Thaksin Cabinet Guilty Of Violating Lottery Law In Selling Two-, Three-digit Lottery

[george]

Urgent; Thaksin Cabinet guilty of violating lottery law in selling two-, three-digit lottery

BANGKOK: -- Political Office Wednesday found the Thaksin Cabinet and members of the Government Lottery Office board guilty of law violations for selling the two- and three-digit lottery and unlawfully using the lottery' proceeds.

The court demanded former members of the Thaksin Cabinet to pay a compensation worth Bt36 billion to the Finance Ministry after convicted them in embezzling the state's assets.

The court found the 47 defendants guilty.

-- The Nation 2009-09-30

[john b good]

47 convicted.

When are they going to be sentenced ?

[bangkokrick]

Looks like Mr T is in the shit again. When will it ever end?

Cheers, Rick

[hammered]

This covers some people in thecurrent government too.

After the rubber sapling case it was speculated this one would go a similar route. It hasnt.

[bangkokrick]

This covers some people in thecurrent government too.

After the rubber sapling case it was speculated this one would go a similar route. It hasnt.

Could be an interesting outcome then, as the sentences don't appear to have been passed yet and I guess there will be an appeal when they are.

Cheers, Rick

[hammered]

I think this is the supreme court so an appeal may be difficult

[RKASA]

Was only three convicted and a total of 40,000 baht in fines between the three and two year suspended sentence each.  

[Old Man River]

After the rubber sapling case it was speculated this one would go a similar route. It hasnt.

On the contrary. It has. Suspended sentences and a fine for a week's lunch money. The cost of an attorney for a day would be more than they got fined, so no need for an appeal here. Note, Thaksin's case was suspended until he returns.

[bangkokrick]

After the rubber sapling case it was speculated this one would go a similar route. It hasnt.

On the contrary. It has. Suspended sentences and a fine for a week's lunch money. The cost of an attorney for a day would be more than they got fined, so no need for an appeal here. Note, Thaksin's case was suspended until he returns.

Do you think that he ever will return Old Man? Can't see it myself.

Cheers, Rick

[invex]

Today Wednesday, around 05.00 pm both Bangkok Post and The Nation reported at their websites: "all 47 convicted, court demands a compensation of 36 billion". At around 06.00 pm everything was removed by both, Bangkok Post and by The Nation.

What is going on in Thailand? Can make newspapers such a big mistakes? Where did this news came from if not correct?????

[MaiChai]

I still see it on Bangkokpost. Not much of a jail sentance. Also why can't they tell us where the money went? It obviously got diverted off somewhere?

[Old Man River]

After the rubber sapling case it was speculated this one would go a similar route. It hasnt.

On the contrary. It has. Suspended sentences and a fine for a week's lunch money. The cost of an attorney for a day would be more than they got fined, so no need for an appeal here. Note, Thaksin's case was suspended until he returns.

Do you think that he ever will return Old Man? Can't see it myself.

Cheers, Rick

Rick, I do think he will return. I don't think it will be in a position of power though and I don't think it will be anytime soon (hopefully) as I suspect it will be after the event occurs that we can't really discuss.

[Bisto]

we have to wait and see if this tread will be removed also.

[Plus]

They were posting news as the court read the verdict, and perhaps at some point, when the court found the scheme illegal, it probably appeared that everyone would be found guilty and forced to compensate.

[bangkokrick]

After the rubber sapling case it was speculated this one would go a similar route. It hasnt.

On the contrary. It has. Suspended sentences and a fine for a week's lunch money. The cost of an attorney for a day would be more than they got fined, so no need for an appeal here. Note, Thaksin's case was suspended until he returns.

Do you think that he ever will return Old Man? Can't see it myself.

Cheers, Rick

Rick, I do think he will return. I don't think it will be in a position of power though and I don't think it will be anytime soon (hopefully) as I suspect it will be after the event occurs that we can't really discuss.

Understood Old Man. We will have to wait and see. Interesting though.

Cheers, Rick

[webfact]

UPDATE

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

LOTTERY SCANDAL

Three senior officials given suspended jail terms

The Supreme Court has handed down suspended jail sentences on three senior Thaksin administration officials in connection with the "onland" lottery controversy

All of a Thaksin Cabinet responsible for the introduction of the lottery scheme, introduced with intention to eradicate the illegal underground lottery, had been implicated in the case. The court said the Assets Examination Committee is empowered to pursue its demand for damages.

The Supreme Court began reading the much-anticipated verdict at 2.50 pm on Wednesday despite the absence of four suspects - including ex-Government Lottery Office director Pol Maj Gen Surasit Sangkapong, ex-finance minister Suchart Chaowisit and ex-permanent secretary for finance Somchainuek Engtrakul.

