New Pattaya mayor promises to cover his father’s debt

By THE NATION WEEKEND

 

 

PATTAYA CITY’S new mayor said yesterday that his family will cover the Bt100-million in damages the court has ordered his father to pay the city over a corruption case.

 

 

Sontaya Kunplome, who was appointed to head Pattaya’s city administration on Tuesday, said he would cover the balance if the 40 plots owned by his father Somchai are worth less than Bt100 million. 

 

“Don’t worry. We will follow the final court verdict, and if the plots are worth less than Bt100 million, we will be happy to pay the remainder,” Sontaya said yesterday. 

 

In 2012, the Supreme Court sentenced Somchai in absentia to five years and four months in jail for colluding to sell 150 rai (24 hectares) of forestland to Pattaya City. Somchai at the time was a local administrator in Chon Buri.

 

 

Somchai, now 80, was arrested in January 2013.

 

Sontaya said yesterday that when his brother Ittipol was serving as Pattaya City mayor, his administration had checked with the Land Department and found that their father Somchai owned 40 plots of land. The city administration then asked the Legal Execution Department to confiscate the land for auction, Sontaya said.

 

“The process is now with the Legal Execution Department,” Sontaya said. However, a source in the department said yesterday that Pattaya’s administration, as the damaged party, has yet to call on the Land Department to check Somchai’s properties before the asset-seizure procedure began. 

 

“So the check has not begun yet. The 40 land plots mentioned have yet to be included in the legal execution process,” the source said.

 

 

Meanwhile, anti-corruption activist Veera Somkwamkid warned yesterday that the appointment of Sontaya as Pattaya City mayor might adversely affect the legal execution of the court verdict against Somchai.

 

Veera, who is secretary-general of the People’s Network against Corruption, said this could be a conflict of interest. He called for Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to be responsible in case of damage.

 

General Prayut, in his capacity as chief of the ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), named Sontaya as the new Pattaya mayor in an order issued on Tuesday.

 

In response to Veera’s claim, the PM said yesterday that Sontaya had nothing to do with his father’s alleged corruption, according to government spokesman Lt-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd.

 

 

Prayut was also quoted as saying that Sontaya is well qualified for the mayor’s job and has no characteristics that would prevent him from assuming office.

 

The PM also dismissed allegations that Sontaya’s appointment was part of a political trade-off between the junta and the Kumplome family, which is powerful in the eastern seaboard.

 

Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said yesterday that his father being found guilty in court would not prevent Sontaya from serving as mayor. 

 

Wissanu, who is in charge of the government’s legal affairs, said part of Somchai’s 40 land plots have been confiscated and sold off for payment to Pattaya City. If the money obtained is less than the damages, the Pattaya administration would need to confiscate more of Somchai’s assets, he added. 

 

The deputy PM added that though Sontaya was appointed by the NCPO, the junta will not be responsible if he does anything wrong, but the premier should be held accountable if his appointee is not qualified for the job.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30355413

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-09-29

5 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

if the plots are worth less than Bt100 million, we will be happy to pay the remainder,” Sontaya said

highly doubt they will be Happy; in any event, talk is cheap

5 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Prayut was also quoted as saying that Sontaya is well qualified for the mayor’s job and has no characteristics that would prevent him from assuming office.

 

 

Apart from having a bent auld fella !

Talk about 'jobs for the boys' !

An inter-generational corrupt-ocracy; way to go, Patts! That is not an easy one to pull off.

 

By the way;

 

"...The deputy PM added that though Sontaya was appointed by the NCPO, the junta will not be responsible if he does anything wrong, but the premier should be held accountable if his appointee is not qualified for the job..."

 

I wonder why this needed to be said?

 

Hmm....

 

Double hmm...

 

what a jolly looking bunch of fellows

Great Thai politics.

 

This family first supported by Thaksin and his PTP and now by the junta are corrupt mercenaries. It shows how dirty Thai politics are they don't care one bit for honesty.. just for votes.  Thai politics is a lost cause when they keep people like this.

 

Families who have been convicted like this for corruption should never again be eligible for public positions unfortunately they are.

Welcome to the hub of big jokes!

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

Sontaya said yesterday that when his brother Ittipol was serving as Pattaya City mayor, his administration had checked with the Land Department and found that their father Somchai owned 40 plots of land. The city administration then asked the Legal Execution Department to confiscate the land for auction, Sontaya said. 

 

“The process is now with the Legal Execution Department,” Sontaya said.

 

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

However, a source in the department said yesterday that Pattaya’s administration, as the damaged party, has yet to call on the Land Department to check Somchai’s properties before the asset-seizure procedure began. 

 

“So the check has not begun yet. The 40 land plots mentioned have yet to be included in the legal execution process,” the source said.

 

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

Wissanu, who is in charge of the government’s legal affairs, said part of Somchai’s 40 land plots have been confiscated and sold off for payment to Pattaya City. If the money obtained is less than the damages, the Pattaya administration would need to confiscate more of Somchai’s assets, he added. 

 

Looks as if someone is lying through their teeth...............as usual.

 

Come along Sontaya, it's your turn at the head of the trough.......Get what you can as soon as you can...

 

ha ha keep it in the family, remember that generals son getting all the gov contracts ??

Not sure how an administrator acquired 40 plots of land.

 

It didn't say that is why he has to pay 100 mil. It is because of other corruption?

 

Anyway, I, for one, believe his son will be 100% free of nefarious deeds. Do I get the 100,000 now boss?

How Prime Ministerial can you get!?

49 minutes ago, robblok said:

Great Thai politics.

 

This family first supported by Thaksin and his PTP and now by the junta are corrupt mercenaries. It shows how dirty Thai politics are they don't care one bit for honesty.. just for votes.  Thai politics is a lost cause when they keep people like this.

