US Couple Arrested In Bangkok Film Festival Graft Probe

[sriracha john]

UPDATE...they've been indicted and face 35 years in prison

U.S. movie exec charged over Thai festival bribes

LOS ANGELES - A Los Angeles movie executive and his wife have been indicted on charges of paying $900,000 in bribes to a senior Thai tourism official to secure lucrative contracts to run a film festival in Bangkok.

The U.S. Department of Justice said on Thursday that Gerald Green, 75, and his wife Patricia, 52, were indicted late on Wednesday by a federal grand jury for making a series of payments over five years to the then governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Juthamas Siriwan.

According to the indictment, the Greens paid $900,000 to Siriwan to win contracts worth more than $7 million for running the annual Bangkok International Film Festival from 2002-2007. The festival was controlled by the Thai Tourist Authority.

The Greens are accused of seven counts of violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and could face a maximum of five years in prison on each charge if they are convicted.

U.S. federal prosecutors said the Greens tried to hide the bribes by using different businesses, dummy addresses and telephone numbers, and making payments through intermediaries including Siriwan's daughter.

Siriwan has denied receiving irregular payments from the Greens, telling Reuters in December that she knew nothing about the arrest of the Greens in California.

Lawyers for the Greens could not be reached for comment.

- Reuters

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

It'll be even more difficult now for Thai authorities to ignore the American case and not to take action against Juthamas...

Her statements get more and more ridiculous....

As for the Greens, as this is a federal-level indictment, if they are convicted there is no early parole and a 35 prison sentence would mean 35 years behind bars. They'll be 110 and 87 when released.

Edited January 18, 2008 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

Film Executive and Spouse Indicted for Paying Bribes to a Thai Tourism Official to Obtain Lucrative Film Festival Management Contracts

WASHINGTON -- Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Thomas P. O'Brien for the Central District of California announced that a Los Angeles-area film executive and his spouse were indicted late yesterday on allegations of making corrupt payments to a Thai government official in order to obtain lucrative contracts to run an international film festival held annually in Bangkok, in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).

Gerald Green, 75, and his wife Patricia Green, 52, both of West Hollywood, co-owners of Film Festival Management, Inc. (FFM), a Los Angeles-based film company, were indicted by a federal grand jury in Los Angeles on one count of conspiracy to bribe a foreign public official in violation of the FCPA and six substantive counts of violating the FCPA.

The charges stem from a conspiracy to make more than $900,000 in bribe payments for the benefit of a government official who headed the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to obtain contracts to manage and operate the annual Bangkok International Film Festival ("BKKIFF") from 2002-2007.

According to the indictment, the Greens owned and operated Film Festival Management, which was formed in 2002 specifically to obtain the contracts to operate and manage the BKKIFF. As charged, from 2002 and continuing into 2007, the Greens conspired with others to bribe a senior Thai government official who was, at the time, the president of the BKKIFF and the governor of the TAT.

As a result of her position at the TAT, the governor was able to influence the awarding of the BKKIFF contracts. More than $900,000 in payments are alleged to have been made for the benefit of the governor in exchange for payments totaling more than $7,000,000 under the BKKIFF contracts.

The indictment charges that the Greens used different business entities, some with dummy business addresses and telephone numbers, in their dealings with the TAT in order to hide the large amount of money the Greens were being paid under the contracts.

The indictment further charges that the Greens disguised the bribes as "sales commission" payments and made the payments for the benefit of the governor through the foreign bank accounts of intermediaries, including bank accounts in the name of the governor's daughter.

The Greens were charged by criminal complaint on Dec. 7, 2007, and arrested on Dec. 17, 2007.

The conspiracy and FCPA allegations each carry a maximum of five years in prison.

The criminal case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Jonathan E. Lopez of the Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Searby of the Central District of California.

The case was investigated by agents of the FBI, Los Angeles Field Office.

An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

- U.S. Department of Justice Press Release

[Jai Dee]

Producer indicted on bribery charges

A film producer and his wife have been indicted by a federal jury on charges of bribing a Thai government official to run an annual international film festival in Bangkok, officials said Thursday.

Gerald Green, 75, and his wife, Patricia Green, 52, both of West Hollywood, were indicted late Wednesday on one count of conspiracy to bribe and six counts of bribing a foreign official.

If convicted, they could each face up to 35 years in federal prison, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce H. Searby.

"Based on what we read in the indictment, we would dispute the allegations, and a trial will show what really happened," said Patricia Green's attorney Marilyn Bednarski.

