The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has confirmed that it obtained an arrest warrant in March this year for property developer Anant Asavabhokin in a money-laundering case linked to Wat Phra Dhammakaya and the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative (KCUC) embezzlement scandal.
The case stems from a decision by the attorney general to prosecute Mr Anant on charges of conspiring to commit money laundering and engaging in money laundering, under the Anti-Money Laundering Act.
The allegations were tied to the KCUC embezzlement scandal and involved transactions related to the sale of land to Mr Anant.
The 75-year-old founder and former chief executive of the developer Land & Houses Plc is currently receiving treatment overseas for kidney disease and his lawyers have said he is too ill to travel.
The issue resurfaced after Kasemsak Kanphai, a lawyer representing victims in the money-laundering case, submitted a petition to the Special Litigation Office at the Office of the Attorney-General.
The petition urged authorities to pursue legal action against those who were linked to the Wat Phra Dhammakaya money-laundering case involving former temple abbot Phra Thepyanmahamuni, better known as Phra Dhammajayo, and his associates.
The petition referred to DSI Special Case No.10/2017, in which the Criminal Court had previously issued an arrest warrant for Mr Anant on money laundering charges.
Lengthy process
DSI director-general Pol Maj Yutthana Praedam said on Tuesday that the case had undergone a lengthy legal process.
He explained that in late 2019, special case prosecutors returned the investigation file to the DSI for consideration under the Special Case Investigation Act, asking whether the agency disagreed with prosecutors’ decision not to indict.
After reviewing the evidence, the then-DSI chief concluded that sufficient grounds existed for prosecution and formally objected to the prosecutors’ recommendation.
Pol Maj Yutthana said that on Feb 16, 2024, then-attorney general Amnat Chetcharoenrak ordered that Mr Anant be prosecuted on charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
During the review process, the property tycoon submitted several requests seeking reconsideration on various grounds. However, after the attorney general issued the final prosecution order, DSI investigators repeatedly summoned him to acknowledge the charges.
Mr Anant failed to appear before investigators, preventing authorities from passing him on to prosecutors as scheduled. Investigators subsequently gathered evidence and sought an arrest warrant from the court, which was granted in March this year, said the DSI chief.
Intensive care
Pol Maj Yutthana added that the suspect’s absence was reportedly due to medical treatment overseas. Authorities were informed that Mr Anant was receiving treatment for kidney failure abroad and had been admitted to an intensive care unit.
“His medical condition is understandable, but legal procedures must proceed. When a suspect is unable to appear to acknowledge charges or be presented to prosecutors as required, investigators must seek an arrest warrant,’’ said the DSI chief.
He added that requests for an Interpol Blue Notice or a Red Notice to locate and return the suspect to Thailand would be considered in the next stage of the legal process.
A source said although the court had approved the arrest warrant, it was highly unlikely Mr Anant would return to Thailand because he has been receiving continuous treatment overseas for end-stage kidney disease since 2024.
Mr Anant remained in critical condition and faced a constant risk of death if not treated in an appropriate medical facility, the source said.
Mr Anant founded Land & Houses Plc in 1983 and it has since grown into one of the country’s largest residential property developers. The company is also the major shareholder in LH Bank, which received a commercial banking licence in 2005.
Mr Anant resigned all positions with LH Bank, Land & Houses and its subsidiaries in 2017, following a Bank of Thailand ruling that he lacked the qualifications to hold positions as a director of a financial institution. The decision arose from the DSI investigation into the KCUC embezzlement scandal.
Case background
According to a DSI press release issued on Nov 29, 2019, the agency alleged that Mr Anant had purchased land from M-Home SPV 2 Co. Investigators found that Supachai Srisupa-aksorn, the former chairman of KCUC, had used funds allegedly embezzled from the cooperative to acquire shares in the company and exercise control over its operations.
Mr Anant later sold the land and donated part of the proceeds to the Maharatana Upasika Chan Khonnokyoong Foundation while retaining some of the funds and related interest. Authorities alleged that part of the money was subsequently transferred back to M-Home SPV 2 Co.
Investigators initially recommended prosecution and forwarded the case to prosecutors. However, prosecutors later returned the case file to the DSI on Sept 30, 2019, seeking a review of whether the agency wished to challenge the non-indictment decision.
After reassessing the evidence, the DSI maintained that there were sufficient grounds to prosecute Mr Anant and formally objected to the prosecutors’ position. The final decision was then left to the attorney general, who in 2024 ultimately ruled that the suspect should be prosecuted.
In March this year, the case against Phra Dhammajayo was terminated after the 10-year statute of limitations expired, bringing an end to long-running proceedings without a trial.
In 2016, the former abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya was charged by the DSI with money laundering, receiving stolen assets and forest encroachment, linked to the multi-billion-baht embezzlement at KCUC) in 2013.
