Deputy Leader Of The People Power Party To Stand Trial For Attempted Murder

[sriracha john]

Yongyuth to stand trial for attempted murder

Court accepts case filed by elderly couple

The Ayutthaya provincial court yesterday accepted a case filed by an elderly couple accusing Yongyuth Tiyapairat, Deputy Leader of the People Power Party, of attempted murder in a raid which saw police riddle their house with bullets three years ago. Seven police officers are named as co-accused in the case. A team of lawyers from the Lawyers Council of Thailand is representing the couple in court. Yongyuth and the other accused officers, except Pol Sgt-Maj Chakkrapob, appeared in court to hear the charges in person. The court has issued an arrest warrant for the officer who failed to show up. The first hearing for the case has been set for Nov 27. Charges include attempted murder, trespassing on private property, and malfeasance.

On July 7, 2004, Yongyuth, while serving as PM's Office Minister in the Thaksin administration, led a security task force in a night raid on a house owned by Udom and Nisai Satakurama in Ayutthaya's Bang Sai district. Mrs Udom said Yongyuth and 50 armed police officers destroyed the railings before storming the house and firing indiscriminately inside. She said she and her husband ran for cover behind a refrigerator. When the firing stopped, the defendants held them at gunpoint while searching their house, although nothing illegal was found inside, Mrs Udom said in her lawsuit. Mrs Udom told reporters after leaving the courtroom that she had received threatening letters warning her to withdraw the lawsuit. She said even her five lawyers had been threatened and three of them have decided to pull out of the case. A former TRT MP for Chiang Rai, Mr Yongyuth is regarded as one of the most loyal supporters of deposed PM Thaksin Shinawatra.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/16Oct2007_news08.php

[sriracha john]

The suffering this elderly couple endured was compounded by the death of their son 2 days after the incident.

Excerpt from an Open letter to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights from the Asian Human Rights Commission:

Adisorn Satakurama, for instance, died in prison in August 2004 just two days after his house was shot up by an anti-narcotics task force. His parents miraculously survived by hiding behind a refrigerator, which was riddled with bullet holes. The prison autopsy concluded that he died from asphyxia, but a police forensic report unusually concluded that the death was due to poisoning. In August 2005 the news reached the family, which immediately demanded that the case be reopened. The head of the police forensic medicine institute insisted that the conclusion was due to a typing error until it was also revealed that a doctor had testified in court to the same effect that the victim was poisoned. The doctor was forced to retract his conclusion and a further autopsy found no evidence of poison, although by this time over a year had passed and the family went away unconvinced.

http://www.ahrchk.net/hrday/2005/pdf/HRDay-Thailand.pdf

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Prior to his death, Adisorn Satakurama had been jailed for stealing a crash helmet and was about to complete his one-year jail term in 7 weeks.

Edited October 16, 2007 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

Yongyuth named in lawsuit

A provincial court yesterday accepted a lawsuit against former Prime Minister's Secretary-General Yongyuth Tiyapairat and 11 others, including crime suppression police, for allegedly colluding in the attempted murder of an elderly couple in Ayutthaya province.

Yongyuth and Pol Maj-General Kosin Hinthao, a former crime suppression commander, were granted bail after the Ayutthaya court accepted the suit.

Yongyuth was accused of being involved in the case in which crime suppression police sprayed bullets into the house of Nissai and Udom Satakurama in 2003 after it was alleged they were drug traffickers.

The couple said they had been threatened after lodging the suit but refused to withdraw it.

- The Nation

[sriracha john]

An article on the incident from that time...

Officers ‘just said sorry and left’

An elderly couple, their daughter-in-law and her baby, aged one year and six months, were roused out of bed at 1 AM on Tuesday to face a nightmare as 100 police commandos pounded their Bang Saai home with gunfire before a search.

Nissai Satakurama, 70 and his wife Udom, 65, said they experienced the longest and most traumatic night of their life that night.

“Look at my home. The whole building is riddled with more than 200 bullet holes. The police just said sorry and left. I don’t understand the heavy shooting and rough treatment needed against two old people,” said Udom.

Udom said she and her family were sleeping when they were suddenly awoken by the gunfire. “I was scared and crawled to hide under my bed,” she said.

