Sondhi walks free after three years of 20-year jail term

By THE NATION

 

File photo

 

Sondhi Limthongkul, the former leader of the yellow-shirt nationalist movement, has been released from prison after qualifying for a royal pardon.

 

Rights and Liberties Protection Department director-general Naras Savestanan said on Wednesday the 72-year-old co-founder of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) had served three years and one month of the 20-year sentence he was given for falsifying loan documents through Krungthai Bank.

 

Naras said there was dispute among members of a judiciary committee as to whether Sondhi was qualified for early release, but the majority sanctioned the pardon. 

 

He benefited from an earlier exception granted to an inmate whose complaint citing similar qualifications was accepted by a Justice Ministry parole panel.

 

Sondhi was released from Bangkok’s Klong Prem Prison at 3pm on Wednesday, about three hours after the authorisation arrived from the Criminal Court. 

 

He was seen being picked up at the gate by a son and another former PAD leader, Parnthep Wongpuapan.

 

A ministry source said there was no political motivation or influence in releasing Sondhi and noted that Sondhi did not personally request the release, but rather benefited from the parole panel’s decision in another case.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30375835

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-09-04

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

Sure of course , all totally natural ????

15 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

A ministry source said there was no political motivation or influence in releasing Sondhi and noted that Sondhi did not personally request the release

Of course this isn’t political. I even hear Sondhi had to be persuaded to leave prison. 

Edited September 4, 20196 yr by rkidlad

Of course he qualified. He was wearing the correct shirt colour.

Comes in 2 colours; yellow and khaki

What can you say other than to note that the elites look after their pets well!!

 

The sheer brass neck to even suggest there is no ulterior motives in this case is breathtaking but not exactly unexpected....

Oh no!!

Because the release was based on qualifying for a royal pardon, it can't even be contested or criticised.

Thai justice is very selective, depending on your contacts and wealth.

Behold !! one of the vile creatures responsible for the current sad state of affairs.

 

 

40 minutes ago, Denim said:

Behold !! one of the vile creatures responsible for the current sad state of affairs.

 

 

If the 2 self-imposed fugitive were still in-charge, would the current state of affairs be any better? 

Explanation: Sondhi had <deleted> off someone from a very influential circle, otherwise he would not have been jailed and would have been let free as the other PAD leaders.

This very influential circle has been completely reorganised recently according to different criteria.

Edited September 4, 20196 yr by candide

5 hours ago, Artisi said:

If the 2 self-imposed fugitive were still in-charge, would the current state of affairs be any better? 

Yes. May have even had 2 elections without changing the constitution.

 

That would be a first.

10 hours ago, Artisi said:

If the 2 self-imposed fugitive were still in-charge, would the current state of affairs be any better? 

Probably.

 

11 hours ago, Artisi said:

If the 2 self-imposed fugitive were still in-charge, would the current state of affairs be any better? 

Yes definitely. No contest.

 

If corruption cannot be eradicated , which clearly it can't , then a civilian government is surely better than a military one. Much less xenophobic immigration policies just for starters.

11 hours ago, Artisi said:

If the 2 self-imposed fugitive were still in-charge, would the current state of affairs be any better? 

One thing for sure is that they will continue to block the submarine purchase and most probably other dodgy military procurement. 

8 minutes ago, Denim said:

Yes definitely. No contest.

 

If corruption cannot be eradicated , which clearly it can't , then a civilian government is surely better than a military one. Much less xenophobic immigration policies just for starters.

That would be open for debate... 

For me, either is a disaster in the making. 

1 minute ago, Artisi said:

That would be open for debate... 

For me, either is a disaster in the making. 

 

One of those disasters can be voted out of office by the people.

 

The other cannot.

1 minute ago, Denim said:

 

One of those disasters can be voted out of office by the people.

 

The other cannot.

No argument with that - however, an endless what if argument. 

58 minutes ago, Denim said:

Yes definitely. No contest.

 

If corruption cannot be eradicated , which clearly it can't , then a civilian government is surely better than a military one. Much less xenophobic immigration policies just for starters.

You realize you talk about the two self imposed fugitives and corruption in one sentence.  Those two went hand in hand with corruption. 

2 minutes ago, khaowong1 said:

You realize you talk about the two self imposed fugitives and corruption in one sentence.  Those two went hand in hand with corruption. 

I think you completely missed the point. The point or rather points that you completely missed were that there were a judiciary process by which they were charged (albeit another talking point) and they will be further judged by the electorate. This bunch wrote themselves an amnesty, not investigated for their corruption (they don't even have to declare their assets), seized power for 5 years and re-wrote the rules to continue their domination. Hope that clears up your misconception. 

Good for you, Sondhi, never should have been jailed in the first place, your only crime was trying to get rid of the evil T ????

1 minute ago, phantomfiddler said:

Good for you, Sondhi, never should have been jailed in the first place, your only crime was trying to get rid of the evil T ????

Totally agree, get rid of evil T and assist the saviour big P????

9 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

I think you completely missed the point. The point or rather points that you completely missed were that there were a judiciary process by which they were charged (albeit another talking point) and they will be further judged by the electorate. This bunch wrote themselves an amnesty, not investigated for their corruption (they don't even have to declare their assets), seized power for 5 years and re-wrote the rules to continue their domination. Hope that clears up your misconception. 

Seem to remember an other group trying to push through an amnesty for themselves and particularly their self-imposed fugitive from justice ex leader, but that's different when you support the other's 

 

5 minutes ago, Artisi said:

Seem to remember an other group trying to push through an amnesty for themselves and particularly their self-imposed fugitive from justice ex leader, but that's different when you support the other's 

 

They did but have to go through the lower and upper house process and judged the people sentiment. Well within the rights of them to propose the amnesty bill and they followed the legal process and withdrew after the people came out in numbers. The junta just grant themselves the amnesty that was forced upon the people.  

18 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

They did but have to go through the lower and upper house process and judged the people sentiment. Well within the rights of them to propose the amnesty bill and they followed the legal process and withdrew after the people came out in numbers. The junta just grant themselves the amnesty that was forced upon the people.  

Partially correct, they just tried it on after hours when everyone else had left to go home - the rest is history 

Just now, Artisi said:

Partially correct, they just tried it on after hours when everyone else had left to go home - the rest is history 

Can't even give you a partial pass here. If you followed the news you will find out that the Dems were invited for the late session vote and they declined. 

1 hour ago, phantomfiddler said:

Good for you, Sondhi, never should have been jailed in the first place, your only crime was trying to get rid of the evil T ????

Wasn't it for financial fraud?

1 hour ago, phantomfiddler said:

Good for you, Sondhi, never should have been jailed in the first place, your only crime was trying to get rid of the evil T ????

 

I think you'll find that a wee bit of delving will come up with something else.

1 hour ago, khaowong1 said:

You realize you talk about the two self imposed fugitives and corruption in one sentence.  Those two went hand in hand with corruption. 

 

Whereas the current incumbents are as pure as the driven snow and are preferable for some unfathomable reason you have yet to mention.

 

Corruption is just but one of the ills this country suffers.

27 minutes ago, newatthis said:

Wasn't it for financial fraud?

Falsifying documents to get a loan from Krung Thai Bank. Lucky to be out in 3 years. Seem a pattern with pardons to both colours. Expect Boonsong to be pardon soon.