Court seizes 897m baht from former secretary of disgraced commerce minister Boonsong 

 

 

The Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Public Office has ordered the seizure of about 897 million baht worth of assets held in the name of former secretary to convicted commerce minister Boonsong Teriyaphirom, who was sentenced to a heavy prison term for malfeasance over the fake government-to-government rice deals with Chinese state firms.

 

Mr. Boonsong and his former secretary Dr. Veeravuth Watjanapukka were among 113 individuals charged by state prosecutors for involvement in alleged corruption in the fake G-to-G rice deals with Chinese state firms which cost the state several billions of baht.

 

During the trial, Dr. Veeravuth jumped bail and fled abroad.  An arrest warrant was eventually issued by the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Public Offices. He was accused of being unusually rich by the National Anti-Corruption Commission and his case was brought before the Supreme Court by state prosecutors who demanded the seizure of his allegedly ill-gotten gains.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/court-seizes-897m-baht-from-former-secretary-of-disgraced-commerce-minister-boonsong/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2019-05-18

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6 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

by state prosecutors who demanded the seizure of his allegedly ill-gotten gains.

I think he will have taken it with him,too slow again.

regards worgeordie

Unusually rich? That's an understatement. How the hell does a government servant accumulate 897 million baht without anyone noticing after the first 50 million?

9 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Unusually rich? That's an understatement. How the hell does a government servant accumulate 897 million baht without anyone noticing after the first 50 million?

Many have asked the same about US politicians (and I bet most other politicians around the world).

9 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Unusually rich? That's an understatement. How the hell does a government servant accumulate 897 million baht without anyone noticing after the first 50 million?

How, by joining the PTP and doing fake G2G deals causing huge damages. Otherwise they can join the army and take their cut from arms deals. So many options for crooks to get rich in Thailand.

I like those guys who when they steal, oh boy they stal big, might as well they must have been thinking, in for a dollar in for a million...

37 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

He was accused of being unusually rich by the National Anti-Corruption Commission and his case was brought before the Supreme Court by state prosecutors who demanded the seizure of his allegedly ill-gotten gains.

This is great news, "seizure of his allegedly ill-gotten gains". Now if only the other thousands of overtly rich civil servants, generals, police-franchise-holders and similar ilk received the same treatment, I'd say that there is a spark of hope for Thailand.

 

And of course there should be NO EXCEPTIONS. No person should be above the law !

I will WATCH for future seizures.

14 minutes ago, neeray said:

This is great news, "seizure of his allegedly ill-gotten gains". Now if only the other thousands of overtly rich civil servants, generals, police-franchise-holders and similar ilk received the same treatment, I'd say that there is a spark of hope for Thailand.

 

And of course there should be NO EXCEPTIONS. No person should be above the law !

I will WATCH for future seizures.

Unfortunately the only thing you will be watching is the current mob going after their enemies who are corrupt, or if by some luck the PTP gets in power with others they will be going after weak people in the current mob for corruption. What you will NEVER see is those in power turning on their own. No side ever does that they protect them.

Almost $30m and he wasn't even a minister, just the secretary! I assume when he fled he left cars, houses, land etc thats been confiscated. Makes you wonder what the BIG fish are hiding.

Wonder where that 900 million baht will end up?????

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

Unusually rich? That's an understatement. How the hell does a government servant accumulate 897 million baht without anyone noticing after the first 50 million?

1 of 3 ways

1  Knowing the right people might be a start.

2  Having knowledge where the skeletons are buried

3 Having sticky fingers  ????

2 minutes ago, monkeycu said:

1 of 3 ways

1  Knowing the right people might be a start.

2  Having knowledge where the skeletons are buried

3 Having sticky fingers  ????

True. However, it doesn't say much for the competence of auditors, internal or external. Unless they are paid off too.

59 minutes ago, robblok said:

How, by joining the PTP and doing fake G2G deals causing huge damages. Otherwise they can join the army and take their cut from arms deals. So many options for crooks to get rich in Thailand.

Yeah while the current crooks have amnesty. Don't figure!

4 minutes ago, monkeycu said:

1 of 3 ways

1  Knowing the right people might be a start.

2  Having knowledge where the skeletons are buried

3 Having sticky fingers  ????

4. As MANY MANY politicians in the US have done, write laws that benefit themselves (insider trading at its worst/best).

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

An arrest warrant was eventually issued by the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division

Eventually - the word sums up Thailand's attitude to bent cops/generals/civil servants etc.  By the time the judiciary have finished most of the assets have been shipped to Dubai & there's little left to seize.

Just  imagine the amount being pilfered in Thailand with everyone in power, it  must be a staggering amount.

1 minute ago, gunderhill said:

Just  imagine the amount being pilfered in Thailand with everyone in power, it  must be a staggering amount.

And you've only just realised?

So greedy, should have been long gone with half of that loot.

2 minutes ago, Number 6 said:

So greedy, should have been long gone with half of that loot.

