Apirak Guilty Of Corruption

[Gravelrash]

So a PPP is found guilty of corruption the cry to hang him from the highest tree goes out from the one eyed political experts on TV.

If a Democrat is found guilty of corruption, then it is unjust, he should stay and fight etc etc, from the same self appointed experts.

Presumably the court had good reason for its verdict, anti-corruption has to be enforced universally and be seen to be such, not just on the team you don't like.

[Scott]

Justice is what my enemies get; revenge is what happens to my friends!

(one of the 10 commandments of ThaiVisa)

[animatic]

So a PPP is found guilty of corruption the cry to hang him from the highest tree goes out from the one eyed political experts on TV.

If a Democrat is found guilty of corruption, then it is unjust, he should stay and fight etc etc, from the same self appointed experts.

Presumably the court had good reason for its verdict, anti-corruption has to be enforced universally and be seen to be such, not just on the team you don't like.

It wasn't a court, but the NCCC , so it has YET to go to court.

The cry is for PPP suspects to resign, same as the example set by Apirak,

since in most case their charges are worse and farther down the path to adjudication.

.

No one is saying he should resign because he was found guilty in a court.

The CAUSAL reasons were put in place by TRT in the first place.

He is being tarred with their brush. But he DID sign the papers,

so technically in some percentage he is guilty of furthering the corrupt enterpirse.

I highly suspect pressure was applied to make him sign.

And that he had bad legal advice. But water under the dam now.

I think Apirak is falling on his sword for the good of Thailand and good of the party,

Not because he feels if he did anything fundamentally wrong he should,

but because in hind sight it has enough appearance of wrong to warrant clearing the field.

In my opinion he has a chance of fighting this in court and win, and just may,

but has resigned his 'position of trust' in the government as a good example.

~For which he should be applauded.

Edited November 12, 2008 by animatic

[stoneman]

I know it has been over a year since I saw pictures of all these vehicles still sitting on the dock...Does anyone know if they are still there or have they been put into service?

Stoneman

[thaicbr]

Still there until this is all over they are still in holding and the charges are going up every day. it seems someone wants to prove wrong doing then get the money back from the manufacturer and return the goods.

The naive buggers.........also the good people of Bangkok have to suffer with old dilapidated fire trucks.

Apirak and Abhisit are fools, Apirak has not been convicted of any thing the whole corruption idea is based on false hoods and misleading statements. example: The pickup trucks were overpriced because they were made in Thailand but the company charged xxxxxxxx. <deleted> of cause they were made here, its the 'Detroit of the East' and this was a TRT goverment slogan for Thailands auto area .the Euro market trucks are all made here.

Samak who signed it on the last day of office he's the bloody corrupt lying bastard.

Allan

Edited November 12, 2008 by thaicbr

[Journalist]

You'd have thought that someone like Apirak would have the sense not to get stitched up and tarnished by a procurement that folk knew from Day One was a dodgy deal.

Its his own fault for a lack of street smarts.

And so he - the most senior Democrat in a serving executive position - shuffles off centre stage, with little more than a whimper by way of self-defence, as the fire engines rust.

[Plus]

So a PPP is found guilty of corruption the cry to hang him from the highest tree goes out from the one eyed political experts on TV.

If a Democrat is found guilty of corruption, then it is unjust, he should stay and fight etc etc, from the same self appointed experts.

..

The only poster who wants Apirak to stay on and ignore NCCC indictment is Journalist. Is he that one eyed self appointed expert?

Who was the target of your rant, Gravelrash? Surely not Journalist. Or was just in general direction of anyone you don't particulaly like?

[Thai at Heart]

A-tisshue, A-tisshue. We all fall down.

They got Samak on a point of law, now, Apirak is a part of the tit for tat. It is an absolute vipers nest of corruption throughout the system that only perpetuates itself with darkness and silence. I believe there is a good chance that there will be numerous rumours trying to discredit the upper echelons in the Democrat parties in the coming weeks.

Lest we forget the coup leader with his house on forestry land, and his remarkable slow down in chasing Thaksin for wrongdoing the moment that story hit the front pages.

If they hold everyone involved in Thai politics to the cleanest and strictest of conduct and the absolute letter of the law, there are bound to be casualites on all sides.

[jcon]

6.7 BILLION baht? Firetrucks? How many??? Firetrucks stuck in traffic...hmm... better to buy everybody in Thailand a long garden hose.