Calls Thursday to the office of Gerald Green's attorney, Jerome Mooney, were not immediately returned.

The couple's business, Film Festival Management, was formed in 2003 in order to bid for the management contract for the annual Bangkok International Film Festival.

The couple was arrested Dec. 17 at Los Angeles International Airport after arriving on a flight from Thailand.

Patricia Green was released after posting $200,000 bond and Gerald Green was released after posting $500,000 bond, Searby said.

The indictment claims the Greens conspired to pay more than $900,000 in bribes to a government official who headed the Tourism Authority of Thailand in exchange for payments totaling more than $7 million under the film festival contracts.

Prosecutors also alleged the Greens attempted to cover up their bribery by using different businesses, some with fake addresses and telephone numbers. Prosecutors said the couple used the entities to conceal the money they were paid under the contracts.

Gerald Green's movie producer credits include "Rescue Dawn."

Source: AP - 18 January 2008

[BigSnake]

Here to leave a litle dirty money, rich get richer, WOW!!

[Gary A]

What's wrong with you people? She says she never had anything to do with it and that she never took any money. Don't you believe her?

[sriracha john]

TAT bigwigs allegedly implicated in fest graft

Several officers at the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) were involved with the Bangkok International Film Festival (BIFF) scandal as well as an ex-governor who is alleged to have taken bribes from an American businessman, according to Tourism Minister Suvit Yodmani.

"Preliminarily the investigation shows that aside from the ex-governor, some officers were involved. We're now investigating the degree of their involvement," Suvit said yesterday.

Besides the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), two investigating committees have been set up following the arrest of American businessman Gerald Green and his wife Patricia in Los Angeles for breaching the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which bars American companies from paying bribes for business deals. The Greens were yesterday indicted for bribing the ex-governor of TAT in return for a three-year contract to host the BIFF from 2004-2006.

A committee was chaired by TAT Deputy Governor for International Marketing Juthaporn Roengronasa, who said it would need another 30 days to finalise the case, as opposed to the original schedule to wrap it up on January 20. Juthaporn said she was waiting for the information that linked BIFF and US companies from the TAT Office in Los Angeles before conducting the in-depth investigation. The contracts were signed through the overseas office, she added.

Suvit also authorised another committee chaired by Nathi Premrassami, Deputy Permanent-Secretary to the PM's Office, and consisting of representatives from the ministries of Tourism and Foreign Affairs.

Suvit said yesterday that both committees would proceed with their tasks while working closely with the DSI. They have filed BIFF data from 2005-2006 to the DSI and will file the data from 2003-2004 soon.

Suvit said Thailand also needed more information from the US following the indictment.

He said the formation of the new government would not disrupt the ongoing investigation and believed the bribery scandal would not dent Thailand's reputation.

The scandal pressured former TAT Governor Juthamas Siriwan to deny any involvement and to resign from the Puea Pandin Party and drop out as a candidate for a Bangkok seat in the election.

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) did not name Juthamas, but she was the TAT Governor from 2001-2006 when the Greens' companies won BIFF contracts.

According to the US documents, the Greens paid US$1.7 million (Bt52 million) in bribes to the ex-governor in return for the US$10 million contract to manage the 2004 BIFF. All the money was wired to the accounts of the ex-Governor's daughter in the United Kingdom, Singapore and Jersey and another person whose initials are KC.

The DSI is coordinating with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation to obtain more evidence against Juthamas.

The DSI is also working with the Anti-Money Laundering Office in tracing money transactions between several people, including Gerald and Patricia Green and a daughter of Juthamas, to find out how the bribe was paid.

According to the FBI indictment, the Americans paid US$7 million for the rights to organise the Bangkok Film Festival for five years from 2002-2007. The annual event was held in Bangkok partly on the approval of the TAT under Juthamas's governorship.

DSI official Piyawat Kingket said he was waiting for documentary evidence regarding the organisation of the festival from the TAT and those involved in the money transaction would be summoned for questioning soon.

