Former Bangkok Governor Sentenced To 2 Years In Prison

[sriracha john]

Former Bangkok Governor and talk show host Samak Sundaravej (the one with the towel around his neck)

Samak and Dusit get jail for slander

Political veterans and talk-show hosts Samak Sundaravej and Dusit Siriwan were each sentenced to two years' imprisonment yesterday for defaming Deputy Bangkok Governor Samart Ratchapolasit last January.

Samak and Dusit were released on bail of Bt200,000 in cash pending an appellate review, following the sentencing session at the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court.

"The court battle is not over yet as I will definitely appeal the verdict," Samak said after his release. He said he already assigned his lawyer to lodge an appeal within 30 days.

Samart, meanwhile, said that, as the plaintiff, he was glad to have proved his innocence to society after being smeared by the two defendants.

"I also hope the criminal verdict will back up the civil litigation in which I am demanding Bt100 million in damages," he said.

In yesterday's ruling, the court outlined remarks made by the two defendants as talk-show hosts and aired on two television stations, Channel 5 and Channel 9.

It noted that the defence conceded that the bribery allegation against Samart was a rehash of other news reports and that the two defendants had not verified the information before airing it.

The plaintiff had provided banking and purchase records to rebut the defendants' allegation that contractors paid for a brand new luxury sedan as a bribe, the court said.

It found that the two defendants could not substantiate their remarks, made on four separate occasions, alleging the plaintiff's involvement in demanding bribes from contractors.

The court sentenced Samak and Dusit to six months' imprisonment each for all of the four libellous remarks and ordered them to apologise publicly by publishing the summary verdict in a national newspaper for three consecutive days.

The court refused to grant leniency in its sentencing in view of the defendants' repeated offences for libel.

- The Nation

===============================================

Samak, Dusit get 2 years for defamation

Deputy city governor welcomes the verdict

Former Bangkok governor and television host Samak Sundaravej and his co-host Dusit Siriwan were each sentenced to two years' imprisonment yesterday for defaming Deputy Bangkok Governor Samart Ratchapolsitte. They said they would appeal and were released on 200,000 baht bail each by the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court. The court found them guilty on four counts of defaming Mr Samart during their show, broadcast on two television channels.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/13Apr2007_news08.php

Edited April 12, 2007 by sriracha john

[ThaiGoon]

Former Bangkok Governor and talk show host Samak Sundaravej (the one with the towel around his neck)

Thanks for this nice description. Otherwise I woud have mistook him for the one with the leash around his neck instead.

Edited April 12, 2007 by ThaiGoon

[marquess]

Former Bangkok Governor and talk show host Samak Sundaravej (the one with the towel around his neck)

Samak and Dusit get jail for slander

Political veterans and talk-show hosts Samak Sundaravej and Dusit Siriwan were each sentenced to two years' imprisonment yesterday for defaming Deputy Bangkok Governor Samart Ratchapolasit last January.

Samak and Dusit were released on bail of Bt200,000 in cash pending an appellate review, following the sentencing session at the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court.

"The court battle is not over yet as I will definitely appeal the verdict," Samak said after his release. He said he already assigned his lawyer to lodge an appeal within 30 days.

Samart, meanwhile, said that, as the plaintiff, he was glad to have proved his innocence to society after being smeared by the two defendants.

"I also hope the criminal verdict will back up the civil litigation in which I am demanding Bt100 million in damages," he said.

In yesterday's ruling, the court outlined remarks made by the two defendants as talk-show hosts and aired on two television stations, Channel 5 and Channel 9.

It noted that the defence conceded that the bribery allegation against Samart was a rehash of other news reports and that the two defendants had not verified the information before airing it.

The plaintiff had provided banking and purchase records to rebut the defendants' allegation that contractors paid for a brand new luxury sedan as a bribe, the court said.

It found that the two defendants could not substantiate their remarks, made on four separate occasions, alleging the plaintiff's involvement in demanding bribes from contractors.

The court sentenced Samak and Dusit to six months' imprisonment each for all of the four libellous remarks and ordered them to apologise publicly by publishing the summary verdict in a national newspaper for three consecutive days.

The court refused to grant leniency in its sentencing in view of the defendants' repeated offences for libel.

- The Nation

===============================================

Samak, Dusit get 2 years for defamation

Deputy city governor welcomes the verdict

Former Bangkok governor and television host Samak Sundaravej and his co-host Dusit Siriwan were each sentenced to two years' imprisonment yesterday for defaming Deputy Bangkok Governor Samart Ratchapolsitte. They said they would appeal and were released on 200,000 baht bail each by the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court. The court found them guilty on four counts of defaming Mr Samart during their show, broadcast on two television channels.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/13Apr2007_news08.php

Well almost anyone can go to jail here in Thailand, when slander is a criminal offence! Though Samak does have a big mouth!

[El Taco Loco]

The real reason for his bail was that his mobile noodle business needed his big mouth. This guy has 9 lives......

[stoneman]

I think I would be willing to wager that he never sees the inside of a Thai prison.. would almost bet that this is the last we will ever hear about this...The appeal will probably be put on the court calendar for 2020 and will be forgotten..