After minutes that seemed like hours, the shooting died down and she heard police demanding everyone surrender and prepare for a house search.

“Policemen charged into my bedroom. They manhandled me from under the bed, forced me to put my hands over the top of my head and started searching everywhere,” she said.

“I thought police officers should have learned manners, but I was wrong. They kept shouting at my husband and me. After they turned my home upside down and found nothing suspicious, a guy who called himself Yongyuth showed me that he had a court warrant for the search,” she said.

She was referring to Yongyuth Tiyapairat, the Prime Minister’s Secretary-General, who led the police raid on suspicion that the house was used as a drug lab for methamphetamines.

Nissai said police opened fire while he was on his way to the bathroom. “At first, I didn’t know it was police fire. So I rushed to pick up my .22 calibre pistol. I tried to return fire, but suffered a cut from the windowpane instead. Then I hid behind the refrigerator,” he said.

The husband and wife relocated from Bangkok to Bang Saai in 1985. They sold their plot near Wat Samien Naree on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road and used the money to build their new, but now bullet-riddled home.

- The Nation

[lazeeboy]

An article on the incident from that time...

Officers 'just said sorry and left'

An elderly couple, their daughter-in-law and her baby, aged one year and six months, were roused out of bed at 1 AM on Tuesday to face a nightmare as 100 police commandos pounded their Bang Saai home with gunfire before a search.

Nissai Satakurama, 70 and his wife Udom, 65, said they experienced the longest and most traumatic night of their life that night.

"Look at my home. The whole building is riddled with more than 200 bullet holes. The police just said sorry and left. I don't understand the heavy shooting and rough treatment needed against two old people," said Udom.

Udom said she and her family were sleeping when they were suddenly awoken by the gunfire. "I was scared and crawled to hide under my bed," she said.

After minutes that seemed like hours, the shooting died down and she heard police demanding everyone surrender and prepare for a house search.

"Policemen charged into my bedroom. They manhandled me from under the bed, forced me to put my hands over the top of my head and started searching everywhere," she said.

"I thought police officers should have learned manners, but I was wrong. They kept shouting at my husband and me. After they turned my home upside down and found nothing suspicious, a guy who called himself Yongyuth showed me that he had a court warrant for the search," she said.

She was referring to Yongyuth Tiyapairat, the Prime Minister's Secretary-General, who led the police raid on suspicion that the house was used as a drug lab for methamphetamines.

Nissai said police opened fire while he was on his way to the bathroom. "At first, I didn't know it was police fire. So I rushed to pick up my .22 calibre pistol. I tried to return fire, but suffered a cut from the windowpane instead. Then I hid behind the refrigerator," he said.

The husband and wife relocated from Bangkok to Bang Saai in 1985. They sold their plot near Wat Samien Naree on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road and used the money to build their new, but now bullet-riddled home.

- The Nation

get rid of all the opposition before the 23rd december ,and its will be plain sailing

[sriracha john]

So there's nothing legitimately wrong with a commando team shooting 200 rounds into an innocent elderly couple's home?

[stumonster]

Adisorn Satakurama, for instance, died in prison in August 2004 just two days after his house was shot up by an anti-narcotics task force

were they actually looking for the son , but in true keystone cops tradition did not realise he was in Jail ?

I wonder what he knew about whom ?

how much money inhabiting bank accounts of the rich and powerful comes from the drug trade ?

[kmart]

Adisorn Satakurama, for instance, died in prison in August 2004 just two days after his house was shot up by an anti-narcotics task force

were they actually looking for the son , but in true keystone cops tradition did not realise he was in Jail ?

I wonder what he knew about whom ?

how much money inhabiting bank accounts of the rich and powerful comes from the drug trade ?

If reports from sources about Thailand's parallel "grey economy" are to be believed, it would be quite a lot.

"Guns, Girls, & Ganja; Thailand's Illegal Economy and Public Policy" is a quite informative read, if a little unwieldy in title.

[John K]

So how many guest rooms are there in Thaksin’s house again??????