 

Families who have been convicted like this for corruption should never again be eligible for public positions unfortunately they are.

I first met Somchai Khunpleum (Khamnan Poh) back in 1989 when he became Mayor of Saen Suk (Bang Saen). It is not true that His family were first supported by Thaksin and PTP.  The truth is that the family were first involved with the Social Action Party (formed by some former Democrats) and led by Pramoj. Later he was involved with the Thai Nation Party under Chatichai Choonhavan which included the Godfather of Suphanburi, Banharn Silpa-archa. It was under the Banharn administration that Somchai, not Thaksin received  many of his construction contracts.  Not only did Thaksin not support Somchai Khunpleum, he was instrumental in having Somchai Khunpleum put into prison. The fact is that Banharn was the main supporter of the Khunpleum family not Thaksin.

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

In response to Veera’s claim, the PM said yesterday that Sontaya had nothing to do with his father’s alleged corruption

more comedy gold

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

The PM also dismissed allegations that Sontaya’s appointment was part of a political trade-off between the junta and the Kumplome family, which is powerful in the eastern seaboard.

virtual admission  then

i always  love the  smiling bs photos to show everyone  happy

8 minutes ago, Estrada said:

Godfather of Suphanburi

words  like  this really  dont  help at  all

Seems money is no problem overthere.

100 million?  no problem!  we have tons 'good ole Dad'

 

Ammart 1  Thai people  0   (again)

 

 

3 minutes ago, BobBKK said:

100 million?  no problem!  we have tons 'good ole Dad'

 

Ammart 1  Thai people  0   (again)

 

 

can we fix it.................im  afraid  not  bob

1 hour ago, robblok said:

Great Thai politics.

 

This family first supported by Thaksin and his PTP and now by the junta are corrupt mercenaries. It shows how dirty Thai politics are they don't care one bit for honesty.. just for votes.  Thai politics is a lost cause when they keep people like this.

 

Families who have been convicted like this for corruption should never again be eligible for public positions unfortunately they are.

 

Like most of your post and agree but what's this 'but... but... but...Thaksin' stuff?  Thaksin was an enemy of this family. You just can't help yourself.

 

Quote

Ill Kamnan Poh freed from prison

national December 16, 2017 01:00

By THE NATION

SOMCHAI “KAMNAN Poh” Khunpluem has been released from prison as a special case due to the severity of his illness, Corrections Department chief Pol Colonel Narat Sawettanan said yesterday. Somchai, 80, was eligible to receive the suspension as he has stage four cancer and is over 70 years old, Narat said.

The special suspension of a sentence is granted to convicts with serious medical conditions to allow them to have appropriate medical treatment and return home to spend the rest of their lives with their families, Narat said.
 

The order to release him was approved by Justice Minister ACM Prajin Juntong on Thursday. The department sent the letter of release to Police General Hospital where Somchai was being detained.

Somchai was arrested in Bangkok’s Pattanakarn area in January, 2013, after years on the run.

He was sentenced to a jail term of 25 years on the murder case and five years and four months on the corruption case.

 

 

So how's the old guy doing a year later? Does the OP article even say? Just that he's now managed to survive to age 80.

 

And meanwhile, no mention in the OP article of the father also having been convicted and sentenced in a murder case!

 

More good government in action!

Edited September 29, 20187 yr by TallGuyJohninBKK

How about return the land, and if it's surplus open auction....the criminal charges move forward .

59 minutes ago, BobBKK said:

 

Like most of your post and agree but what's this 'but... but... but...Thaksin' stuff?  Thaksin was an enemy of this family. You just can't help yourself.

Just showing that Thaksin and the junta and all Thai politics are the same dirty.. just dispelling the myth of Thaksin being good.. he is as dirty as all of them maybe even more so. Just shows that those that are so much against the junta should see that Thaksin did the same.

 

Its about showing that its foolish to support sides here as they are all corrupt and we should celebrate whenever one of them gets done for corruption no matter who. 

As Head of Pattaya's coffers he can afford to make good on any shortfalls; IF any are found!

4 hours ago, rooster59 said:

“Don’t worry. We will follow the final court verdict, and if the plots are worth less than Bt100 million, we will be happy to pay the remainder,”

Probably by 'borrowing' twice as much from somewhere else

100MB  is pocket change to this family.

Some off topic and inflammatory posts removed

It is not only corruption at the highest levels, but, as many long-term TV readers know, his father is also the notorious Kamnan Poh, the biggest mafia of the Eastern seaboard who has now, for some strange reason, absent to all common sense as well as the fair order of law, has been given a get out of jail free card, ( one of the fastest we have ever known! ).

 

This despite being guilty of ordering murders; and this was by no means his first rodeo!

 

The man has always been deeply involved in the most corrupt activities Thailand's Eastern seaboard has ever known, and it cannot be reasonably believed that his offspring had no knowledge of it.

 

It just goes to show how riddled and stinky the country is just below the surface. A lot to be said by those on TV who advocate just keeping yourself to yourself and investing the minimum in this country.

 

They are so hard faced that they can be all smiles for the camera and no questions asked that they are in the presence of one of the most corrupt families in Thailand. 

 

Never expect justice or honesty in Thailand, they do not know the meaning of the word. Now, the famous junta that was going to clear out all corruption in the country, organizes or facilitates a release so that they can all get in bed together.

 

https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1379655/ailing-kamnan-poh-wins-early-release-from-prison

Edited September 29, 20187 yr by Scouse123

Nest of Vipers; ride roughshod over the people of Thailand and couldn't care less what damage they do as long as they stay in the money.