Somebody remind me how much that CTX baggage scanner scandal was worth? With the tax I've paid in this country I think I should get a fire hose or a steering wheel or something.... or a baggage belt... or at least pick up the garbage outside of my soi... I'll settle for that... something???

[Journalist]

The only poster who wants Apirak to stay on and ignore NCCC indictment is Journalist. Is he that one eyed self appointed expert?

Why should someone step down from a job because he's been indicted for something. He hasn't actually been found guilty at trial (unlike the insinuation of the headline). If he thinks he's innocent, he should be shouting it out. He's innocent till proven guilty, even in the third world.

Typically facetious and uselessly-critical response from Plus.

Now, Plus, Apirak has been democratically elected. As a PAD supporter, you may not think that elections are worth much compared to the dikktats of the kangaroo minorities, but he was elected, and he isn't the first Governor/Mayor of a major city to be accused of wrongdoing. Others elsewhere don't just step down and chuck it in the moment a court summons arrives

[Plus]

He is not simply accused, he is indicted and will stand trial related to his duties while in office.

It is inapporpriate for him to stay on. He could have suspended himself or resigned, but he should show responsibility, and set a good governance example, too.

Elections have nothing to do with it.

If he stayed on, he would have been accused of being no better than Thaksin <deleted> - something Democrats are very careful to avoid.

>>>

In people'a eyes criminals are guilty from the moment they commit crime, not from the day of the final appeal. The law gives the accused a leeway, time, avenues for endless appeals and so on, but it's inapporpiate in the eyes of those who elected Apirak to pretend that nothing happened.

Now, if he was a TRT guy, his voters wouldn't give a rat's ass about his corruption, they tend to have lower legal and moral requirements for their representatives. Is it a politically correct thing to say? I don't care, as long as it's factually correct.

[yumidesign]

quote "Among the others charged of wrongdoing by the NCCC were former interior minister Bhokin Polakul, his deputy Pracha Maleenont and ex-commerce minister Watana Muangsook. All the former ministers used to serve in the ousted government of prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra."

sounds like more dirty laundry coming out from mr toxins wash

[sriracha john]

A historical perspective of the other co-defendants and the case....

This thread was created to properly track an ongoing topic. It is pulled from a thread that was started on a separate topic which has now become outdated.

The OP covers several posts to provide historical background and chronological order.

Former Interior Minister Bhokin Bhalakula

Former Deputy Interior Minister Pracha Maleenont

Former Bangkok Governor Samak Sundaravej

FIRE-ENGINE SCAM

Samak, 4 others face AEC probe

Apirak off the hook because Bt6.7-billion deal signed before he became governor

Former Bangkok governor Samak Sundaravej, ex-interior minister Bhokin Bhalakula and his deputy Pracha Maleenont are among five people to be investigated by the Assets Examination Committee for alleged involvement in the fire-engine corruption scandal, a source from the AEC said yesterday.

However, Apirak Kosayodhin, Samak's successor and the current Bangkok governor, who has often been linked to the case, will escape investigation because the purchase was made before he took up the post, the source said.

The AEC's chairman Nam Yimyaem yesterday said its fact-finding team had enough grounds to open a full investigation of five people, including three politicians, for their parts in the allegedly overpriced Bt6.7-billion deal. He did not name them. Nam said he had received a report from the fact-finding team and would put it to the AEC's full panel on Monday to decide whether a subcommittee should be set up to investigate the accused.

The AEC source said the five were former interior minister Bhokin Bhalakula, his deputy Pracha Maleenont and Pracha's assistant Somsak Kun-ngern, former Bangkok governor Samak Sundaravej and the former Bangkok Fire and Rescue Department chief Atilak Tanchukiat.

Nam said the charges were malfeasance or corruption in violation of Article 157 of the Criminal Code, causing damage of over Bt6 billion to the government.

Nam said the sub-committee could summon more suspects if more were involved.

Last year the Department of Special Investigation said there were seven, the present five plus Apirak and then-commerce minister Wattana Muangsuk.

Bhokin signed an agreement of understanding for the purchase at a government-to-government level. Pracha was responsible for discussing details with Austrian ambassador Herbert Traxl, and his assistant Somsak prepared the barter-trade plan for the deal.

The Foreign Trade Department sealed the barter agreement with Steyr Daimler Puch, the Austrian supplier of fireboats, fire engines and fire-fighting equipment to the Bangkok Fire and Rescue Department while Wattana was commerce minister.

The source yesterday said that Apirak, who had a letter of credit for the deal opened, was not on the AEC list for investigation because he had taken up his post after Samak signed the contract with Steyr Daimler Puch, which was conditional on the issuance of a letter of credit for payment.