[hammered]

Quite why a government member would be leading a police raid has never been asked. Ignoring of course the irony of a character like Yuth "dooyen" being linked with law and order. If I remember corectly, which I may not, Yuth actually had a few journos in tow to witness his destruction of a meth lab and termination of evil drug dealers when it all went wrong, so there should be enough witnesses to put this to bed. Whether any of them will be brave enough to testify against such a dangerous person remains to be seen.

[sriracha john]

Indeed it's a testament to the elderly couple's bravery, especially the wife, Udom, who must be 68 now. She has bravely fought on for years now in both the house shooting case AND the death of her son.

She has done so against overwhelming odds and while going up against some really ruthless and powerful people and she STILL continues to seek justice for both the attempt on her family's lives as well as the highly suspect demise of her son.

Her courage to do so is inspirational.

Edited October 16, 2007 by sriracha john

[JetsetBkk]

Her courage to do so is inspirational.

Absolutely, and I hope she has good protection. Thailand needs more people like her.

Edit:

Please keep us informed of any developments.

Edited October 16, 2007 by JetsetBkk

[sriracha john]

Yongyuth to stand trial for attempted murder

Mrs Udom told reporters after leaving the courtroom that she had received threatening letters warning her to withdraw the lawsuit. She said even her five lawyers had been threatened and three of them have decided to pull out of the case.

Her courage to do so is inspirational.

Absolutely, and I hope she has good protection. Thailand needs more people like her.

Please keep us informed of any developments.

Will do the best I can...

Her lawyers being threatened is reminiscent of the unsolved murder of lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit in 2004, who also had the audacity to try and go against the last administration.

Yongyuth Tiyapairat, former Natural Resources and Environment Minister in ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra's Cabinet, and current People Power Party's Deputy Leader and MP candidate in the upcoming election. *Edit* and currently awaiting trial for attempted murder.

Best of luck to you, Grandma Udom...

Edited October 17, 2007 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

UPDATE

The very gutsy Grandma has a reminder for the "Refrigerator" House Speaker...

Yongyuth reminded of fridge business awaiting him in court

Udom Satakurama has reminded new House Speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat he still has unfinished business with her over a bullet-ridden refrigerator and told him to see her in court. Mrs Udom, 68, and her husband, Nisai, 71, have been fighting a court battle against the former PPP Deputy Leader whom they have accused of attempted murder. On July 7, 2004, Yongyuth, while serving as Prime Minister's Office Minister in the Thaksin Shinawatra government, led a security task force on a night raid on a house owned by the couple in Ayutthaya's Bang Sai district, where it was suspected that methamphetamine pills were being kept. The task force sprayed bullets at the house. The couple ran for cover behind a refrigerator which was riddled with bullets. Police found nothing illegal at the house. The elderly couple took Yongyuth to court for attempted murder. The provincial court accepted the case for deliberation in October last year. ''Now that you've risen to power, please don't forget that my bullet-peppered refrigerator has not been fixed." ''I will not give in and will fight the legal battle to the very end,'' Mrs Udom said. Since the Ayutthaya raid, Yongyuth's name has come to be identified with the bullet-ridden refrigerator and he has been nicknamed ''Yongyuth, the Refrigerator Man''. Meanwhile, the EC will decide tomorrow whether to continue its probe into alleged vote buying by Yongyuth in his home province of Chiang Rai after Chart Thai candidate Wichit Yodsuwan withdrew his allegations against the House Speaker. The EC sub-panel had almost completed its investigation and only needed to question Yongyuth's witnesses, he said, adding that the EC would not allow Yongyuth to resort to stalling tactics to delay the investigation.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/24Jan2008_news08.php

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

Grandma Udom has been an inspiration throughout her and her husband's horrendous ordeal...

[Jai Dee]

EC urged to call back petition against former PPP Deputy Leader

Election Commission (EC) Secretary-General Suthipol Taweechaikarn (สุทธิพล ทวีชัยการ) revealed that a special committee established to investigate allegations of vote-buying by Yongyuth Thiyapairat in Chiang Rai province, has requested it be able to press on with investigations of Mr. Yongyuth. The committee led by Mr. Suwit Theeraphong (สุวิทย์ ธีรพงษ์) asked that a revoked petition by Democrat member Vijit Yodsuwan (วิจิตร ยอดสุวรรณ) be reinstated.