- The Nation

[sriracha john]

CORRUPTION BANGKOK INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Alleged bribe cash traced to Thais

Alleged bribe money linked to the case involving the staging of the annual Bangkok International Film Festival has been traced to the account of a daughter of a former TAT executive against whom the US Justice Department had levelled the allegation, said the Department of Special Investigation yesterday. Col Piyawat Kingkate said the FBI has sent witness testimonies and evidence showing the money trail to Thai police. The AMLO, which helped with the probe, found that the money had been wired from Thailand to the United States and then to the account of a daughter of a former TAT executive in Britain, before it was transferred back to the account of another person in Thailand, Col Piyawat said. Besides, he said, an investigation found that about 200 million baht was allocated per year for organizing the annual BIFF from 2003-2005, the period of the alleged bribery. But since the appointment of a new TAT governor, the annual event has been organized with a budget of only 70 million baht, Col Piyawat noted. ''The DSI has already collected evidence and documents regarding the organizing of the 2005 and 2006 festivals. Evidence for the 2003 and 2004 events has still not been sent. "When we have enough evidence, we will call the owners of the accounts suspected of bribery to testify. Investigators will also fly to gather evidence in the US. The case will then be submitted to the NCCC," Col Piyawat said. The film producer and his wife who were accused of bribing the senior Thai tourism official to run the annual BIFF have been indicted by a federal jury. The couple was arrested on Dec 17 at Los Angeles International Airport after arriving on a flight from Thailand.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.net/News/19Jan2008_news03.php

[Journalist]

Isn't the usual 3rd world deal that if you get caught with your hands in the till, and there's really no way that you can fabricate a plausible excuse, then you have to give the money back for the specific incident in question.....but no further action is taken to penalise the individual, nor is there any investigation of previous suspicious conduct.

[sriracha john]

TAT to submit probe on bribery allegation to DSI

BANGKOK – An internal panel investigating a bribery allegation against a former head of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) should finalise its probe on Sunday.

The committee, chaired by a TAT deputy governor, was assigned to look into the bribery charge against the former TAT official after an American motion picture executive and his wife were charged in the United States with paying kickbacks to the official in order to organise an international film festival in Bangkok.

Minister of Tourism and Sports Suwit Yodmanee said a report of the investigation will be submitted to the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and the Office of the National Counter Corruption Commission (ONCCC).

In addition to the former TAT chief, Mr. Suwit said several other TAT employees were implicated in the scandal.

Meanwhile, DSI Director General Sunai Manomaiudom said his agency will work with the US to get information on the money transaction to Thai officials and will conclude its investigation in one month before forwarding it to the ONCCC.

Chief of the DSI's Bureau for Special Criminal Cases, Col. Piyawat Kingket said the agency has worked closely with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on the case. The FBI has shared information on witnesses' testimonies and money transaction with the DSI.

According to Reuters, Gerald Green and his wife were indicted on Wednesday for making a series of payment over five years to the then governor of the TAT, Juthamas Siriwan, to secure lucrative contracts to run a film festival in Bangkok.

- MCOT

[Jai Dee]

DSI will collect evidence and information before calling in former TAT Governor

Department of Special Investigations (DSI) Commander and Spokesman Colonel Piyawat Kingkate (ปิยะวัฒก์ กิ่งเกตุ) revealed that the department does not yet see the necessity to call in former Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Jutamas Siriwan (จุฑามาศ ศิริวรรณ) to give testimony on the case of bribery concerning the Bangkok Film Festival. The DSI at the moment is collecting evidence and reviewing documentation to be used in the case.

Colonel Piyawat said that the DSI is seeking to create strong links from evidence and suspects before calling on witnesses and individuals involved in the matter. The DSI will also be forwarding its information to the National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC) for further review.

The DSI states that at the moment bribery evidences are still limited. The department had asked for an additional 30 days to collect more information concerning the scandal. The department is also awaiting documentation from the Tourism Authorities office in Los Angeles, USA to corroborate evidence found in the Thailand.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 22 January 2008

[Jai Dee]

Couple pleads not guilty to bribery charge

A Los Angeles couple pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges of bribing a senior Thai government official in charge of awarding lucrative contracts for the Bangkok International Film Festival.

Gerald and Patricia Green of Film Festival Management appeared in a downtown federal courtroom in Los Angeles to answer the charges. They were indicted last week by a federal grand jury after waiving their rights to a preliminary hearing.

The government claims they funneled more than $900,000 to a Thai official who was president of the Bangkok film fest and governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand. In exchange, they were allegedly awarded festival contracts, which included funds of more than $7 million.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter - 23 January 2008

[Jai Dee]

Film producer and wife plead not guilty to bribery charges

A film producer and his wife pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges of bribing a Thai government official to run an annual international film festival in Bangkok.

Gerald Green, 75, and his wife, Patricia Green, 52, both of West Hollywood, were indicted last week on one count of conspiracy to bribe and six counts of bribing a foreign official.

