Sapling Verdict 'not To Affect' Lottery Outcome

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Sapling verdict 'not to affect' lottery outcome

By Budsarakham Silapalawan

The Nation

Published on September 28, 2009

The acquittal of all 44 defendants in the rubber-seedling trial has no legal affect on and will not influence the coming verdict in the trial on the controversial two- and three-digit lottery, an academic said.

Sombat Thamrongthanyawong, the rector of the National Institute of Development Administration (Nida), said the trials were irrelevant to each other, and that the acquittals in the first trial last Monday would not mean that the Supreme Court's Criminal Tribunal for Political Office Holders would acquit 47 defendants in the lottery judgement expected on Wednesday.

"It's not the right thing to do to predict such a tendency. The verdict, whatever its outcome, rests solely on the court's judgement," he said.

Sombat called on all parties to accept the much-awaited verdict. "Or the country will turn into chaos," he added.

Sombat also dismissed criticism that the now-defunct Assets Examination Council (AEC) failed in its efforts and that its prime objec?tive was to "overthrow the Thaksin Shinawatra regime", following the acquittals in the rubber-seedling trial, saying that the entire AEC process was based on a normal jus?tice system. "Once acquitted, all defendants are regarded as inno?cent," he added.

"It's not that we worked on the investigation with a mindset that the former prime minister was all wrong. We can't call the existing system the justice system if we did so," he added.

Klanarong Janthik, a former AEC member and now a member of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), whose indict?ments against the 44 defendants led to the trial, said the acquittals did not mean that AEC lost face. "Acquittals are acquittals. It's all over," he added.

"It's not that we worked on the investigation with a mindset that the former prime minister was all wrong. We can't call the existing system the justice system if we did so," he added.

Klanarong Janthik, a former AEC member and now a member of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), whose indict?ments against the 44 defendants led to the trial, said the acquittals did not mean that AEC lost face. "Acquittals are acquittals. It's all over," he added.

"I am also not worried about the lottery trial. We let the process carry on," he said.

Pongthep Thepkanchana, one of the 47 defendants, and serving the justice minister who endorsed a Cabinet decision granting the lottery operation, said he would attend the final session to hear the verdict himself. "Because I am innocent, like all other defendants, as we did nothing wrong," he added.

Surapong Suebwonglee, who then served as the information and communications-technology minis?ter, also showed belief in his innocence and vowed to attend the ses?sion himself.

"We are only not allowed to travel overseas. Maybe no defendants get sick and all can attend the session," he added.

AEC member Udom Fuengfung, who led the investigation into this particular lottery operation, howev?er, said he would not attend the ses?sion, adding: "My duty as an AEC member was over once the AEC made a ruling indicting all 47 former cabinet members.

"I took all my full responsibility over the my job and it is over now. I would have become anxious and stressed out if I had been obsessed about the case over the final verdict, to wait and see whether it would go for or against the AEC ruling," he said.

-- The Nation 2009/09/28