Mr. Vijit had revoked his petition stating that he wanted to show his party’s unbiased political stance. The investigation committee though states that their probes show no grounds for a revocation of the petition and expressed the need to continue with the case against Mr. Yongyuth. The EC is set to discuss the matter tomorrow (January 25).

Concerning comments by Mr. Yongyuth that the committee did not set a date for him to give a statement on the case, Mr. Suthipol said that Mr. Suwit is a legal expert and believes that the committee will deal with the matter appropriately.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 24 January 2008

[sriracha john]

EC: Status of New House Speaker to Be Revoked If Found Guilty of Poll Fraud

A poll commissioner insists the Parliamentary status of the new House Speaker can be nullified if he is found guilty of violating election law.

The development of the investigation of the poll fraud charge filed against the newly-selected House Speaker, Yongyuth Tiyapairat, the Election Commissioner insists the examination will continue and if the Supreme Court finds him guilty, the status of any of Youngyuth's posts in Parliament will be nullified.

- Thailand Outlook

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

Hopefully we can presume the new House Speaker will have his position revoked if he's convicted of attempted murder as well.

[Jimjim]

Amazing. The new house speaker seems quite the thug.

[sriracha john]

The legend of 'Operation Refrigerator' lives on

'Yuth the Refrigerator' could not have understood what has gone wrong with his fortune. He thought the refrigerator industry would rise to celebrate his return to power.

But the mood has been subdued.

Yongyuth Tiyapairat has been considered the "golden boy" of the refrigerator industry ever since he led a team of police investigators to ambush a house in Ayutthaya, where people were believed to be involved in the drug trade. At the time he was serving as secretary for prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The police opened fire on the house. The owner of the house, a 67-year-old lady, had to duck for cover. Luckily she escaped the hail of bullets unharmed. But there were several dozen bullet holes in her refrigerator, which saved her life.

That famous incident has come to be known as "Operation Refrigerator". Later it was found that the target was wrong. The lady has recently emerged to congratulate Yongyuth on his appointment as House Speaker. But she said he would still have to see her in court. Yuth the Refrigerator will never disappear from her nightmare. So, his legend lives on.

The Election Commission has also been casting a serious eye at Yongyuth, a party-list MP from Chiang Rai. Some of its members have been going after him over allegations of election fraud. He has been let off the hook temporarily, pending a full investigation. The EC could shoot him down any time. Will this paper tiger have the guts to do so?

On Tuesday, Yongyuth strode into Parliament with pride. As a key member of the People Power Party and one of Thaksin's closest aides, he had been nominated as House Speaker. He is one of the youngest people to take on this prestigious position in the long history of Thai democracy. The PPP-led coalition is backed by 315 MPs. All of them were supposed to vote for Yongyuth's nomination. The Democrat Party nominated Banyat Bantadtan as its contender, knowing full well Banyat would never make it, with only 166 MPs sitting on the other side of the House.

At the end of the count, three votes from the coalition wing went to Banyat. Another six extra votes went to Khunying Kalaya Sophonpanich, the nominee for deputy House Speaker. The PPP was fuming. "Hey, can we play politics with etiquette?" one of its members cried out.

Some coalition partners obviously do not want the PPP to have a free ride. The signal is that, "Anything can happen if you don't treat us good enough; or we can pull the carpet from under your feet at any time".

Who are the black sheep then? Some tried to point the finger at Banharn Silapa-archa, leader of the Chat Thai Party, who could only have played this high-class trick. But Banharn said: "Who can know the culprits in a blind vote?"

On Wednesday, Yongyuth and a dozen MPs dressed in white uniforms, ready to swear an oath of office in front of a portrait of His Majesty the King. He was waiting for the royal signature to his appointment as House Speaker before he could go into the swearing-in ceremony.

The royal endorsement did not come. They all had to go home.

Yesterday morning at 9am, Yongyuth and his supporters dressed up again for the swearing-in ceremony at Parliament. Again, there was no sign that a letter of royal endorsement had arrived.

Yongyuth had to wait all day before the letter of royal endorsement finally arrived in the evening. Another hurdle was overcome. Only after his swearing-in ceremony could he formally open Parliament for the first session, where the MPs would pick the new prime minister.

