22 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Beautiful. Anytime a super corrupt person is sentenced here, it is a small miracle. 

 

However, what alot of us would love to see, would be the arrest and sentencing of some CURRENT army, police, administration, immigration and customs officials. It just never happens. It feels like the ultimate protection racket. 

Humorous in my humble opinion.  It's like watching the pot -- decorated with diamond rings, gold necklaces, and million baht watches -- kicking the kettle into the fire.

There are those who are connected and there are those who are not.

19 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

I never heard of the case before but 1.8 Million USD in bribes just to host a film festival in Thailand? Guess that film festivals must be lucrative.

 

I was thinking the  same thing, there are many countries who would bend over backwards to have this festival take place in their land (without any bribe), why would they choose to pay that huge sum to Thailand? 

 

Something is missing in the story, possibly the Green's wanting to take the money out of the US and hide it in Thailand?

 

Which would also explain the US continuously following up the case to end with a conviction?

Edited November 17, 20205 yr by CanadaSam
Added a paragraph

1 hour ago, CanadaSam said:

20 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

I never heard of the case before but 1.8 Million USD in bribes just to host a film festival in Thailand? Guess that film festivals must be lucrative.

 

I was thinking the  same thing, there are many countries who would bend over backwards to have this festival take place in their land (without any bribe), why would they choose to pay that huge sum to Thailand? 

 

Something is missing in the story, possibly the Green's wanting to take the money out of the US and hide it in Thailand?

 

Which would also explain the US continuously following up the case to end with a conviction?

 

They didn't pay bribes because they wanted to hold a film festival, they paid because they wanted to be awarded lucrative contracts related to running a film festival - and the contracts they got were indeed worth far more than the bribes they paid. Here's what the US Department of Justice said:

 

"Gerald Green, 77, and Patricia Green, 52, both of West Hollywood, Calif., were charged on March 11, 2009, in a second superseding indictment with paying kickbacks to the former governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in exchange for receiving contracts to manage and operate Thailand’s yearly "Bangkok International Film Festival," as well as contracts to provide an elite tourism "privilege card" marketed to wealthy foreigners.

 

"Specifically , according to the superseding indictment, the Greens paid approximately $1.8 million in bribes to the former governor through numerous bank accounts in Singapore, the United Kingdom and the Isle of Jersey in the name of the former governor’s daughter and a friend of the former governor. The contracts received by the Greens resulted in more than $13.5 million in revenue to businesses they owned."

 

The DOJ also indicted Juthamas and her daughter, and only dropped the case after Thailand agreed to prosecute them instead.

Where is the US couple now ?

 

7 hours ago, sncoem said:

Where is the US couple now ?

Gerald Green died in July, 2015.  Not sure about his wife.  The Greens were given 6 month sentences.

 

 

Some off topic deflection posts and replies have been removed. 

Who says crime pays, eh? 

4 hours ago, Damrongsak said:

 

The Greens were given 6 month sentences.

 

 

The 6 months US prison term for essentialy the same crime is starkly different and much less than the Thai jail terms of 50 and 40 years! It really does seem that it's all about the money here yet from reports it appears that Juthamas and her daughter never had the money confiscated.

 

10 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

 

The 6 months US prison term for essentialy the same crime is starkly different and much less than the Thai jail terms of 50 and 40 years! It really does seem that it's all about the money here yet from reports it appears that Juthamas and her daughter never had the money confiscated.

 

I saw something about the Greens case, about a million or so in fines or whatnot, but chump change all considered. But the old man was about 80 years old when they were appealing the case.  Why bother?  

1 hour ago, soi3eddie said:

The 6 months US prison term for essentialy the same crime is starkly different and much less than the Thai jail terms of 50 and 40 years! It really does seem that it's all about the money here yet from reports it appears that Juthamas and her daughter never had the money confiscated.

 

US prosecutors had requested ten year sentences, but the judge ended up imposing much shorter terms, mainly due to Gerald Green's ill health.

 

As for it being "essentially the same crime", it isn't. A person paying a bribe is violating the law, but a public official receiving a bribe is also violating the public trust, and is typically held to a higher standard (with more severe punishment). That being said, 50 years seems over the top considering the usual levels of sentencing in Thailand.

1 hour ago, khunjeff said:

 

US prosecutors had requested ten year sentences, but the judge ended up imposing much shorter terms, mainly due to Gerald Green's ill health.

 

As for it being "essentially the same crime", it isn't. A person paying a bribe is violating the law, but a public official receiving a bribe is also violating the public trust, and is typically held to a higher standard (with more severe punishment). That being said, 50 years seems over the top considering the usual levels of sentencing in Thailand.

50 years for taking a bribe, but murder few years and slap on the wrist, death penalty for drug convictions, no consistency 

Juthamas's BIFF's were awesome, extravagant events. Deluxe presentations hosting foreign actors.

 

But I have some personal animosity for Juthamas. She ripped off my tourism research, had it translated into Thai & published, with not even attribution.

 

66 years is a little over the top, esp considering the Greens' six month sentences.

Of course, just a matter of time they’ll be bailed out. 

On 11/17/2020 at 2:21 AM, nobodysfriend said:

 

 

 50 years in jail for corruption ? A convicted murderer only gets a few yrs here ...

His crime was not to share the money with his " superiors " .

She's been appointed by Thaksin. It doesn't absolve her of any crime but explains why she got 50 years while others are still running free.

On 11/17/2020 at 2:40 PM, CanadaSam said:

Which would also explain the US continuously following up the case to end with a conviction?

The US is following this case ? They are the root cause of Thai law enforcement getting tough with these two.?     Nothing indicates that at all. Even if it did, the Thai police response is usually ... yawn, who cares. I'm puzzled, but suspect money has been parked offshore, safely offshore, out of reach of authorities in Thailand. Bring it back pay some fines, and sentence reduced.

Then again this indeed may be the factor ... after all vindictive nastiness, with a smile, is a Thai cultural trait.

 

3 hours ago, candide said:

She's been appointed by Thaksin. It doesn't absolve her of any crime but explains why she got 50 years while others are still running free.