The Nation

UPDATE

Politicians 'took 500 million baht bribes for fire trucks deal'

Some politicians involved in the overpriced purchase of fire-fighting equipment for Bangkok flew to Singapore to collect Bt500 million in bribes, a member of the Interior Ministry panel investigating the scandal said yesterday.

"We are gathering evidence against the corrupt officials," the official said on condition of anonymity. He did not say how many politicians were bribed or when it happened.

The committee will tomorrow wrap up its probe into the Bt6.68-billion deal for fire trucks, fireboats and other equipment for the Bangkok Fire and Rescue Department. Its results will be forwarded to Interior Minister Aree Wongsearaya before being released to the public in the next fortnight.

"Like other panels, we found the deal to be overpriced. However, on some points our results differ from what the Assets Examination Committee [AEC] found," the official said.

Earlier this year, the AEC concluded the deal was overpriced to the tune of Bt1.9 billion. It accused former interior minister Bhokin Bhalakula, his then-deputy Pracha Maleenont and then-assistant secretary Somsak Khun-ngern of corruption for their roles in the deal with an Austrian company.

The AEC also said there was evidence against former Bangkok governor Samak Sundaravej and the head of the fire department Police Maj-General Atilak Tanchukiat.

It found no evidence against incumbent governor Apirak Kosayodhin.

The member of the Interior Ministry's panel investigating the scandal said, "We have not ignored evidence against persons the AEC has not named as suspects."

Officials who had failed to co-operate in the probe will be named, the panel member said. Former Bangkok city clerk Khunying Nathanon Thavisin has already been identified as uncooperative.

"Although they are not corrupt they avoided giving information that could be useful," the official said.

Members of the police must take some responsibility for designing the specifications of the deal while Krung Thai Bank will face action for opening the letter of credit, he added.

The eight-person panel probing the scandal is chaired by Assoc Professor Veerapong Boonyopas, head of the business crime and money-laundering centre at Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Law.

The deal can be traced back to 2004 when Bhokin, as interior minister, signed an agreement of understanding with the Austrian ambassador to purchase fire trucks, fireboats and other fire-fighting equipment.

Pracha and Somsak helped draft the agreement. Samak signed it just before his term ended.

- The Nation

UPDATE

People Power Party Leader to Give Testimony on Fire Truck Purchase Next Week

The Assets Examination Committee summoned the leader of the People Power Party to hear his charge of being involved in the controversial purchase of Bangkok's fire equipment on November 21.

On Tuesday the Assets Examination Committee (AEC) reached an agreement to issue summons for five individuals, accused of involvement in the controversial procurement of fire trucks and boats for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), to hear their charges for causing 2 billion baht worth of damages to the state and for violating the Anti-Bidding Scam Act

The five accused include the former Bangkok Governor and current People Power Party Leader Samak Sundaravej, former Interior Minister Pokin Pollakul, former Deputy Interior Minister Pracha Maleenont, his personal secretary Somsak Khun-ngern, and former Director of the BMA's Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, Police Lieutenant Colonel Athiluk Tanchukiet.

- Thailand Outlook

UPDATE

Fire engine scam group under investigation

A fact-finding team investigating the controversial purchase of fire engines and boats by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has called on all five suspects in the case to hear malfeasance charges against them on Wednesday. They include former Bangkok Governor and now Leader of the People Power Party (PPP) Samak Sundaravej, former Interior Minister Pokin Polakul, former Deputy Interior Minister Pracha Maleenont, his assistant Somsak Kun-ngern and former Bangkok Fire and Rescue Department chief Atilak Tanchukiat. According to the fact-finding team, only a representative of Pracha arrived this morning to inform officials that a lawyer will hear charges in Pracha’s place later today. The five officials are under investigation for their involvement in the 6.8 Billion Baht deal to purchase the trucks and boats from Steyr Daimler Puch, the Austrian manufacturer of the fire engines and fireboats. The Assets Scrutiny Committee (ASC) insisted it had enough evidence to prove that the trucks and fireboats were partially made in Thailand, which meant that the deal had been overpriced.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=123789

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

Samak, Bhokin acknowledge charges over fire-truck deal

Former Bangkok Governor Samak Sundaravej and former Interior Minister Bhokin Bhalakula yesterday acknowledged criminal charges filed against them for their roles in the 6.6 Billion Baht deal to buy fire-fighting equipment for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration BMA.

