Police and the Interior Ministry are hunting for illegal associations that are fronts for illicit Chinese businesses nationwide after a whistleblower's complaints against them.
Withan Sukkan, an interrogative director of the Department of Provincial Administration, on Monday met Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, deputy national police chief, to file a complaint against unlicensed Chinese associations for their suspected vested interest.
The targeted associations included one in the name of Yu Xinqi, who was recently arrested for allegedly using his association and business school to illegally bring Chinese people into Thailand.
Mr Withan said the director-general of the Department of Provincial Administration assigned him to file the complaints, including one concerning Mr Yu's alleged operation of an unlicensed association and input of false information into a computer system.
Also, the permanent secretary of the Interior Ministry ordered provincial governors who were provincial association registrars to check local associations and take relevant action, Mr Withan said.
There were many fake associations nationwide like that of Mr Yu and registrars could revoke them, he said.
Pol Gen Surachate said Mr Yu faced charges of crimes related to computer systems, fundraising and illegal association operation. He was blacklisted and would be deported.
The deputy national police chief also said he received a lese majeste complaint against Mr Yu from whistleblower Chuvit Kamolvisit and police were working together with the Interior Ministry to tackle unlicensed associations.
Meeting Pol Gen Surachate at Nang Loeng police station on Monday, Mr Chuvit said Mr Yu had referred to "the institution" to mislead Chinese people so he decided to ask police to take legal action related to the lese majeste law.
There were 500-600 associations in Kanchanaburi province alone, Mr Chuvit said, along with a proxy firm of Chinese lawyers on Rama IX Road and a triad's unlicensed association on Srivara Road .