Samak Sundaravej, PPP leader, was supposed to be nominated and voted in as PM today. But this will have to be delayed until Monday, when Parliament convenes. Samak, too, has been under the same unlucky stars as Yongyuth. He has accused "dirty hands" of blocking his way to power. He has had to fight for the top job. Banharn is waiting in the wings.

Unlike Yongyuth, Samak has called on all kinds of supernatural power to boost his luck. He earlier distributed Buddha amulets to his supporters in order to scare off his political enemies. The Phra Phairee Pinat Buddha amulets have been created to destroy his foes. He also sought a blessing from Luang Phor Khun of Wat Pa Ban Rai in Nakhon Ratchasima. On Wednesday he held a religious ceremony designed to bolster his fortune as he prepares to take on the premiership.

As you can see, both Yuth the Refrigerator and Samak the nominee prime minister have not enjoyed a smooth ride in their rise to power. There have been "dirty votes" and "dirty hands" standing in their way.

Given these rocky starts, the refrigerator industry will not rush to congratulate Yongyuth. Samak might also need to call on further supernatural power to prop up his fortune, although the premiership is now within arm's reach.

- Thanong Khanthong, The Nation

Edited January 24, 2008 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

Investigation into House Speaker's Electoral Fraud Continues

The Election Commission agrees to resume its investigation into the electoral fraud charge filed against the new House Speaker.

The Election Commission or EC today agreed with its sub-panel investigating the electoral fraud charge against Lower House Speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat, to reject the request by Chart Thai Party MP, Wijit Yodsuwan to withdraw his complaint against Yongyuth.

The sub-panel's chairman, Suwit Thirapong, states that Yongyuth's current status as House Speaker will have no impact on the investigation.

However, he admits his panel is still not able to invite Yongyuth for questioning as he remains tied up with engagements for his new post as House Speaker, so the panel will wait until his duties in this period are completed.

He expects the investigation into Yongyuth's charge can be concluded by next week.

Meanwhile, Election Commissioner in charge of investigative affairs, Somchai Jungprasert, says his commission will not rush the investigation into Yongyutt's case as the investigation should be made carefully before it is forwarded to the Supreme Court for further ruling.

Somchai points out that Yongyuth cannot claim the privilege of being a party list MP or House Speaker if he is found guilty of violating the election law, which would result in all of his Parliamentary posts being nullified.

He also insists that his plan to step down from the panel is not a result of discouragement over the criticism that he does not act neutrally.

- Thailand Outlook

[Briggsy]

If I recall correctly, Yongyuth was one of those TRT politicians held under house arrest briefly following the coup. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

He is head of the informal power clique which has a lot of influence in the Forestry Department and can rustle up a gang of unruly park rangers from Chiang Rai at the drop of a hat.

[sriracha john]

If I recall correctly, Yongyuth was one of those TRT politicians held under house arrest briefly following the coup. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

He is head of the informal power clique which has a lot of influence in the Forestry Department and can rustle up a gang of unruly park rangers from Chiang Rai at the drop of a hat.

They numbered in the thousands... and were armed...

Yongyuth was environment minister when the military toppled Thaksin's government in September 2006.

He was detained for 12 days after the coup because he had oversight over thousands of armed forest rangers, which the junta feared could be mobilized in a counter-coup.

He was released after the rangers were disarmed.

- AFP

[sriracha john]

Vote-buying probe to continue

The Election Commission (EC) yesterday decided to proceed with the investigation into alleged electoral fraud involving House Speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat, in spite of a petition by his accuser to drop the charge.

"The EC has ruled that Chart Thai candidate Wichit Yodsuwan has no justification to withdraw his complaint against Yongyuth," EC member Somchai Juengprasert said.

Under the election law, Wichit cannot cancel his compliant once legal proceedings have been initiated, Somchai said.

In the case involving Yongyuth, Special Branch investigators have already filed a report outlining causes to suspect foul play, and the EC subsequently appointed a special investigative panel led by former judge Suwit Theerapong to look into the matter, he said.