Samak, now Leader of People Power Party, assigned lawyer Phichit Chuenban to hear the charges of malfeasance and involvement in unlawful bidding at the Office of the Auditor General (OAG).

Phichit said Samak would give a written response to the charges at a December 4 hearing. Phichit said Samak requested a clear statement from the Assets Examination Committee (AEC) stating exactly the charges filed against him, and for a copy of the entire AEC investigation report into the scandal.

Bhokin acknowledged the same charges in person at the OAG headquarters and said he had nothing personally to do with the procurement deal, as the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) had handled the contract and negotiations.

The former Thai Rak Thai party-list MP said his only role in the deal was his ex-officio supervision over the BMA. He had never seen the detailed contracts between the BMA and Austrian manufacturer, Steyr Daimler Puch, he said.

"The only papers I signed was a three-page MOU during a 30-minute session with the Bangkok Governor and the Austrian Ambassador [Herbert Traxl in 2004], both of whom I had never met earlier," he added.

Bhokin said he would counter the charges before the AEC himself on December 4.

- The Nation

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

Meanwhile, Shinawatra family lawyer Pichit Chuenban yesterday appeared at the ASC office on behalf of People Power Party Leader and former Bangkok Governor Samak Sundaravej to hear charges over Samak's alleged involvement in irregularities concerning the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's 6.7 Billion-baht fire truck and boat deal with an Austrian firm. The case is being investigated by the ASC sub-committee, chaired by Mr Nam. Pichit yesterday asked the sub-committee to clarify Samak's alleged mistakes and ask for a permit to photocopy all the documentary evidence against Samak so that he could prepare for testimony on Dec 4. Samak is among five senior administrators implicated by the ASC sub-panel.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/22Nov2007_news08.php

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

The ties between Thaksin and the People Power Party draw even closer...

UPDATE... the nearly Seven Billion Baht fire truck scandal case is moving ahead

AEC Goes Ahead with Corruption Case against New PM

The Assets Examination Committee says it will forge ahead with the investigation into various corruption cases against the newly appointed Prime Minister of Thailand. He says Samak’s new position will not affect the panel’s investigation.

Assets Examination Commissioner Banjerd Singkaneti says the AEC will forge ahead with the cases against Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej. Banjerd is a member of the sub-committee set up by the AEC to investigate Samak’s involvement in a controversial fire trucks procurement scandal.

Banjerd says the investigation is still still active despite Samak being appointed as Thailand’s new prime minister on Tuesday.

Samak is accused of being involved in a number of corruption charges for signing two contracts while he was the governor of Bangkok. The first deal is a controversial garbage contract in 2003 and the other is the purchase of fire trucks and fire boats in 2004.

The AEC committee says it's not afraid the committee may be disbanded by the new government.

During his election campaign, Samak Sundaravej has made it public he plans to dismantle the AEC. Samak claims the AEC has too much power and that its jurisdiction overlaps with some of the existing independent anti-corruption bodies.

The AEC is in the process of interviewing 20 witnesses whom Samak had presented to the committee. However, Banjerd says he cannot say when the AEC will be able to forward the case to the Attorney-General's Office. How soon the committee can proceed with the case will depend on the number of witnesses involved.

Meanwhile Udom Fuengfung, another AEC member investigating Samak’s case, says Samak’s status as the new prime minister of Thailand will not affect the AEC’s work. Udom says the AEC is doing everything according to the law. He does not believe the new government will be able to interfere with the AEC’s investigation.

- Thailand Outlook

[geriatrickid]

Question: There is an allegation of bribery as part of the transaction. If the manufacturer and Austrian goverrnment were aware of this and were complicit, isn't that contrary to applicable OECD and EU codes/regulations/laws/treaties/protocols? If so, have any charges been brought against Austrian government officials and the Austrian manufacturer? For example, the US and French departments of justice have prosecuted defense contractors for this type of conduct. Is anything being done in Austria? Was there even an investigation in Austria?

It takes two parties to have bribery and if the Austrians paid a bribe, they are just as guilty. If there is inappropriate conduct from the Austrian side and no charges brought, then as bad as we might think the Thais are, the Austrians are far worse for not acting.

[Journalist]

^The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act doesn't apply to Tyrolean palm greasers.

