Barkar Nash (Page 1,042)

A female accountant at the Legal Execution Department’s provincial office in Pattani has been found guilty of embezzling 2.8 million baht, according to the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG).

She has been sentenced to 50 years in prison and told to return the stolen money to the provincial office, OAG deputy spokesman Kosolwat Inthuchanyong said on Tuesday.

The woman was identified by her first name, Chiranan, and described as a Level 4 finance and accounting officer.

The embezzlement was committed on 18 occasions between March 18, 2004, and April 27, 2006, during which time she falsified the signature of Mahosot Ramrangsarit, the office director, who had the authority to approve her requests to cash cheques and deposit the money into the office’s accounts, said Mr Kosolwat.

After cashing the cheques, however, she deposited the money into her own accounts and those of her acquaintances, amounting to 2.8 million baht in total, he said.

The woman, who had consistently pleaded innocent, previously returned 561,078 baht, meaning she still owes 2.24 million baht, he added.

The case was heard by the Region 9 Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases in Songkhla province around the middle of this month, Mr Kosolwat said.

Surat Thani governor Wichawut Jinto on Tuesday urged related agencies and locals to take measures to protect rare aquatic animals after a nine-day marine survey was conducted in Gulf of Thailand waters.

The governor made his comments after the Marine and Coastal Resources Research Centre (Central Gulf of Thailand) conducted an aerial survey of rare aquatic animals covering 169.7 square kilometres off the coast of Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani and Chumphon that wrapped up on Sunday.

The survey spotted a dugong, two Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphins and four green turtles in Phumriang Bay in Chaiya district of Surat Thani, as well as three green turtles in the coastal area in Tha Chana district of Surat Thani.

But none were sighted in Talet Bay in Khanom district of Nakhon Si Thammarat or Thungka-Sawi Bay in Sawi district of Chumphon.

The research centre will analyse the information to learn more about their population and habitats.

Mr Wichawut said since rare aquatic animals were spotted in Phumriang Bay and the coastal area in Tha Chana district, he urged cooperation from locals and fishermen to help protect these rare species, particularly dugongs.

“They are in big trouble as these marine mammals usually live in a herd, but now we see only one dugong in the area,” he added.

A lawyer for Thaksin Shinawatra is preparing all necessary documents to seek a royal pardon for the former prime minister.

Winyat Chartmontree, the lawyer, added that the date has yet to be scheduled. Normally, inmates who have served one-third of their sentence or been imprisoned for at least eight years can submit a request for a royal pardon.

Thaksin, 74, returned to Thailand after 15 years in self-exile and was sent to a quarantine area of the Bangkok Remand Prison on Aug 22 after the Supreme Court sentenced him to eight years in prison.

Within 13 hours, he was transferred to the Police General Hospital suffering from chest pain, hypertension, and low blood oxygen saturation.

Thaksin’s youngest daughter Paetongtarn, visited her father on Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning. She said that she was most worried about his heart condition.

She told reporters at the Pheu Thai Party headquarters on Tuesday that her father was exhausted but could still talk to her.

“I am worried about his heart. He also has a lung illness, but that is an old issue and should not cause any acute problems. I am more worried about his heart,” Ms Paetongtarn said.

Ms Paetongtarn said Thaksin had earlier caught Covid-19 before there was specific medication for it. He was kept in an intensive care unit for nine days and remained in hospital for a month.

There were still traces of the illness in his lungs, she said, but added that his morale remained strong.

Ms Paetongtarn confirmed that her father would remain at Police General Hospital and said there was no plan to move him to a private hospital.

Asked how long Thaksin would need to remain hospitalised, Ms Paetongtarn said she had asked doctors the same question but there was no answer yet because “there are many factors”.

She denied he was in a VIP room at Police General Hospital. The view from the room was the Royal Thai Police Office, she said.

Asked about a possible request for a royal pardon, Ms Paetongtarn said her father would make that decision himself and the family would back him.

The Department of Corrections reported earlier that Thaksin had four critical ailments — heart disease, lung disease, high blood pressure and a herniated lumbar disc.

Cabinet position for ex-con Pichit queried

Eyebrows are being raised as an ex-lawyer is tipped to become a cabinet minister despite having served jail time for contempt of court over the so-called “cash-stuffed paper bag” scandal representing former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in a controversial land case in 2008.

Pichit Chuenban has been thrust into the spotlight as he is expected to serve as the PM’s Office Minister under the Pheu Thai-led coalition government, according to sources.

Thaksin — the former fugitive ex-PM who has long been considered the puppet master pulling Pheu Thai’s strings — returned to Thailand last week after living in self-imposed exile for 15 years.