Somchai also warned that Yongyuth faced mandatory suspension from his post if the Supreme Court ruled to launch a judicial review of the case. Parliamentary immunity does not apply to legal proceedings related to the electoral process, he said.

- The Nation

Edited January 27, 2008 by sriracha john

[marshbags]

So how many guest rooms are there in Thaksin’s house again??????

Not sure about the house but he,s getting plenty of visitors in Hong Kong ???????

Bangkok Post, General news >> Sunday January 27, 2008

Quote:-

MPs rush to meet Thaksin in Hong Kong ..................Ex-PM said to be key to forming govt

Flights between Bangkok and Hong Kong have been particularly loaded with Thai politicians lately. They have also been flying to the same destination, a hotel where ousted prime minister Thakin Shinawatra _ the man believed to be playing a pivotal role in the forming of the coalition government under the People Power party _ has been frequenting.

Observers say key figures of the PPP and its coalition partners have been meeting the deposed prime minister over the allocation of cabinet portfolios and the voting of PPP leader Samak Sundaravej as the country's 25th prime minister tomorrow. Mr Thaksin, leader of the dissolved Thai Rak Thai, moved to Hong Kong from his base in Britain several weeks ago to make it easier for visitors to meet him.

Unquote

Ref url http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/27Jan2008_news03.php

Seems they don,t give a <deleted> who knows about the blatant minipulating and pulling of the strings by the evil one in exile, anymore.

I hope i am proved wrong !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

marshbags

Edited January 27, 2008 by marshbags

[ratcatcher]

So how many guest rooms are there in Thaksin’s house again??????

Not sure about the house but he,s getting plenty of visitors in Hong Kong ???????

Bangkok Post, General news >> Sunday January 27, 2008

Quote:-

MPs rush to meet Thaksin in Hong Kong ..................Ex-PM said to be key to forming govt

Flights between Bangkok and Hong Kong have been particularly loaded with Thai politicians lately. They have also been flying to the same destination, a hotel where ousted prime minister Thakin Shinawatra _ the man believed to be playing a pivotal role in the forming of the coalition government under the People Power party _ has been frequenting.

Observers say key figures of the PPP and its coalition partners have been meeting the deposed prime minister over the allocation of cabinet portfolios and the voting of PPP leader Samak Sundaravej as the country's 25th prime minister tomorrow. Mr Thaksin, leader of the dissolved Thai Rak Thai, moved to Hong Kong

from his base in Britain several weeks ago to make it easier for visitors to meet him.

Unquote

Ref url http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/27Jan2008_news03.php

Seems they don,t give a <deleted> who knows about the blatant minipulating and pulling of the strings by the evil one in exile, anymore.

I hope i am proved wrong !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

marshbags

"believed to be"........????? I believe George Bush is president of The United States of America.

Do these PPP-TRT sycophants prostrate themselves before Thaksin and kiss his ring?

[sriracha john]

A QUESTION OF MORALS AND ETHICS

Politicians have the opportunity to set a good example

The politics of the past several days has been relatively eventful with the royal endorsement of Yongyuth Tiyapairat as House Speaker rounding off the week. But the coast is far from clear for the firebrand politician, who stands accused of paying for votes in the Dec 23 election and is on trial over his role in leading an elite police squad which opened fire on the house of an elderly couple suspected of hiding drugs. The real-life saga earned him the nickname ''Refrigerator Man''. The elderly couple took cover behind their refrigerator and were lucky to escape with their lives as Yongyuth's squad riddled their house with bullets. No drugs were found in their house and the wrecked refrigerator came to be a symbol of the blatant abuse of power in the hands of authorities. So does Yongyuth think he has what it takes to command the legislative branch if moral factors are taken into consideration? For those with a built-in moral compass, the question may be superfluous. Needless to say, workable morals are a fundamental prerequisite in assuming any position of leadership. There is a positive correlation that cannot be emphasised enough _ the higher the authority, the more moral accountability. Politicians climbing the staircase of power need more than a show of supporting hands in parliament to deserve the post they vied for. They are entrusted with enormous power to handle decisions which can make or break the nation, and proof of their worthiness for a top post is a clean record. Before Yongyuth was chosen as speaker last week by 312 votes from the six-party PPP-led coalition, he must have confronted the question as to why he could not wait until the vote-buying case and the refrigerator trial _ in which he is charged with attempted murder _ were finished before assuming the job. He may argue that he remains innocent until proven guilty, a line popular with so many politicians skirting around the letter of the law. But with the post of leadership comes a demand for moral transparency, which he could display by at least announcing he will step aside as speaker until the cases have been heard and let one of his deputies act in his capacity.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.net/News/27Jan2008_news09.php