[Thaising]

He’s not only big mouth, his big nose too smell great troubles when Mr. T and cronies are no more around to lend him support.

[TAWP]

Jail for 'defamation' is a joke.

[TAWP]

The second one is forbidden topic here thou.

[sriracha john]

When you've just been sentenced to prison for two years because of defamation, what's your best first course of action?

File complaints against someone else:

Samak files complaint against ASC

Former Bankok governor Samak Sundaravej has filed a complaint with police against Assets Scrutiny Committee (ASC) chairman Nam Yimyaem for alleged malfeasance that led to him being accused of a criminal offence. His complaint was also directed at Prasert Boonsri, who heads the ASC's sub-panel probing the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's fire truck and boat purchase deal, said a police source. Investigators accepted his complaint for consideration on Wednesday. The ASC in February implicated Mr Samak along with national politicians and a city official in alleged corruption in a 6.7-billion-baht fire truck and fire boat deal with the Austrian firm Steyr Co.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/14Apr2007_news08.php

======================================

Samak's firetruck scam deal expounded on here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=1242056

[pansted00]

The probability of Samak ever spending a single day in detention is as remote as that of a simple bloke winning the jackpot in a Vegas Casino, i.e insignificant.

[Doug]

It's a shame that Thailand has taken up the American practice of suing everyone for every imagined slight.

[ColPyat]

He’s not only big mouth, his big nose too smell great troubles when Mr. T and cronies are no more around to lend him support.

Not really.

Samak has been active part of dirty Thai politics long before Thaksin appeared at the scene. There are many other people in somewhat surprising quarters that support him, and have supported his odious schemes, and will continue so.

[Laulen]

Is there such a thing as 'clean' politics in any country? Are not we, the voters, somewhat responsible for believing all the election hype to get these people into power in the first place?

Is it a case that all the suitable people with integrity are just too busy with their own lives to have time to take responsiblity (sorry read that as 'power') over other peoples' lives?

[Martin]

"Is it a case that all the suitable people with integrity are just too busy with their own lives to have time to take responsiblity (sorry read that as 'power') over other peoples' lives? "

That is an enormous problem.

I remember some thirty years ago thinking that we would never again have a decent American President simply because the things that anybody had to do in order to become President would be abhorrent to any decent person.

Politics is like horse-racing, in that it attracts some of the very finest finest people and also some of the biggest scoundrels. But, if decent people are put off because there is a general assumption that politicians are scoundrels, the country suffers.

It really does behove us to be judiciously and actively interested in politics, so the decent politicians have support and the scoundrels are kept out of office.

And it is perfectly appropriate that defamation be an offence carrying harsh penalties, including jail for anything but accidental cases.

Someone who is wrongly robbed of their good reputation is damaged more than if they were just wrongly robbed of money. And so is the nation, if the person is a holder of office.

[glen]

Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy! Sure, the defam laws here are used and mis-used politically, as they are in many countries, and he'll probably slither his way out of it, but he was really one of the ugliest blots on local politics. Great photo.

[sriracha john]

UPDATE... With more charges....

Samak 'faces graft charges'

The Office of the Auditor General (OAG) has recommended criminal proceedings against former Bangkok Governor Samak Sundaravej, who is tipped to lead the People Power Party that has taken many former Thai Rak Thai MPs.

"The OAG has asked police to report investigation results within 90 days," a well-informed source at the OAG revealed yesterday.

According to the source, the OAG has found convincing evidence Samak and senior officials at the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) abused their authority in hiring private companies to undertake waste management in 2003.

The contracts were worth Bt9.58 billion but allegedly caused the state to lose money.

Deputy Auditor General Pisit Leelavachiropas had sent an urgent letter on Friday to acting national police chief Gen Seripisut Temiyavej, recommending criminal proceedings against Samak and other senior officials, the source said.

The officials were BMA Refuse Disposal Division director Adisak Witsawapaisan, BMA Public Cleansing Department deputy director Akradej Homsetthi, deputy city clerk Chaiyuth na Nakhon, who oversees the department, and deputy city clerk Ponglak Wasiksiri. All of them have already retired.

The source said they and Samak were involved in three refuse-disposal projects while working for BMA.

Before the projects were open for bidding, the BMA reportedly consulted the Council of State as to whether the projects would fall under the Public/Private Joint Venture Act that applies to any project of Bt1 billion upwards.

According to the source, the Council of State confirmed that each of the projects was higher than Bt1 billion and should abide by the act. To evade this, the BMA called for bids suggesting investment on the projects must not top Bt1 billion.

The OAG found the BMA chose former entrepreneurs at a higher service fee, and the refuse disposal project was in fact lower than the BMA's projection - resulting in the BMA paying out Bt558 million for nothing.

In response to the OAG move, Kuthep Saikrajang of the Thai Rak Thai Group said Samak had anticipated allegations would emerge against him after he agreed to work with his group and the People Power Party.

"But he is ready to fight the allegations against him," Kuthep said.

