Following the disaster on July 5, 2018, raids led to the discovery that the operators of the boat had laundered more than B1 billion. This led to the seizure of operators’ assets, which are being auctioned off by the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo).
Since January of this year alone, the boat has incurred up to about B918,000 in costs for being kept at the Rattanachai Shipyard, on the east side of Phuket Town.
Despite previous failed efforts to auction the boat, the wreck will go up for auction again with the starting price at B900,000, Amlo announced in a notice issued today (Aug 5). (See notice here.)
“The Phoenix tour boat is still at the Rattanachai Shipyard now. It is still available for auction with a starting price of B900,000 again at 10am this Wednesday (Aug 7) at the meeting room at Phuket City Municipality,” the notice read.
Other assets seized in the raids will go also go up for auction, including am eight-metre-wide, 36m-long steel-hulled boat “with equipment and engine” with bids starting at B8 million, and a “King Long” make tour bus starting at B700,000, the notice added.
Persons interested in inspecting the Phoenix may do so at the Rattanachai Shipyard.
The steel boat up for auction may be inspected pre-auction at the Sikij Co Ltd boatyard, located at 116/16 Patiphat Rd in Talad Neua, Phuket Town.
The King Long tour bus is available for inspection at C.C.T .Express Co Ltd on Pitak Uthit Rd in Rassada, the notice explained.
For more details, people may call the Amlo hotline 1710, the notice added.