Singaporean businessman nabbed before flight in Bangkok for tax evasion

David Liu was about to board a flight to Singapore on June 2 when he was arrested in the Thai capital.PHOTO: FACEBOOK/CIBTHAILAND

SINGAPORE – A Singaporean businessman who was about to fly back home was arrested at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport over suspected tax evasion to the tune of more than 5.2 million baht (S$205,000), Thai police said on June 4.

He was identified by the Thai police’s Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD) as David Liu, 71, a former director of media analytics company Isentia Monitoring Services (Thailand).

Liu was about to board a flight to Singapore on June 2 when he was arrested in the Thai capital, said ECD commander Thatphum Charuprat.

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He was arrested for allegedly trying to evade by fraud or deceit value-added tax payable by Isentia.

Investigations had found that the Singaporean was an authorized director of the media company from July to October 2015.

According to an annual report by Isentia, Liu was appointed as the Asia chief executive of the Sydney-headquartered media intelligence company on June 1, 2015.

He left Isentia in 2019, according to a post on LinkedIn, where he is now listed as CEO of a data intelligence firm.

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He admitted to previously being the director of Isentia, but denied wrongdoing, the Bangkok Post reported, citing ECD commander Thatphum Charuprat at a media briefing.

Thailand’s Revenue Department had filed a complaint against Isentia after discovering an incorrect tax filing of zero tax returns despite the company being found to have generated revenue.

But no company representative responded after a police summons was issued, said the police.

The suspected damages against the state in lost revenue was nearly 5.24 million baht, said the ECD.

An arrest warrant was subsequently issued by the Phra Khanong Criminal Court. Liu was tracked by the police and arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport before he boarded his flight.

If convicted, he faces a fine of up to 200,000 baht and a seven-year prison term.

The Straits Times has contacted Isentia for comment. /dl