[sriracha john]

EDITORIAL

Apirak does the right thing

By deciding to leave his post, Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin upholds his honour and restores a standard of practice that politicians have left in a shambles these past many years. Mr Apirak, who won a decisive election to a second term at City Hall last month, is among the six holders of political office implicated by the NACC regarding alleged irregularities in the procurement of fire trucks and boats for the city's use. The Constitution and NACC Act prevent office holders implicated by the NACC from performing their duties. Although Mr Apirak arguably has the more favourable option of keeping his powerful office, by suspending himself from duty so as to be in compliance with the law until the court hands down a ruling (in approximately six months' time), Mr Apirak has opted to do what he believes is the right thing, even though it is riskier and more likely to incur a heavy political cost to himself. The risk is clear: announcing his resignation in the face of being accused could lead some people to simply point the finger and declare that it is an admission of guilt. But as the Governor maintained repeatedly at yesterday's press conference, he is willing to go through the legal process and prove himself in court. However, he had to step down from his job because he believes this is what the general public would expect from their representatives. He is right. The Thai public has seen enough shameful manoeuvres by political office holders more willing to work hard to find a loophole or to twist the legal line until it becomes crippled, than to preserve the spirit of the law. Still fresh in the mind is a similar case involving three ministers linked to allegations of wrongdoing in the two- and three-digit lottery. At that time, the accused - former Deputy PM and Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee, Labour Minister Uraiwan Thienthong, and former Deputy Transport Minister Anurak Jureemart - refused to step down from their positions even though the Supreme Court had accepted the case for deliberation. Mr Apirak will remain the Governor for less than another week and he still has to prove his innocence in the coming trial. His choice yesterday, however, should be a lesson in proper conduct for politicians.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/131108_News/13Nov2008_news17.php

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

The thread concerning the dishonorable refusals to resign by former Deputy PM and Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee, Labour Minister Uraiwan Thienthong, and former Deputy Transport Minister Anurak Jureemart is here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Thaksin-30-M...97.html&hl=

Thaksin And 30 Members Of His Cabinet Indicted, total of 47 indicted on a variety of charges

Edited November 13, 2008 by sriracha john

[jayjayjayjay]

Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin announces his resignation

Bangko Governor Apirak Kosayodhin announced his resignation Wednesday following an indictment against him by the National Counter Corruption Commission.

The resignation will take effect on November 20 after the royal cremation of HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana.

Source: The Nation - 12 November 2008

Amazing a politician caught up in something resigns without claiming a conspiracy, encouraging violence or threatening heaven and earth.

I don't agree ! I would have liked him to explain himself, instead of quitting and walking off the reservation.

He's got the front page now; that interest in him may not endure till the trial.

This is a deal. Apirak would have been asked by the chess players at Dems headquarters to resign and ride out the storm, at which time he will be offered a plum role in the future of the Dems when Suthep/Chuan/ Bundit are culled off....... This is a let's-keep-the-look "squeeky clean". What I find amuzing is the denial all Dem supports have about how clean there party is! PPP, and TRT are not and were not, but Thaksin certainly had a vision for this country that no one else before or since has had.......... I would support Aphisit if he could create a vision of where the Dems could take this country one day and I thought it was worthly of a leader.

[animatic]

He is not simply accused, he is indicted and will stand trial related to his duties while in office.

It is inapporpriate for him to stay on. He could have suspended himself or resigned, but he should show responsibility, and set a good governance example, too.

Elections have nothing to do with it.

If he stayed on, he would have been accused of being no better than Thaksin <deleted> - something Democrats are very careful to avoid.

>>>

In people'a eyes criminals are guilty from the moment they commit crime, not from the day of the final appeal. The law gives the accused a leeway, time, avenues for endless appeals and so on, but it's inapporpiate in the eyes of those who elected Apirak to pretend that nothing happened.

Now, if he was a TRT guy, his voters wouldn't give a rat's ass about his corruption, they tend to have lower legal and moral requirements for their representatives. Is it a politically correct thing to say? I don't care, as long as it's factually correct.

Nixon resigned before going to trial.

[sriracha john]

Deputy Secretary-General of the Democrat Party Korn Chatikavanij

New BKK Governor election to be held on January 11, 2009

Praphan Naikovit, the Election Commissioner, stated on Tuesday after Mr. Apirak Kosayodhin's announced resignation that a new Bangkok Governor election is likely to be be held on January 11, 2009.

The election has to be delayed until after the celebration of His Majesty the King’s birthday, Christmas, and New Year, in order to avoid time conflicts.

According to the Constitution in the case of Bangkok Governor's resigning, there must be a new election arranged within 60 days. Praphan also stated that if Mr. Apirak decides to run for the office again, he will not have to pay for the campaign due to his voluntary resignation and also not receiving a red card from the Election Commission.