Samak would give a speech on his vision at a meeting of the People Power Party on Friday, as scheduled, he said.

Deputy Bangkok Governor Bannasophit Mekwichai, meanwhile, said the BMA would wait to see the OAG documents before deciding whether to cancel the projects.

- The Nation

[sriracha john]

The new TRT Leader sure is a lot like the old TRT Leader....

State audit recommends that Samak face charges

The Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) has recommended that criminal charges be filed against former Bangkok governor Samak Sundaravej over garbage landfill contracts worth a total of 9.6 Billion Baht signed by City Hall in 2003.

Deputy auditor-general Pisit Leelavachiropas made the suggestion to acting national police chief Seripisuth Temiyavej and the National Counter Corruption Commission on Friday. The OAG accused the former governor and four other senior officials of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) of corruption and abuse of power in connection with the garbage disposal facilities at Onnuj, Nong Khaem and Tha Raeng. An inquiry found that the five enabled the BMA, under Samak's leadership, to dodge the Joint Investment Act by splitting the projects into several contracts each worth less than one billion baht. The BMA reserved the right to reject any bids of over one billion baht. The act requires the BMA to forward any project worth over a billion baht to the cabinet for approval. The BMA was found to have ordered its Refuse Disposal Division to raise the garbage disposal fee in favour of some bidders, which caused the BMA to incur a loss of about 559 million baht. There was only one eligible bidder for each project, with all three winners being the previous contractors. Other bidders were intimidated and their bidding documents rejected. The OAG backed its findings with documented evidence.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/21Aug2007_news06.php

[John K]

SJ, It appears a new test has been found to find corrupt politicians. Simply look at anyone interested in joining newly named TRT. Apparently the seem to attract one another or flow to the same place.

I think they can thank their father Mr. T. for this Stigmatism.

So what mysterious medical condition Samak develop? I guess it will be like searching for a new screen name or new e-mail address.

Please select another illness, Bloody rectums has been taken.

[sriracha john]

prisonshowerphobia

[John K]

prisonshowerphobia

I know a good hypnotherapist who can help him with that. He will probably want to stock up with that Avon brand soap on a rope too to reduce the risk of dropping it in the shower.

[marshbags]

prisonshowerphobia

I know a good hypnotherapist who can help him with that. He will probably want to stock up with that Avon brand soap on a rope too to reduce the risk of dropping it in the shower.

If he doesn,t

It,ll be the usual.....indefinite bail, " Puyai Style " unless there is a mega change in the laws that facilitate this farce and consequently undermine justice and equality on sentencing irrespective of status.

marshbags

[John K]

The way things have been going of late, that change may be near the top of the list.

It makes me wonder what criteria the TRT look at for a leader.

Arrested for corruption (check)

Convicted (check)

Out on bail ( check)

THAT’S OUR MAN!!!!

[Scott]

I guess it's true that owners and their dogs, do start to look alike!

[hammered]

Mixed feelings on this. As much as I dont doubt Samak is guilty of corruption and far far worse things and as much as I would like to see him out of politics for ever, the timing here looks very bad to me. People are going to interpret this as a politcal move. I just hope the evidence is clearcut.

[John K]

Is certainly make me think that you can only find spoiled fruit at the market.

I agree the timing is bad, and perhaps the ban on politics should expand to convicted people. If he/she is eventually acquitted then allow him/her to return. If not then a 5 year ban after he/she finishes his/her jail time.

[spot]

Does seem odd that this is happening a couple of days after the vote, and after he's started to appear in the media again.

The charges must have been sitting there for ages.

[Plus]

No, not at all, they have been in spotlight for the past few weeks, but had been focused on Apirak's role in the scandlal. One of AEC members protested when Apirak was not included in their final report. Samak has been there right from the start.

If he is convicted, which is most likely if the case goes to trial soon, he'll be disqualified from politics for quite some time.

[John K]

Plus, Do you know what the expected time frame for appeals of this type is? Thai is one thing I have yet to nail down. With Thaksin it seemed that your appeal would come up shortly after your natural death.

[Plus]

Sorry, that's waste management, not the bloody fire trucks.

[sriracha john]

Auditors insist Samak charges substantiated, not political

The state audit office says its recommendation that criminal charges be laid against former Bangkok governor Samak Sundaravej for alleged bidding collusion is based on solid evidence and not politically motivated. Deputy Auditor-General Pisit Leelavachiropas, who made the recommendation to the National Counter Corruption Commission and the police on Friday, said it followed a well-rounded investigation. ''The Office of the Auditor General has no intention to defame the accused,'' he said. ''However, it is not unexpected that the affected people should be upset.'' The auditors accused Mr Samak and four other senior BMA officials of corruption and abuse of power in connection with three garbage management deals the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration signed in 2003. Mr Samak has recently emerged as the front-runner for leadership of the People's Power party. The little-known party has been taken over by former members of the dissolved Thai Rak Thai party. Mr Samak has denied all charges, saying the project was legally approved. ''This is a bid to destroy my political credibility,'' he said yesterday.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/22Aug2007_news13.php