Found guilty were Somchainuek, Chaiwat Pasokpakdi and Deputy Finance Minister Varathep Rattanakorn. The court said Varathep, acting under Thaksin Shinawatra's prompting, proposed the lottery scheme to the Cabinet as a special agenda, giving the other Cabinet members no time to review the plan.

Varathep, Somchainuek and Chaiwat, who was government lottery office chief at that time before being replaced by Surasit, were given suspended 2-year jail term. They were fined Bt10,000 each.

The court dismissed the defendants' claim that the new lottery system was introduced using the same principles as "charity lottery," which required easier legal procedures.

Ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was among the 47 suspects but his case was suspended because he remained a fugitive in another case.

The lottery case (named "onland" lotto as opposed to "underground" lottery) involves two

main issues _ the questionable right of the government to introduce such a lottery scheme

and alleged misuse of income generated from the sales.

The court also ruled that money generated by the sales could not be used freely by the government.

The Thaksin government introduced the new lottery in 2003, saying it was designed to eliminate underground lottery operations. Investigators of the Assets Examination Committee concluded that the cabinet resolution to legalise the two and threedigit lottery scheme went against the Government Lottery Office Act, as the nature of the scheme was different from the office's mainstream six-digit lottery.

The Thaksin government, fuelling controversy resulting from the "promotion of gambling", used the money to fund an education sponsorship programme which critics viewed as a populist project.

-- The Nation 2009/09/30

[bunnaag]

I cant eat as much as I want to puke.This comes always to mind hearing a Thai court verdict concerning politicians.

[jasreeve17]

So, there was this case.

Then Samak's government wanted to introduce a lottery, but were called down, by the Dems amongst others.

Then, I seem to remember, but could be wrong, that the Dems passed a bill on a new lottery quite recently (also different from the 6 digit; which was why MrT's government were called to order here...)???

So, is this supreme court and the present government going to demand full visibility on all government lotteries: how many tickets bought, prizes handed out, complete breakdown of costs, profits - where the profits go... That's what I'd really like to see.

Edited September 30, 2009 by jasreeve17

[RKASA]

They were posting news as the court read the verdict, and perhaps at some point, when the court found the scheme illegal, it probably appeared that everyone would be found guilty and forced to compensate.

Compensate what?  I don't think any money was missing or unaccounted for, it was collected from the sales and spent on education.  The charge being it was done to make Thaksin popular, what Pol has never spent other peoples money doing that before?   

They started the program without a proper vote in the house and that was wrong, its not a corruption case its a procedure & rules case.  Most likely because some unelected monk or other person watching out for Thai culture could have vetoed it at some point and thats a pain in the .....  well thats a different issue.. at any rate.

[givenall]

47 convicted.

When are they going to be sentenced ?

Ops being a nice guy, may be Thaksin will pay for all the defendants

[givenall]

Looks like Mr T is in the shit again. When will it ever end?

Cheers, Rick

Probably never, since he went to bed with the wrong group. May be if he says he is sorry

[Publicus]

The courts issued a conviction of Thaksin, one conviction. That's all that was ever needed. Thaksin thus became and continues to be demolished as a political/government figure (thank you).

The case that that one, single conviction is all there ever is going to be has gone beyond the persuasive to the convincing.

One man, one conviction.

The End.

[PoorSucker]

It's a difference when the government (thaksin) makes it and if the parliament changes the law.

Thaksin did not change the law and he made it like TRT gave out the profits.

The new proposal has gone to the parliament to consider a law change.

[Plus]

They were posting news as the court read the verdict, and perhaps at some point, when the court found the scheme illegal, it probably appeared that everyone would be found guilty and forced to compensate.

Compensate what?  I don't think any money was missing or unaccounted for, it was collected from the sales and spent on education.  The charge being it was done to make Thaksin popular, what Pol has never spent other peoples money doing that before?   

They started the program without a proper vote in the house and that was wrong, its not a corruption case its a procedure & rules case.  Most likely because some unelected monk or other person watching out for Thai culture could have vetoed it at some point and thats a pain in the .....  well thats a different issue.. at any rate.

If there was money taken illegally, there's always the case to compensate.

Compensate the state? The govt? The people? - hel_l if I know. I didn't write the headline.

They've changed it. My bad (theirs, really).

[webfact]

update

ON LAND LOTTERY TRIAL

Cabinet spared, but cloud over Thaksin

By Political Desk

Published on October 1, 2009

The Supreme Court's verdict yesterday giving three senior Thaksin Shinawatra-administration officials suspended jail terms in connection with the "on land" lottery controversy seems like a slap on the wrist.

As far as Thaksin is concerned, it's anything but.

The verdict let most of the Thaksin Cabinet responsible for the lottery scheme off the hook, but the court was clear about why: the Cabinet members who were set free had been unaware Thaksin was using them to push the controversial scheme through.