However, if he actually did, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration would pay 154 million baht for his campaign, which was equivalent to the amount spent during his last election campaign in October, resulting in his second term in office.

Meanwhile, Democrat Party Leader Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva believed Mr. Apirak had made the right decision in resigning from the Bangkok Governor post, while acknowledging that Mr. Apirak’s action set a high standard for Thai politicians to follow in the future.

The Democrat Party Leader expressed sympathy with Mr. Apirak who tendered his resignation from the Bangkok Governor position, while commending the act of Mr. Apirak is respectful which should set a new standard for the country’s politics.

However, Mr. Abhisit said the Democrat party believed in Mr. Apirak’s innocence and expressed support for him in defending himself in the court.

Regarding reports that the party would field Mr. Korn Jatikavanich, the Party’s Deputy Leader, as the Party's candidate for upcoming election of the Bangkok Governor, Mr. Abhisit said Mr. Korn was one of the candidates who has currently been put under the Party's consideration.

- ThaiNews / 2008-11-13

[animatic]

EDITORIAL

Apirak does the right thing

By deciding to leave his post, Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin upholds his honour and restores a standard of practice that politicians have left in a shambles these past many years. Mr Apirak, who won a decisive election to a second term at City Hall last month, is among the six holders of political office implicated by the NACC regarding alleged irregularities in the procurement of fire trucks and boats for the city's use. The Constitution and NACC Act prevent office holders implicated by the NACC from performing their duties. Although Mr Apirak arguably has the more favourable option of keeping his powerful office, by suspending himself from duty so as to be in compliance with the law until the court hands down a ruling (in approximately six months' time), Mr Apirak has opted to do what he believes is the right thing, even though it is riskier and more likely to incur a heavy political cost to himself. The risk is clear: announcing his resignation in the face of being accused could lead some people to simply point the finger and declare that it is an admission of guilt. But as the Governor maintained repeatedly at yesterday's press conference, he is willing to go through the legal process and prove himself in court. However, he had to step down from his job because he believes this is what the general public would expect from their representatives. He is right. The Thai public has seen enough shameful manoeuvres by political office holders more willing to work hard to find a loophole or to twist the legal line until it becomes crippled, than to preserve the spirit of the law. Still fresh in the mind is a similar case involving three ministers linked to allegations of wrongdoing in the two- and three-digit lottery. At that time, the accused - former Deputy PM and Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee, Labour Minister Uraiwan Thienthong, and former Deputy Transport Minister Anurak Jureemart - refused to step down from their positions even though the Supreme Court had accepted the case for deliberation. Mr Apirak will remain the Governor for less than another week and he still has to prove his innocence in the coming trial. His choice yesterday, however, should be a lesson in proper conduct for politicians.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/131108_News/13Nov2008_news17.php

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

The thread concerning the dishonorable refusals to resign by former Deputy PM and Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee, Labour Minister Uraiwan Thienthong, and former Deputy Transport Minister Anurak Jureemart is here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Thaksin-30-M...97.html&hl=

Thaksin And 30 Members Of His Cabinet Indicted, total of 47 indicted on a variety of charges

Interesting last phrase,

He must prove his innocence at trial, not be proved guilty at trial.

Curious too the NCCC find quite differently than the AEC.

If found innocent, he could potentially get the post back,

but doesn't cripple it between now and then.

I am for him not quiting on such a flimsy charge,

but am also for his setting a better example than those lottery characters too.

If in 6 months he is proved innocent, then he has gained HUGE political capital.

No word yet on who steps into the job though.

[Plus]

Thaksin certainly had a vision for this country that no one else before or since has had

And it was totally repulsive.

Ok, maybe it was totally repulsive to 40% of the population - still unacceptable.

Utter leadership failure on his part.

[Journalist]

If found innocent, he could potentially get the post back,

So long as he runs for re-election at the expiration of the replacement Governor's term. That would be a few years off.

[CuttySark]

Apirak resigns

Apirak Kosayodhin, who was found guilty of corruption in connection with alleged irregularities in City Hall's procurement of fire trucks and boats on Tuesday, announced his decision to step down as Bangkok governor Wednesday.

"I decided to resign," he said in a news conference.

More from the Bangkok Post here.

Corruption is OK, as long as you are a Democrate who support PAD.

Corruption is not OK, if you are TRT/PPP who oppose PAD.

