Greedy / Stupid / Karma

[Chatty]

Yesterday was the big day for the people who are interested in politics. I was so glad to hear this news so much.... the news was about the Thaksin's lawyers team. One of them was so smart he was in 20 top lawyer in Thailand.

ok let's read the news from The Nation.

Thaksin's lawyers imprisoned

By Pravit Rojanaphruk, The Nation

Published on June 26, 2008

Thaksin's legal team hit over Bt2-million 'gift'

The Supreme Court yesterday sentenced three attorneys for ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Pojaman to six months in prison for attempted bribery.

The court ruled that the three had conspired to undermine the judiciary's reputation and integrity by stashing Bt2 million in cash in a snack box handed to a court official on June 10.

According to the presiding judge at yesterday's trial, the bribery attempt was "a serious matter" and "grave" action that insulted the highest court.

It was also likely have a "repercussion" on the on-going trial involving Thaksin and his wife in the Ratchadaphisek land purchase, in which the ex-premier is accused of abusing his power while in office for a sweetheart deal with the government.

Thana Tansiri, the lawyer who delivered the snack box stashed with Bt1,000 notes worth around Bt2 million, was not present at yesterday's sentencing.He had asked for a trial postponement, claiming health reasons, but the judges dismissed the request on grounds that his health problems didn't appear to be serious.

The court then ordered police to issue an arrest warrant for the lawyer.

The two other convicted lawyers were Pichit Chuenban and Suphasri Sriswat.

"I'm certain [of my innocence]," said Pichit, head of the legal team. Pichit said he didn't know why Thana, who is on his team, did not show up.

On June 10, Thana was found guilty of trying to bribe ML Thitipong Chompoonuch, a legal officer at the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions, and his colleagues by handing the paper bag containing the snack box stuffed with some Bt2 million in cash.

According to the presiding judge, who read out the verdict, Thana told Thitipong: "These days I have to come [to the court] often and I feel sorry for the officials who have to work hard, so I have something for you people."

Thana had argued in his earlier testimony that it was a mistake, as his driver got the wrong box for him to deliver to the court official.

The "wrong" box contained money intended for a land purchase, while Thana's wife was said to have filled another bag with chocolate candy.

However, the judges ruled the argument unlikely, saying that if Thana really intended to give chocolate he could have done it in the open in the presence of other officials, not privately with Thitipong alone.

According to the judges, Thana didn't mention any other "chocolate bag" while court staff took photographs of the snack box filled with cash.

The court believed Pichit and Suphasri were also "working closely" with Thana as all of them appeared at the court on that day.

"They kept talking to one another prior to Thaksin's and Pojaman's arrival at the court, and thus they must be regarded as one team."

When Pichit learned about the return of the snack box, he only made a phone call to Thitipong to apologise and didn't appear to have reprimanded Thana. "It shows that they collaborated with one another ... were aware [of the matter] and divided their role in this attempted bribery," the court said.

This is why buddha said we should have Kalayanamit = Good friends...

cuz of "Greedy" they want Thaksin money so make them blind, no matter what they are "brainy ones" they could do something "stupid" or may be this is such a thing we called "karma"

I wanna asked them that "Are they happy? 100 million baht that they got from their boss, is it worth it?" 6 months in jail... how about their future...? how about their family?

[BangkokBilly]

This ruling seems to be a step in the right direction. Not sure if six months for bribing judges is suffficient, but I don't know enough to comment on this.

I would have given them two years, myself. CHOCOLATE in a lunchbox? That's not very healthy is it. An orange, an apple and a fresh salad is what you need.

Thanks for posting the article.

[hbkbkk]

I think good, bad and ugly would be a better title.

Maybe bad and ugly.

[Loburt]

It's too bad the person who hired these lawyers to convince the court and the Thai people he is not corrupt couldn't also be brought to book.

[BangkokBilly]

I think "Glico Gate" would be a better title.

[PJack]

other articles about this event stated that a court officer found the money cause he had to open everything that comes into the court for safety reasons. He was shocked to see the money and the lawyer who gave it to him told him it was for a particular judge "for sharing". At that moment another judge walked by and noticed an event and asked what they were talking about. He was showed the money and told them to photograph it etc. Then they gave the money back to the lawyers and let them go.

So you can imagine my surprise when I heard that these lawyers were convicted.

Some might say that it means of course that the 2 milliion was not the right number.

Taksin couldn't look any more corrupt or guilty for this little ditty, could he?