A Feb. 26 trial date was set for the couple. If convicted, they could each face up to 35 years in federal prison, prosecutors said.

The couple's business, Film Festival Management, was formed in 2002 to obtain contracts to manage and operate the annual Bangkok International Film Festival, according to the indictment.

The couple was arrested Dec. 17 at Los Angeles International Airport after arriving on a flight from Thailand.

The indictment claims the Greens conspired to pay more than $900,000 in bribes to the senior official, who at the time was president of the festival and governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, to obtain film festival contracts worth more than $7 million.

Prosecutors also alleged the Greens attempted to cover up their bribery by using different businesses, some with fake addresses and telephone numbers. Prosecutors said the couple used the entities to conceal the money they were paid under the contracts.

Gerald Green's movie producer credits include ''Rescue Dawn.''

Source: AP - 23 January 2008

[samran]

The AMLO, which helped with the probe, found that the money had been wired from Thailand to the United States and then to the account of a daughter of a former TAT executive in Britain, before it was transferred back to the account of another person in Thailand, Col Piyawat said.

Juthamas's daughter 'Jeep' went to work in the UK for TAT during this time.

Still bump into her from time to time. Next time I see her, I'll ask if she has some spare change.

[Jai Dee]

TAT to step back from international film festival

BANGKOK – The Tourism Authority of Thailand is distancing itself from the Bangkok International Film Festival, which is currently the subject of court proceedings in the United States.

A US federal grand jury has indicted husband and wife Film Festival Management executives Gerald and Patricia Green for allegedly bribing a senior Thai government official into awarding them lucrative contracts to run the festival.

The Hollywood Reporter said the indictment has charged the Greens with one count of conspiracy to bribe a foreign public official in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act as well as six other counts of violating the FCPA.

According to the grand jury indictment, between 2002 and 2007, Gerald Green, 75, and Patricia Green, 42, channelled more than US$900,000 to a Thai official who was president of the Bangkok film festival and governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand at the time.

The lawyer representing the Greens say they will deny all charges

Although not named in court documents, the government official in question is believed to be former festival president Juthamas Siriwan, who also was the tourism authority governor at that time. She has also denied the allegations.

Speaking at ASEAN Tourism Forum yesterday Phornsiri Manoharn, who replaced Juthamas as governor, said the TAT was speaking to the Film Association of Thailand about hosting the event.

She said, "The Bangkok International Film Festival was very successful last year. Bangkok is a world city and should have its own film festival.

"Normally the national tourism office wouldn't host an event such as this, so we are looking for a new host.

"We would hand over the name of the event to a new host, whom we would support in keeping the festival going."

Source: Travelmole - 24 January 2008

[Tony Clifton]

TAT to step back from international film festival

Is that the equivalent to bailing out of the TRT party before the sh!t hit the fan?

[SiamFalcon]

Jutamas -

[thaigene2]

I think this case reflects far more about corruption in the US business system, especially the entertainment and media industry, than it reflects on Thailand. Completley commonplace behaviour for US corporations abroad. When they are caught, they point the finger elsewhere.

While your main point may be correct about endemic corruption among US businesses 'competing' with the other internationals, you can't escape the fact that the finger is being pointed at others by a felon who will receive his time behind bars in a US fudge-packer penitentiary.....UNLIKE Thailand, where Mrs Hi-So will definitely, trust me, never spend a night anywhere other than within her mansion's bedroom walls.

Happy Chinese New Year

Edited February 7, 2008 by thaigene2

[sriracha john]

you can't escape the fact that the finger is being pointed at others by a felon who will receive his time behind bars in a US fudge-packer penitentiary

I don't think I've encountered a more colorful description of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (who are the ones that are pointing a finger at my signature subject, Juthamas Siriwan).

Edited February 8, 2008 by sriracha john

[slapout]

The large US corporations are pertty much limited to the amount of comminsion which they may legally pay to agents in the sale of equipment and or services overseas. 5% is the standard. If more monies are detected being spent they come under very close audits. Small companies are not montiored so closely, thus GE pointed out the scanner problems after they purchased the company responsible. With stockholders, outside audits, and the IRS it has become more of an exception than the rule that bribes are part of doing business in todays corporate world. Yes there are exceptions, as no one has come up with the perfect rat trap, but there is a awful lot of internal policeing by corporations. This has resulted in many individuals being caught, by their employer, over the past few years, and turned over to the authorities. I realize that many get away with their ill gotten gains via foreign bank accounts, relatives, gardners, maids etc, but the rat catchers are becoming better at the exercise. It just sometimes seems the rats are evolving faster.