Corruption is not a corruption until you are caught. Obviously he is now caught with his hand in the till, pocketing his share. If he is just doing his job, why would he be found guilty of corruption? The cleanest politican is the one that steal the most without being caught.

We do not know the who truth, and possibly never will. Apirak is smarter (or maybe, just maybe, greedier) than you and I may think.

Sterotype. We always think that bad guys are ugly people that go about bad mouth people, just like Samak & Chuwit. However these are just small timer. The real bad guys appears smart, kind, generous, charismatic from the outside, just like Apirak, Thaksin, Al Pacino (godfather), Satan.

Seriously I am not sure what to think about the judicial system in Thailand.

A) If the judicial system in Thailand is fair, Apirak being found guilty of corruption should be sentenced to jail just like Thaksin.

If the judicial system is <deleted> up, we have to question Apirak ruling, and not to forget to question why Samak got kick out for being a cook, and why Thaksin was given a jail sentence for giving consent for his wife to transfer a piece of land he did not purchase.

JUSTICE SHOULD BE BLIND. The judgement should not be influence if your name is Samak, Thaksin or Apirak.

[animatic]

His resignation was anticipated by the media, after the

National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) voted unanimously to seek his indictment for his role in alleged irregularities

involving the 6.68-billion-baht scheme to buy 315 fire trucks and 30 fire boats from the Austrian firm, Steyr Co.

Mr Apirak, who had suspended his governor’s role after the indictment, vowed to fight the case in court.

"I have faith in the judiciary system of Thailand, and believe that I'll be treated fairly," he said.

Mr Apirak, who was re-elected as the Bangkok governor on Oct 5 with a landslide victory, said he would return to political arena after his name is cleared.

"I am willing to be scrutinised," he said. "And once the court has completed the examination, I will return."

It doesn't say he was convicted and found guilty.

It says the NCCC thinks there might have been grounds to INDICT him only.

And so is sending it to court for a decision.

Nothing about whether he is ACTUALLY guilty or not.

Nothing saying he TOOK ANYTHING.

He signed the letters of credit, per the contract,

and that seems enough for suspicion.

He also says he is willing to be scrutinized.

Not the typical come and get me, and force out me if can, bluster of most,

like Samak, for example, to this stuff.

He suspended his work, and then announced his resignation, and asked for scrutiny.

A VERY atypical Thai politician.

[sjaak327]

He is not simply accused, he is indicted and will stand trial related to his duties while in office.

It is inapporpriate for him to stay on. He could have suspended himself or resigned, but he should show responsibility, and set a good governance example, too.

Elections have nothing to do with it.

If he stayed on, he would have been accused of being no better than Thaksin <deleted> - something Democrats are very careful to avoid.

>>>

In people'a eyes criminals are guilty from the moment they commit crime, not from the day of the final appeal. The law gives the accused a leeway, time, avenues for endless appeals and so on, but it's inapporpiate in the eyes of those who elected Apirak to pretend that nothing happened.

Now, if he was a TRT guy, his voters wouldn't give a rat's ass about his corruption, they tend to have lower legal and moral requirements for their representatives. Is it a politically correct thing to say? I don't care, as long as it's factually correct.

"Criminals" are guilty when a court of law can produce evidence to the crime, not a moment earlier. Therefore Apirak shouldn't and doesn't have to resign.

The eyes of the people have no weight in the matter, and that is a very good thing. Your last remark of course cannot be factually correct, you're just making that up as you go along. In the true PAD spirit I might add.

[CuttySark]

His resignation was anticipated by the media, after the

National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) voted unanimously to seek his indictment for his role in alleged irregularities

involving the 6.68-billion-baht scheme to buy 315 fire trucks and 30 fire boats from the Austrian firm, Steyr Co.

Mr Apirak, who had suspended his governor's role after the indictment, vowed to fight the case in court.

"I have faith in the judiciary system of Thailand, and believe that I'll be treated fairly," he said.

Mr Apirak, who was re-elected as the Bangkok governor on Oct 5 with a landslide victory, said he would return to political arena after his name is cleared.

"I am willing to be scrutinised," he said. "And once the court has completed the examination, I will return."

It doesn't say he was convicted and found guilty.

It says the NCCC thinks there might have been grounds to INDICT him only.

And so is sending it to court for a decision.

Nothing about whether he is ACTUALLY guilty or not.

Nothing saying he TOOK ANYTHING.

He signed the letters of credit, per the contract,

and that seems enough for suspicion.

He also says he is willing to be scrutinized.

Not the typical come and get me, and force out me if can, bluster of most,

like Samak, for example, to this stuff.