On June 25, 2008, the Supreme Court sentenced Mr Pichit and two of his colleagues to six months each in jail for contempt of court after they tried to bribe Supreme Court officials by handing them a paper bag containing two million baht in cash a fortnight earlier.

All three represented Thaksin and his ex-wife, Khunying Potjaman na Pombejra, in the Ratchadaphisek land case, for which Thaksin was sentenced to two years in prison in 2008.

They were disbarred by the Lawyers Council of Thailand for five years after the council’s ethics committee found they had breached the code of conduct, based on the Supreme Court ruling.

In 2011, Mr Pichit was elected as a Pheu Thai list-MP and later acted as a lawyer for then-prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra — Thaksin’s younger sister — when she faced impeachment proceedings for her role in her government’s loss-ridden rice-pledging scheme.

Mr Pichit was among 10 people who visited Thaksin at the Police General Hospital on Monday, according to the sources.

Khomsan Phokhong, a vice dean at Rangsit University’s faculty of law, said Mr Pichit is not qualified to hold a cabinet post as he served jail time for attempted bribery.

Even though he was released over a decade ago and is not barred by any constitutional provisions from joining the new cabinet, his past conduct creates an ethical quandary, Mr Khomsan said.

“Mr Pichit was found guilty of contempt of court under the Civil Procedure Code, not the Criminal Procedure Code. Therefore, the provisions in the charter regarding cabinet ministers’ qualifications do not apply. But ethical issues and a sense of appropriateness must be taken into account,” Mr Khomsan said.

The cabinet’s secretariat must scrutinise the cabinet line-up before submitting it for royal endorsement, he added.

The nation’s newly elected prime minister, property developer tycoon Srettha Thavisin, denied speculation that Mr Pichit would become a lightning rod for criticism of the government.

Mr Srettha said the secretary-general of the cabinet would spend two days verifying the qualifications of those chosen before submitting the list for royal endorsement.

Meanwhile, outgoing Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said on Tuesday that Pol Gen Patcharawat Wongsuwon’s earlier dismissal from the position of national police chief also does not disqualify him from serving in the new cabinet.

He is tipped to be appointed a deputy prime minister and minister for natural resources and the environment.

Mr Wissanu said that as Pol Gen Patcharawat was later reinstated by the since-disbanded National Council for Peace and Order, this negated his previous dismissal.

Pol Gen Patcharawat is the chief adviser of the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) and the younger brother of party leader Gen Prawit Wongsuwon.

Cabinet position for ex-con Pichit queried

Eyebrows are being raised as an ex-lawyer is tipped to become a cabinet minister despite having served jail time for contempt of court over the so-called “cash-stuffed paper bag” scandal representing former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in a controversial land case in 2008.

Pichit Chuenban has been thrust into the spotlight as he is expected to serve as the PM’s Office Minister under the Pheu Thai-led coalition government, according to sources.

Thaksin — the former fugitive ex-PM who has long been considered the puppet master pulling Pheu Thai’s strings — returned to Thailand last week after living in self-imposed exile for 15 years.

On June 25, 2008, the Supreme Court sentenced Mr Pichit and two of his colleagues to six months each in jail for contempt of court after they tried to bribe Supreme Court officials by handing them a paper bag containing two million baht in cash a fortnight earlier.

All three represented Thaksin and his ex-wife, Khunying Potjaman na Pombejra, in the Ratchadaphisek land case, for which Thaksin was sentenced to two years in prison in 2008.

They were disbarred by the Lawyers Council of Thailand for five years after the council’s ethics committee found they had breached the code of conduct, based on the Supreme Court ruling.

In 2011, Mr Pichit was elected as a Pheu Thai list-MP and later acted as a lawyer for then-prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra — Thaksin’s younger sister — when she faced impeachment proceedings for her role in her government’s loss-ridden rice-pledging scheme.

Mr Pichit was among 10 people who visited Thaksin at the Police General Hospital on Monday, according to the sources.

Khomsan Phokhong, a vice dean at Rangsit University’s faculty of law, said Mr Pichit is not qualified to hold a cabinet post as he served jail time for attempted bribery.

Even though he was released over a decade ago and is not barred by any constitutional provisions from joining the new cabinet, his past conduct creates an ethical quandary, Mr Khomsan said.

“Mr Pichit was found guilty of contempt of court under the Civil Procedure Code, not the Criminal Procedure Code. Therefore, the provisions in the charter regarding cabinet ministers’ qualifications do not apply. But ethical issues and a sense of appropriateness must be taken into account,” Mr Khomsan said.

The cabinet’s secretariat must scrutinise the cabinet line-up before submitting it for royal endorsement, he added.

The nation’s newly elected prime minister, property developer tycoon Srettha Thavisin, denied speculation that Mr Pichit would become a lightning rod for criticism of the government.