I can't imagine anyone being stupid enough to keep the money in Thailand.

Frequent foreign holidays with a suitcase of cash or gold, and the temptation to grab would have been gone.

 

Of course the 900 million might have just been their loose change 'walking around money'.

Edited May 18, 20197 yr by BritManToo

IIRC he was acknowledged as being the public face of the delightfully rotund Pojaman. Wonder why she has still not faced justice? Maybe she fled the nest as well and left poor Boonsong to pay the piper alone? Charming.

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

I can't imagine anyone being stupid enough to keep the money in Thailand.

Frequent foreign holidays with a suitcase of cash or gold, and the temptation to grab would have been gone.

 

Sad really, that he could feel so confident. Smug. People are still going hungry in this country. Farmers go without water for much of the year.

 

"pad loi lan baht".  that's barely "real money".  and to think it wasn't in a street name.  meaning a non Thai bank or broker, the kind of stuff Kim Jung Un could only be nailed on by a UNSC resolution back in 2017.  the forensic accounting of which obviously had to have begun during the Obama administration to come up with 9 names and passport and drivers license numbers to put the first time whammy on, with no China or Russian veto (UNSC 2371), each with dozens of "offshore accounts".   

 

that's the suitcase money thing mentioned above by someone else.  and comes back to be played with in insider trading, self dealings, tax avoidance..... etc.  but doesn't make any news at home, where most of it is enabled.  by our laws.  but Thailand is doing some good work.  some.  imagine that!

and on that we are not just talking about a few guys.  because of the Obama thing doing the leg work ahead of UNSC 2371 as far as the White House goes, and as for the USA mass media.... because it isn't just Kim Jung Un's A1 Car Wash gigs that used [sic] nominees..... or Thai guys..... but folks that chose where TV and cable advert dollars are spent.  so..... we are fed stuff like "fire and fury" and the big meetings of "great leaders"... instead of what the adults talk about.  

but at least in Thailand they seem to be making some changes.  hooray for Thailand.  come on guys!  give Thailand the credit when credit is due.  some progress!  but nada at home, not since Spiro T.  had to quit over some trifling bribe or something while governor.   even if some other stuff is also involved here that we don't know about also. 

Edited May 18, 20197 yr by WeekendRaider

13 minutes ago, gunderhill said:

Just  imagine the amount being pilfered in Thailand with everyone in power, it  must be a staggering amount.

Try this on for size. I have a fine upstanding Thai friend who had a career in the Thai civil service. She did her job diligently and worked a lot of overtime. When her OT money came in, her superior absconded with it. Apparently he did this to dozens, or maybe hundreds, of staffers. You do the math. I guess that's how some of the top brass become so wealthy.

And of course they emulate the real-top-brass who does not set a good example.

2 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Unusually rich? That's an understatement. How the hell does a government servant accumulate 897 million baht without anyone noticing after the first 50 million?

He was using proxies to hold the money.

Bet there are lots of senior civil servants and that include the higher ranking police and military officers that have unusual wealth if the NACC doesn’t practice selective investigation. I remembered a General who barked back at journalist who questioned his unusual wealth and ordered him to mind his own business. 

50 minutes ago, Number 6 said:

So greedy, should have been long gone with half of that loot.

Usually these people are not stupid, so this will only be a part of his assets, most of it will be abroad, and it also doesn't take his living expenses into account. So probably the real amount which he took is a multitude higher

Edited May 18, 20197 yr by jackdd

Now, if we started seeing these kinds of arrests and convictions of CURRENT army officers, and high ranking policemen, governors, and mayors, then it might lead us to believe the army is sincere, in their constant declarations in regard to the fight against corruption. But, do you notice that anyone who they go after is always a former, and never a current official?

Thing is he is only 1 of many, if they went after current as well as former officials the figures would be staggering.

9 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Now, if we started seeing these kinds of arrests and convictions of CURRENT army officers, and high ranking policemen, governors, and mayors, then it might lead us to believe the army is sincere, in their constant declarations in regard to the fight against corruption. But, do you notice that anyone who they go after is always a former, and never a current official?

I know this is my western thinking and it doesn't apply here but how sweet it would be if the wrong person's assets were seized and they blew the whistle on hundreds (maybe thousands) of others right up to the top.

The irony of course is that usually military coups at least in theory are carried out on the pretense of cleaning out government corruption and sloth.

 

City services have only gotten worse. The bus, BTS and MRT systems. The streets around me stink of sewage which drains from garbage trucks. All around the MRT stations grease and smell of sour sewage.

 

The new interchange in northern Bangkok still not up and running. Light rail to Utapao, simple affair.

 

None of the bureaucrats have a proper education, they don't understand their positions, responsibilities or the law.

 

Thailand has no respect for law whether it's paying a cop off on the side of the road, getting your undeserving kid into a top high school, shaking down farang or just outright dipping into the public coffers wholesale.

 

The latest with the insurance thing OA, the above issues - should I plan on retiring here? Maybe not, still young enough to make the choice.