So what are the odds that when the govt appointed body to investigate and bring charges against House Shinwatra on the land deal is folded next week that all the corruption cases they are working on will just fall away too? Including that one about Samak and his firetrucks, among others.

[English_Bob]

Samak is a convicted criminal... sentenced to jail time and is appealing the decision... apparently it has been 'under appeal' for SIX YEARS!!!

Is this what they mean by an 'inactive post'?

Who is responsible for bringing this guy back to court and what is being done? Surely SOMEONE should be working on this?

(Please don't answer with things like 'corruption' and '***'... I really want to know what's happening!)

[Loburt]

There have been many court cases in Thailand that have dragged on for more than ten years.

Of course, if you're poor and unconnected, justice is usually meted out in less than ten minutes.

[LakeGeneve]

I also was quite heartened when I read about this last ngiht.

Two things surprised me about this judgement;

- that the judges dealt with the case in such an expeditious manner (including issuing an arrest warrant on the day for the lawayer who did not appear);

- and that Court determined a conviction with a period of imprisonment! 6 months is not much given the severity of the facts but really ANY imprisonment is a big message to other legal practioners.

The only thing that is concerning is the reported part of the ruling baring an appeal. Most liekey this is unconstitutional and prima facie it would not be in accordance with procedural fairness.

Still, nice for some of the elite engaging in corrupt activities to be dealt with harshly for a change!

[Chatty]

Thaksin denies linking to his convicted lawyers

By The Nation

Ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra denied any involvement in the alleged bribery case in which his lawyers were convicted to six months in jail.

"Thaksin felt sorry for lawyers who were sentenced to jail. He has returned to Thailand to defend the charge in a straightforward and transparent manner because he is confident of his innocence. He is ready to fight the case under the justice system," according to a statement as read out by Pongthep Thepkanjana, the former premier's personal spokesman.

Thaksin dismissed any link to the recent incident in which his lawyers gave a bag filled with Bt2 million in cash to a court official.

The official brought the case to his superiors which led to the Supreme Court's conviction that the lawyers violated the court's authority and sentenced each to six months in jail.

The three lawyers -- Pihit Chuenban, Thana Tansiri and Supasri Srisawat -- worked for Thaksin and his wife, Khunying Pojamarn. The couple have been accused of abusing their power in the purchasing a plot of land in Rachadapisek area.

Don't know why he keeps telling lie... He was there (from the news) 15 mins before this event occurred

[English_Bob]

Thaksin denies linking to his convicted lawyers

By The Nation

Ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra denied any involvement in the alleged bribery case in which his lawyers were convicted to six months in jail.

"Thaksin felt sorry for lawyers who were sentenced to jail. He has returned to Thailand to defend the charge in a straightforward and transparent manner because he is confident of his innocence. He is ready to fight the case under the justice system," according to a statement as read out by Pongthep Thepkanjana, the former premier's personal spokesman.

Thaksin dismissed any link to the recent incident in which his lawyers gave a bag filled with Bt2 million in cash to a court official.

The official brought the case to his superiors which led to the Supreme Court's conviction that the lawyers violated the court's authority and sentenced each to six months in jail.

The three lawyers -- Pihit Chuenban, Thana Tansiri and Supasri Srisawat -- worked for Thaksin and his wife, Khunying Pojamarn. The couple have been accused of abusing their power in the purchasing a plot of land in Rachadapisek area.

Don't know why he keeps telling lie... He was there (from the news) 15 mins before this event occurred

The above (bolded) are probably THE most misused words in Thailand politics.

He is ready to defend in a straightforward and transparent manner.....

.... now that his lapdogs have replaced the judges who might rule against him and issued a defamation lawsuit against those judges who aren't bought and paid for.

Thailand is a pretty techno-savvy country.... where are the mini video cameras and hidden microphones that would provide irrefutable evidence against these smug, self serving crooks?

[Loburt]

Thailand ... pretty techno savvy .... ????

Are we talking about the Thailand that's in Southeast Asia?

You're kidding, right?

[English_Bob]

Thailand ... pretty techno savvy .... ????

Are we talking about the Thailand that's in Southeast Asia?

You're kidding, right?

Absolutely.... I can walk into MBK and get my phone fixed inside 30 minutes.

I can buy surveillance cameras off the street.

Everyone has a mobile phone with camera.

TV is hugely popular, wouldn't an investigative journalist have a lifetime of work here capturing crooked politicians and businessmen on film?

[Chatty]

"According to the presiding judge at yesterday's trial, the bribery attempt was "a serious matter" and "grave" action that insulted the highest court. "

yes the highest court wants much more!!!