Mr Srettha said the secretary-general of the cabinet would spend two days verifying the qualifications of those chosen before submitting the list for royal endorsement.

Meanwhile, outgoing deputy prime minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said on Tuesday that Pol Gen Patcharawat Wongsuwon’s earlier dismissal from the position of national police chief also does not disqualify him from serving in the new cabinet.

He is tipped to be appointed a deputy prime minister and minister for natural resources and the environment.

Mr Wissanu said that as Pol Gen Patcharawat was later reinstated by the since-disbanded National Council for Peace and Order, this negated his previous dismissal.

Pol Gen Patcharawat is the chief adviser of the Palang Pracharath Party and the younger brother of party leader Gen Prawit Wongsuwon.

Pheu Thai Party list-MP Sutin Klungsang, who is expected to become defence minister in the new cabinet, has expressed his readiness to work with the armed forces in exploring ways to implement the party’s defence policies as promised during the May 14 election campaign.

After submitting his biographical information for the verification required before an appointment to the new cabinet to the Secretariat of the Cabinet on Tuesday, Mr Sutin said he was among the 35 members of the new Pheu Thai-led cabinet.

He said he couldn’t confirm whether he would become the new defence minister or not, as the document requiring him to submit his personal information for checking didn’t specify which minister’s position he would be appointed to.

As for the defence policies that Pheu Thai promised voters, including a voluntary recruitment system, he said further discussions will need to be carried out to seek approval among coalition partners.

And if all or most coalition parties endorse these policies, the government will begin discussing with organisations in the Ministry of Defence as to what policies could be implemented within certain time frames, he said.

Several factors will have to be considered when prioritising these policies and deciding how they will be implemented, Mr Sutin said.

In response to critics saying he doesn’t have security expertise, Mr Sutin said that aside from being a quick learner, he knows former military officials who could become a team advising him on the job if he becomes the new defence minister.

“At present, I still don’t know if I will become the new defence minister or not. In case I am appointed to the position, that wouldn’t be unusual as civilians have been appointed as defence ministers in other countries,” he said.

If eventually he is chosen, he strongly believes he will be successful in the role.

Asked whether he could end an attempted military coup if he is made the new defence minister, Mr Sutin said he believes there are presently no conditions that would lead to a coup, adding that he thinks no one wants to stage one.

A female accountant at the Legal Execution Department’s provincial office in Pattani has been found guilty of embezzling 2.8 million baht, according to the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG).

She has been sentenced to 50 years in prison and told to return the stolen money to the provincial office, OAG deputy spokesman Kosolwat Inthuchanyong said yesterday.

The woman was identified by her first name, Chiranan, and described as a Level 4 finance and accounting officer.

The embezzlement was committed on 18 occasions between March 18, 2004, and April 27, 2006, during which time she falsified the signature of Mahosot Ramrangsarit, the office director, who had the authority to approve her requests to cash cheques and deposit the money into the office’s accounts, said Mr Kosolwat.

After cashing the cheques, however, she deposited the money into her own accounts and those of her acquaintances, amounting to 2.8 million baht in total, he said.

The woman, who had consistently pleaded innocent, previously returned 561,078 baht, meaning she still owes 2.24 million baht, he added.

The case was heard by the Region 9 Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases in Songkhla province around the middle of this month, Mr Kosolwat said.

The Expressway Authority of Thailand (Exat) is conducting a market survey on plots of land under and near its elevated expressways in 17 areas that are believed to have potential to be further developed for commercial purposes.

Opinions from prospective private investors will be compiled into a report, which will then be submitted to the new cabinet via the Ministry of Transport for consideration, said Exat governor Surachet Laophulsuk.

The 17 areas, which include Bangkok’s prime business zones, including Silom, Phloenchit, Wacharaphon and Asok, will be leased out to interested investors through auctioning from next year, he said.

These investment projects could come in various forms ranging from a three-year concession to a public-private partnership investment contract, which is five years to 20 years long and expected to break even in three to four years, he said.

The Exat has a total of 530 plots of land in these 17 areas ready for commencing a commercial development project, while from 2027 another 614 plots in eight areas will be ready to embark on commercial development when the lease contracts granted to small renters expire, Mr Surachet added.

Of the 17 areas, seven are categorised as a group with the highest potential to be developed for commercial purposes, he said, adding that 385 plots of Exat land in this specific group are between 3 rai and 10 rai.

The seven areas are Silom, Asok, Sukhaphiban 5, Ram Intra, Phloenchit, Victory Monument and Wacharaphon, he said.

The rest of the Exat land plots in these 17 areas range in size from 3 rai to 200 rai and are located in outer Bangkok zones and the suburbs.

In addition to this land development project, the Exat has prepared three new expressway projects to submit to the new cabinet for approval, said Mr Surachet.