[steveromagnino]

The large US corporations are pertty much limited to the amount of comminsion which they may legally pay to agents in the sale of equipment and or services overseas. 5% is the standard. If more monies are detected being spent they come under very close audits. Small companies are not montiored so closely, thus GE pointed out the scanner problems after they purchased the company responsible. With stockholders, outside audits, and the IRS it has become more of an exception than the rule that bribes are part of doing business in todays corporate world. Yes there are exceptions, as no one has come up with the perfect rat trap, but there is a awful lot of internal policeing by corporations. This has resulted in many individuals being caught, by their employer, over the past few years, and turned over to the authorities. I realize that many get away with their ill gotten gains via foreign bank accounts, relatives, gardners, maids etc, but the rat catchers are becoming better at the exercise. It just sometimes seems the rats are evolving faster.

Knowing N$$t$l and others who have done major infrastructure projects here, I would say they know exactly how to pay more than 5% as required to get contracts done, and the politicians involved know exactly how to receive it.

Sorry, but i totally disagree with 5% as a cap. More like 20%.

Almost all the large infrastructure players are part of this group.

If they weren't why do you think they are all so keen to supply nuclear energy???!

[slapout]

Steve; I note you totally disagree with the 5% figure, if you will note I said legally. If you can show where 20 % has been given from the corporate company to get a bid you would be entitled to a large reward by the US govt. if a US company is the payor of said monies. If I rember correctly the scanner delivery went though 3 or 4 companies prior to delivery. I doubt the US side paid a commission to each one but instead had inside help on the bidding, whereas the huge sum was paid and then refunded to certain individuals. I have worked with mayor companies doing business outside the US and even had my own company doing business in this part of the world, so I am trying to tell what I have seen and know to happen. Any large project, oil, gas, pipeline, satilites, roads etc are potential troughs to feed from, via agents. If you can show me 1 agent who was paid 20% on a transaction, we both can make a few shickles.

[A_Traveller]

Not on CTX Scanners, when the US company {In-Vision Technologies} was taken over by GE, they & Justice agreed a settlement including a non prosecution agreement and associated payment relating to 'questionable' activities by the agents/distributors for the company prior to GE's take-over.

Regards

/edit CTX & clarification//

Edited February 8, 2008 by A_Traveller

[sriracha john]

With a brand new boss at DSI, one who is kinder and gentler to former Thaksin associates, we'll see how things "wrap up" at the end of the month...

DSI to wrap up Bangkok Film bribery case Feb 29

BANGKOK – Thailand's Department of Special Investigation (DSI) will soon conclude its probe of several major scandals, including the allegation that a senior Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) official was bribed to award the annual Bangkok International Film Festival (BKKIFF) contract earlier, a senior DSI officer said Sunday.

Col. Piyawat Kingket, commander of DSI's Special Crime Office, said his agency's investigators will submit reports on alleged bribe payment to a senior TAT official to the Office of the National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC) within this Friday so that action can be taken against the suspects.

The DSI has a limited 'window' to investigate the scandal report while key witnesses live in the US and international cooperation is needed, according to Col. Piyawat. The full investigation will take significant time, but the NCCC will follow-through in conducting the probe.

Earlier, former TAT Governor Juthamas Siriwan threatened to sue the US Justice Department if it linked her to the case which came to light after Gerald Green and his wife, Patricia, both of Los Angeles, were apprehended over charges that they conspired to pay bribes of over US$1.7 million to a tourism authority official to get the film festival contract and other deals with the TAT worth over US$10 million.

The couple established a company to bid for the management contract for the Bangkok festival, held annually, and allegedly conspired with others to bribe a senior Thai official, said to be president of the film festival and TAT Governor.

- TNA

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

yeah, and good luck also on that FBI lawsuit, Juthamas... you'll need it

[steveromagnino]

Steve; I note you totally disagree with the 5% figure, if you will note I said legally. If you can show where 20 % has been given from the corporate company to get a bid you would be entitled to a large reward by the US govt. if a US company is the payor of said monies. If I rember correctly the scanner delivery went though 3 or 4 companies prior to delivery. I doubt the US side paid a commission to each one but instead had inside help on the bidding, whereas the huge sum was paid and then refunded to certain individuals. I have worked with mayor companies doing business outside the US and even had my own company doing business in this part of the world, so I am trying to tell what I have seen and know to happen. Any large project, oil, gas, pipeline, satilites, roads etc are potential troughs to feed from, via agents. If you can show me 1 agent who was paid 20% on a transaction, we both can make a few shickles.