This comment is kinda insult the Thailand supreme court as well, p'Ghee, do you want me to send this to the police?

Seriously, 2 millions wasn't much money for the case... it should be 20 millions or more... but from the detail I have read shows that it's not amount of money at all, it's about loyalty.

p'Ghee please don't look down Thai ppl... you said like everyone corruption, everyone can buy...this is what your idea, right?

[Loburt]

Those hardly make Thailand a techno-savvy country. It's just enough to keep it above the total backwater status of places like Burma or Zimbabwe.

As for investigative journalists making a career of surreptitiously recording the bribing of judges, public officials, etc...

In most countries, when politicians or big businessmen are caught on tape bribing someone, it's usually part of a law enforcement-led sting operation, not an investigative report by a journalist.

How is an investigative journalist supposed to know where and when a bribe will be offered so he or she can plant a camera in that location? How can he or she get access to that location?

Planting a camera would also probably be illegal. So, the guilty politicians won't be able to be prosecuted.

And don't count on the "shame" of being caught to be enough for them to either resign or prevent them from buying enough votes to get re-elected. Not with these guys.

I can only think of one instance where bribery was caught on videotape in Thailand - when iTV caught traffic police shaking down motorists in the late '90s.

Shortly after that, however, Thaksin bought iTV, and that was the end of that station's investigative journalism - or journalism at all.

[PJack]

"According to the presiding judge at yesterday's trial, the bribery attempt was "a serious matter" and "grave" action that insulted the highest court. "

yes the highest court wants much more!!!

This comment is kinda insult the Thailand supreme court as well, p'Ghee, do you want me to send this to the police?

Seriously, 2 millions wasn't much money for the case... it should be 20 millions or more... but from the detail I have read shows that it's not amount of money at all, it's about loyalty.

p'Ghee please don't look down Thai ppl... you said like everyone corruption, everyone can buy...this is what your idea, right?

Ghee doesnt know what he is talking about. I agree with you. 2 million is not nearly enough. and it is not about breaking a law or a corrupt court, rather it is about loyalty.

[Loburt]

"According to the presiding judge at yesterday's trial, the bribery attempt was "a serious matter" and "grave" action that insulted the highest court. "

yes the highest court wants much more!!!

This comment is kinda insult the Thailand supreme court as well, p'Ghee, do you want me to send this to the police?

Seriously, 2 millions wasn't much money for the case... it should be 20 millions or more... but from the detail I have read shows that it's not amount of money at all, it's about loyalty.

p'Ghee please don't look down Thai ppl... you said like everyone corruption, everyone can buy...this is what your idea, right?

Yes and no, bcool.

After all, don't you strongly suspect that some judges were bribed during Thaksin's case before the Constitutional Court in 2001?

Not all judges are corrupt, but not all judges are honest either.

I'm sure 2 million is not enough to bribe a judge's ultimate decision in the Ratchadapisek land case.

The bribe might have been for the clerks to affect when the case will scheduled. That's just a guess. It could have been something else.

But I don't see how it can't be connected to Thaksin and that case, as that's why the lawyers had come to the court that morning - with Thasin and Potjaman there too.

I really don't think you should be threatening ghee or anyone else with reporting their comments to the police.

First, it really spoils the atmosphere on the site.

Second, judges here in Thailand are far too protected by law against criticism. No matter how lame, stupid or possibly corrupt a court decision may be, no one is allowed to denounce it for fear of police action/contempt of court.

If judges can't be criticized or scrutinized by the public, then they are more likely to be corrupt.

[Chatty]

p'Loburt... do you think I was serious to tell the police about p'Ghee? lol. So many times that p'Ghee tried to make some joke (which never made me laugh) may be it's funny to you guys... same as his comment on this topic but sometimes he should be careful, his comments might insult someone. Anyway, his comment shows me his perspective.

yes, not everyone is honest... but at least I have faith there are heros somewhere.

and yes I think the target was the clerks, but he was wise enough, I think the weigh of the box was quite difference. 2 million baht, if it come in 1000 bank note. If 1 pack = 100,000 baht must be heavier than chocolate... so he might feel it..

[Chatty]

You made me think about a case of Yongyuth Tiyapairat, the PPP politician and he's also one of PPP committee. He bought vote from Maechan, Chaingrai, village headmen by paid 2,000 baht each. It caught by video camera by Chaiwat a village headman...

After that life of Chaiwat and his family are not save anymore. hrrr... Thailand