Chaiyanat.
The seizure confirmation is a course change for the ONCB, which had initially denied impounding the jet while rejecting claims by ex-politician and massage parlour tycoon Chuwit Kamolvisit that the plane belonged to Mr Chaiyanat.
The jet was seized as Mr Chaiyanat is listed as a shareholder in a company that owns the aircraft, the sub lieutenant said.
ONCB secretary-general Wichai Chaimongkol said the company has been asked to provide documents proving the jet's ownership by the end of the week.
He added that over 40 bank accounts each with a balance of 800,000-900,000 baht and all linked to Mr Chaiyanat have been frozen.
Mr Wichai said assets belonging to the suspect's wife -- a Thai police colonel attached to the police's foreign affairs sub-division and a niece of a former senior police officer -- will also be frozen, and she will be called in to clarify the origins of the frozen assets.
The businessman, wanted on a warrant issued by the Bangkok South Criminal Court for alleged involvement in the drug trade, turned himself in last Wednesday.
The investigation followed Chuwit Kamolvisit's call on the Justice Ministry to investigate Chinese triads whom he said were laundering drug money through "grey businesses" in Thailand.
Mr Chuwit alleged that a triad boss named Tuhao fled the country on a private plane with the assistance of state officials just hours after police raided a pub in Yannawa district linked to him last month.