I know some of the engineers who plan out the money flows; sadly none would ever talk as I think they would rather stay alive than spill on their mates.

As a lowly underling, I just see a few of the flows, don't really know how it all links together, but hear enough verbally to also know the total amounts sometimes.

[sriracha john]

Juthamas Siriwan at the BKKIFF 2006

DSI to Transfer TAT Graft Case to NCCC

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) plans to transfer a corruption case which alleged that a former Governor of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) had been bribed by organizers of the Bangkok International Film Festival (BKIFF) during the past years to award them special privileges in the project.

In mid-December, former TAT Governor Juthamas Siriwan, who formerly served as Puea Pandin Party Deputy Leader and ran as a party-list MP candidate during the December 23rd general election, threatened to file a lawsuit against the US Justice Department for implicating her in a bribery scandal which had awarded two US citizens the contracts to manage the 2004 Bangkok International Film Festival (BKKIFF).

Late last year, a criminal complaint had been filed by US authorities against an American couple, who were alleged for conspiring to given bribes worth more than $1.7 million, equivalent to 52 million baht to a governor of TAT, to acquire a contract to manage the BKKIFF in Bangkok along with attaining additional benefits from other deals with TAT, with an estimated worth of over $10 million.

The former TAT Governor denied involvement with the scandal, insisting that the organizers of the BKKIFF had been selected in accordance with the laws and regulations set forth by the agency.

Hoping that her alleged misconduct would not tarnish the party’s campaigning during the December election race, Juthamas had decided to resign from her post as Deputy Leader of the Puea Pandin Party.

According to DSI spokesman Colonel Piyawat Kingket, his agency would transfer the case to the NCCC before the end of February.

If Juthamas had truly taken the bribes as alleged, the jurisdiction for her allegations will be handled by the NCCC, since she was once a high-ranking official of TAT, explained Colonel Piyawat.

- Thailand Outlook

[sriracha john]

UPDATE...the Thaksin-appointee is even in more hot water from the NCCC with a new and additional corruption case

NCCC to check ex-TAT Chief

The National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC) has appointed a sub-panel to investigate another allegation of abuse of power, this time against former TAT Governor Juthamas Siriwan and one of her deputies. Juthamas, before leaving her post, allegedly abused her authority by colluding with one of her Deputies to have the TAT recruit her as a senior adviser after her term ended. NCCC spokesman said after being re-employed as a C-10 adviser, Juthamas was later promoted to become a C-11 adviser. Klanarong said the NCCC agreed to accept the complaint for consideration and appointed a sub-committee headed by Methee Krongkaew to look into the allegation. The NCCC earlier ordered an investigation of Juthamas for allegedly accepting kickbacks from an American couple in exchange for contracts to organise the Bangkok International Film Festival for several years. The agency is seeking information on the case from the DSI, Mr Klanarong said. Juthamas denied involvement in the bribery scandal. She resigned as a Deputy Leader of the coalition Puea Pandin Party when news of the scandal emerged prior

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/14Mar2008_news07.php

[sriracha john]

Time to bring on the big guns to handle the criminalities of the big people...

DSI finds grounds in alleged Film Festival corruption

The Department of Special Investigation has found that there were grounds in the bribery allegation over the organising of the Bangkok Film Festival, an official said on Monday.

Pol Col Piyawat Kingket, DSI's Special Criminal Litigation commissioner said investigators initially found that the allegation was founded after questioning people involving.

The document from the US's FBI showed how the US couple were taken legal action for allegedly bribing the Tourism Authority of Thailand officials.

He said the DSI however did not have the authority to probe the case because the suspects who allegedly accepted bribe and involved in the bidding collusion were high-ranking officials.

- The Nation

[george]

SRJ, did you read that last sentence? LOL 55555

[LaoPo]

SRJ, did you read that last sentence? LOL 55555

I did, but thought it was me.....

LaoPo

[sriracha john]

SRJ, did you read that last sentence? LOL 55555

Indeed I did...

He said the DSI however did not have the authority to probe the case because the suspects who allegedly accepted bribe and involved in the bidding collusion were high-ranking officials.

which is why I suggested that if DSI doesn't have enough oomph to bust Juthamas... then turn it over to NCCC or the Supreme Court or some other "big dog" entity that can arrest her and prosecute her (based on the clear-cut and voluminous amount of evidence against the Thaksin-appointed TAT Governor).