Chonburi: Central Investigation Bureau police have arrested a housekeeper, who also serves as a director of a shipping company, for tax evasion involving over 180 million baht. Similar incidents have been uncovered in two other companies, leading to total state losses exceeding 430 million baht.
According to Thai News Agency, the Central Investigation Bureau, spearheaded by the Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD), apprehended Ms. Somboon, 54, based on a Criminal Court warrant (No. 1051/2568) dated 18 February 2568. The arrest took place at a parking lot in front of an apartment in Tambon Surasak, Amphoe Si Racha, Chonburi Province. Ms. Somboon faces charges of 'jointly intentionally avoiding or attempting to avoid VAT through falsehood, fraud, trickery, or similar means.'
Investigations revealed that Ms. Somboon, while serving as a director, was involved in operations of an import agency engaged in customs procedures to extract goods from the port. However, authorities found that the company had been concealing its income and expenses. The company regularly failed to issue sales tax invoices and receipts for service fees, paid employees in cash weekly without documentation, and did not respond to requests for documentation from the managing director. Additionally, sales figures submitted by the company were lower than those obtained through investigation. Officers assessed VAT for 64 tax months, with a fine of 186 million baht. These actions constitute an offense of evading or attempting to evade VAT under Sections 90/4(6) and 90/5 of the Revenue Code.
Further investigations by police revealed Ms. Somboon's involvement in two other cases, where she served as a director of another company accused by the Revenue Department of similar offenses. The cumulative damages to the state from all three cases exceed 430 million baht.
Initially, Ms. Somboon denied the charges, claiming that in 2015, while employed as a housekeeper at a company in Laem Chabang District, her employer asked her to sign documents. Trusting her employer, she signed without understanding their nature and without receiving any compensation. In February 2025, she received a summons but failed to meet with investigators, later discovering that an arrest warrant was issued against her.