He suspended his work, and then announced his resignation, and asked for scrutiny.

A VERY atypical Thai politician.

Sorry I misunderstood. I am just blindly read Bangkok Post

"BangkokPost.com

Apirak Kosayodhin quit as Bangkok governor on Wednesday after the anti-corruption panel found that he was corrupt in connection with the purchase of fire trucks and boats for the city government."

[animatic]

His resignation was anticipated by the media, after the

National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) voted unanimously to seek his indictment for his role in alleged irregularities

involving the 6.68-billion-baht scheme to buy 315 fire trucks and 30 fire boats from the Austrian firm, Steyr Co.

Mr Apirak, who had suspended his governor's role after the indictment, vowed to fight the case in court.

"I have faith in the judiciary system of Thailand, and believe that I'll be treated fairly," he said.

Mr Apirak, who was re-elected as the Bangkok governor on Oct 5 with a landslide victory, said he would return to political arena after his name is cleared.

"I am willing to be scrutinised," he said. "And once the court has completed the examination, I will return."

It doesn't say he was convicted and found guilty.

It says the NCCC thinks there might have been grounds to INDICT him only.

And so is sending it to court for a decision.

Nothing about whether he is ACTUALLY guilty or not.

Nothing saying he TOOK ANYTHING.

He signed the letters of credit, per the contract,

and that seems enough for suspicion.

He also says he is willing to be scrutinized.

Not the typical come and get me, and force out me if can, bluster of most,

like Samak, for example, to this stuff.

He suspended his work, and then announced his resignation, and asked for scrutiny.

A VERY atypical Thai politician.

Sorry I misunderstood. I am just blindly read Bangkok Post

"BangkokPost.com

Apirak Kosayodhin quit as Bangkok governor on Wednesday after the anti-corruption panel found that he was corrupt in connection with the purchase of fire trucks and boats for the city government."

What the Post didn't say is the status of the NCCC.

It is like a Grand Jury for government corruption, not a court.

It now refers the case to the Attorny General,

who THEN decides to take it to court or not.

Apirak resigned because his job had to be suspended, because of the 'indictment',

until the case was adjudicated He is not give jail or fines because he is not convicted of ANYTHING.

But he resigned to let business actually happen again in Bangkok government.

And it shows a good president for other politicians.

[sriracha john]

Appreciate those that have posted, for the umpteenth time, to clarify that Apirak has NOT been found guilty of corruption by a Court of law.

Perhaps consideration can made for retitling the thread to Apirak Accused Of Corruption By NCCC might make it more clear for any future posters who continually are posting their assumption, without reading the thread thoroughly, that he has been adjudicated guilty by a Court.

To update the title to this point even a more a specific Apirak Accused Of Corruption By NCCC Has Resigned thread title would be even more clear.

Similarly, the thread:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Somchai-Wong...cc-t217915.html

Somchai Wongsawat Found Guilty By NCCC

could also be retitled to Somchai Wongsawat Accused Of Malfeasance By NCCC as his case has also not been adjudicated by a Court. The difference between the two threads being that Somchai has not shown equal honor Apirak has and thus there's no update and thusly no bold font to retitle it, Somchai Wongsawat Accused Of Malfeasance By NCCC Has Resigned.

Edited November 14, 2008 by sriracha john

[Plus]

"Criminals" are guilty when a court of law can produce evidence to the crime, not a moment earlier.

Only legally speaking. Crimes are commited regardless of the courts - people get shot, money gets stolen, and there's always a guilty party (or at least negligent), regardless of the court rulings.

The eyes of the people have no weight in the matter

Did I read this right - the eyes of the people have no weight when it comes to corrupt elected officials? Thaksin style wriggling and flip flops at its best - and when courts declare guilt, the justice system doesn't matter - it's up to the people again.

Now, if he was a TRT guy, his voters wouldn't give a rat's ass about his corruption...

Your last remark of course cannot be factually correct, you're just making that up as you go along.

Don't you realise that your excuses - people's voice don't matter, politicians accused of corruption should stay in office until the last day (to serve the public - ha ha ha) - are exactly the modus operandi of TRT and its fans.

[Journalist]

.

Now, if he was a TRT guy, his voters wouldn't give a rat's ass about his corruption...

Your last remark of course cannot be factually correct, you're just making that up as you go along.

Yes please, i'd also like you to justify your sweeping comment that voters don't give a 'rat's ass' about TRT corruption.

If they don't give it in that case, what then do they give a rat's ass about?