[Jai Dee]

EC may not complete Mr. Yongyuth's case within the month

Election Commission (EC) member in charge of election organization Praphan Naikowit (ประพันธ์ นัยโกวิท) revealed progress made in a case of voting fraud in Chiang Rai province against now Chairman of the House of Representatives Yongyuth Thiyaphairat. Mr. Praphan said that the case may not be concluded within this month as previously estimated.

The EC still has 10 witnesses to question before concluding the evidence gathering portion of its investigation. The commission believes it will complete all interrogations by the middle of the month.

The committee handling the case is currently considering whether or not to forward a pivotal piece of evidence in the case, a video CD of incriminating footage against Mr. Yongyuth, to evidence verification office. The EC though, affirms that the case will become more clarified before the end of the month.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 04 February 2008

[Jai Dee]

EC: no guarantee that case of Mr. Yongyuth will conclude this month

Election Commissioner Praphan Naikowit (ประพันธ์ นัยโกวิท) says the Election Commission (EC) has interrogated all witnesses who are accusing People Power Party MP and House Speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat (ยงยุทธ ติยะไพรัช) of buying votes in Chiang Rai province.

Mr. Praphan says the EC will question the 10 remaining witnesses in the defendant’s side. He says the interrogation process should be done within the middle of this month, if no additional problems arise.

He says the committee responsible for investigating the House Speaker’s case is considering whether it will submit the evidence to the Scientific Crime Detection Division as requested by Mr. Yongyuth. Thus, the EC member says he could not tell whether the case will be concluded within the end of this month or not.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 04 February 2008

[sriracha john]

EC: Yongyuth case clarified by mid-February

House Speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat could find out the result of an EC investigation into claims he was involved in electoral fraud by mid-February, according to EC commissioner Prapan Naikowit. Yongyuth was accused of election malpractice after a VCD recording emerged, purportedly showing him meeting with provincial leaders ahead of the election. Yongyuth has always maintained his innocence, claiming he was being framed. Talking to reporters before attending an EC meeting this morning, Prapan said EC officials need to complete their interrogation of several more witnesses before closing the case. "We have finished questioning witnesses from the prosecutors side, but have 10 more to question from the defending side after Yongyuth proposed more names to speak in his defence,” Prapan explained.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=125699

[sriracha john]

Poll Panel: House Speaker Tries to Delay Electoral Fraud Case

The Election Commission says its investigation into election fraud allegations against the newly-appointed House Speaker is being delayed. This, they say, is due to his attempts to try to drag out the case by requesting the interrogation of more witnesses.

The Election Commissioner on Electoral Affairs, Prapun Naigowit, reveals that the electoral fraud case against House Speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat has been delayed because he keeps on adding witnesses.

More than 10 witnesses from Yongyuth's side still have to give their testimonies to the sub-panel investigating the case.

However, the Election Commissioner said the panel may exercise its right to cut out witnesses it deems unnecessary, to save time on the investigation. Without further delays, the investigation should be completed by the middle of this month.

- Thailand Outlook

[sriracha john]

Yongyuth affirms that he was framed

Chairman of the House of Representatives Yongyuth Thiyaphairat and People Power Party MP revealed after traveling to meet with the Election Commission’s (EC) special committee investigating electoral fraud, that he still affirms he is being framed. Yongyuth is facing charges of electoral malpractice.

Yongyuth signed a written statement assuring that he was being slandered and commented that it would be his final statement in the case as he would no longer meet with the committee. The Parliament Chairman contends that video evidence of him was altered and fabricated to incriminate him.

The committee has put 10 new witnesses on its evidence list from the request of Yongyuth. He says that the witnesses should be sufficient to clarify the matter.

- ThaiNews