Party of the People challenges premier over suspected tax evasion documents
Unleashing the Heat on PM Paetongtarn: The People's Party's High-Stakes Inquiry
The People's Party (PP) is flaming up a House of Representatives inquiry, zeroing in on Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra's shady dealings involving promissory notes (PNs) in a mammoth 4.43-billion-baht share acquisition. The main opposition party is hot on the trail of a potential tax-dodging scheme, and they won't let smoke and mirrors stand in their way.
In his role as the House committee's economic affairs chair, PP list-MP Sittiphol Viboonthanakul, delivered a fiery speech, questioning the legality of the transaction, whether there was a cleverly disguised tax-avoidance strategy, and whether relevant agencies acted swiftly within their jurisdiction.
This fierce questioning came before a House committee meeting, where representatives from the Revenue Department and the Office of the Auditor General were grilled to shed some light on the murky deal.
Paetongtarn faced a furious onslaught from the PP during the recent no-confidence debate. However, her thumbs-up from the crowd proved too powerful, as she managed to retain her position with an overwhelming majority vote.
But the PP isn't backing down; they're doubling down, vowing to explore other legal avenues to take Paetongtarn to task.
Another PP list-MP, Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, amplified the call for transparency, pressing the House committee to dig deeper. He wants them to clarify whether Paetongtarn's use of PNs to purchase shares from close relatives amounts to a simulated legal transaction aimed at evading gift tax.
He was on hand at the meeting, pushing the Revenue Department hard to divulge whether it acted under the watchful eye of Sections 17(7) and 13(7) of the Revenue Code.
Section 17(7) permits a review of transactions for any hint of simulated arrangements designed to dodge taxes. If the department finds any suspicious activity, it can refer disputed matters to the Tax Ruling Committee - a body that issues official interpretations or rulings on how the law should be applied [1]. Section 13(7) of the Revenue Code allows for a look under the hood, allowing the director-general to analyze transactions and determine if they're an attempt to dodge taxes.
The current status? The House committee has been in hot pursuit of answers, holding meetings with key players in the Revenue Department and the Office of the Auditor General. The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) is also getting in on the action, digging up evidence in the ongoing case [2].
The dust hasn't quite settled, and the full picture isn't quite clear yet. Still, one thing is certain: the People's Party won't let this smoke signal go unnoticed.
[1] Enrichment data: Sections 17(7) and 13(7) of the Revenue Code[2] Enrichment data: The National Anti-Corruption Commission's involvement in the case[3] Enrichment data: The scrutiny faced by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and the opposition's allegations of tax evasion[4] Enrichment data: Evidence collected by the National Anti-Corruption Commission
- The People's Party's inquiry into Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra's shady dealings with promissory notes constitutes a focus on a potential tax-dodging policy-and-legislation issue in the realm of politics and general news.
- The House committee's examination of economic affairs chairman Sittiphol Viboonthanakul's questions about possible tax-avoidance strategies in the 4.43-billion-baht share acquisition involves scrutiny of crime-and-justice issues under the Revenue Code.
- Another PP list-MP, Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, has called for transparency in the case, asking whether Paetongtarn's use of promissory notes to purchase shares from close relatives amounts to a simulated legal transaction aimed at evading gift tax, which falls under crime-and-justice and policy-and-legislation.
- The National Anti-Corruption Commission's involvement in the case, along with their collection of evidence, highlights the promissory note issue as a suspect matter within the politics and general news domain.