All of the Thaksin Cabinet responsible for the introduction of the lottery scheme, with the professed intention of eradicating the illegal underground lottery, had been implicated in the case following an investigation by the now-defunct Assets Examination Committee (AEC).

Found guilty were then-deputy finance minister Varathep Ratanakorn, then-Finance Ministry permanent secretary Somchainuk Engtrakul and then-Government Lottery Office chief Chaiwat Pasokpakdi. The trio were handed suspended two-year jail terms with probation.

The court suspended decisions on Thaksin, because he remains a fugitive after being convicted in another case.

The court said Varathep, acting under Thaksin's prompting, proposed the lottery scheme to the Cabinet as a special agenda item, giving the other Cabinet members no time to review the plan. While reading the verdict, the court mentioned that Thaksin had summoned senior officials involved and gave them instructions to speed up the lottery scheme.

The Thaksin Cabinet passed the new lottery scheme in 2003, saying it was designed to eliminate underground bookmaking operations. AEC investigators concluded the Cabinet resolution to legalise the two- and three-digit lottery system fell afoul of the Government Lottery Office Act, because its nature was different from the government's mainstream six-digit lottery.

The court dismissed the defendants' claim that issuing the new lottery system was based on the same principle as a "charity lottery", which required easier legal procedures. This was equivalent to saying the Cabinet made an illegal decision.

That made the court's decision to leave out most of the Thaksin Cabinet look more telling. The ruling carried an unspoken message: the Cabinet had been manipulated or used. And even though the only penalties handed down were suspended two-year jail terms, it would be foolish of Thaksin to expect the same if or when the case is revived against him.

The court's ruling prevented new brushes with then-members of the AEC after the now-disbanded body's rubber-sapling case, another budgetary scandal of the Thaksin administration, was virtually thrown out by the same court a few days ago.

The Supreme Court yesterday issued the verdict despite the no-show of four suspects: ex-Government Lottery Office director Pol Maj-General Surasit Sangkaphong (Chaiwat's successor), ex-finance minister Suchart Chaowisit and ex-Finance Ministry permanent secretary Somchainuk. A total of 47 people had been implicated.

Apart from ruling the Thaksin government could not introduce the lottery scheme under the guise of a charity lottery, the court also said the proceeds from the new lottery's ticket sales were misused and that the "tax-free" claims for the income were wrongly made.

The lottery triggered protests by anti-vice groups. Thaksin's government, fuelling controversy with the "promotion of gambling", used the funds for an education sponsorship programme that critics viewed as a populist project.

-- The Nation 2009/10/01

[RKASA]

It's a difference when the government (thaksin) makes it and if the parliament changes the law.

Thaksin did not change the law and he made it like TRT gave out the profits.

The new proposal has gone to the parliament to consider a law change.

It was wrong to start a new program without approval thats all, but the program was run just like all other lottery programs.  The court found.

"Despite the fact that [the two-and three-digit lottery scheme] was a good and useful state policy, it was not allowed by law," the court said.    

Its another like the sapling case.  Never a good deed unpunished, but at least in this case some incompetence was shown in not following set procedures.  Thaksin as PM at the time would get credit in the public view for this program and its success (and he did) in helping people just like this current PM's does everyday, but thats not a crime unless your witch hunting.

This PM and the DEM's will get credit for the new proposal, and it won't be a crime ether.

I like the 2 and 3 number lottery, I won 20,000 baht.   

[hammered]

With the updated news the whole outlook is different from that implied by the original article. Readings in Thai courts take a long long time and it seems someone rushed a headline in based on hearing part but not the whole of the reading.

The interesting thing is the cabinet was used interpretation. That will leave Mr. Thaksin something further to think about if he is planning on returning. Even if parliament were to amnesty him on the previous conviction this case will be hanging around for immediate finalising on the day of his return, and the reading certainly would give most pause for thought about return.

Politically some may also read a message that the oh I was used by Thaksin but have seen the light approach may do things to resurrect a career.

[Publicus]

Even if Thaksin were to finagle from a parliament some form of forgiveness or annullment of his conviction, the courts continue to be honed in on him and if necessary would convict Thaksin anew of criminal charges. So, no matter whether or how Thaksin might sqirm out of being convicted of violating criminal law, the courts appear determined to keep Thaksin in his current state of being convicted of violating criminal law, one criminal law or another criminal law. There are a lifetime of criminal laws the courts can use.

The only question might be whose lifetime?

[xminator]

Looks like Mr T is in the shit again. When will it ever end?

Cheers, Rick

Probably never, since he went to bed with the wrong group. May be if he says he is sorry

Sorry wont be enough as the asses of a lot of people involved in a certain coup is on the line. Thats what everything i thai politics seems to be about the last years. Cover asses and get back on a certain fugitive PM.

[stumonster]

used the funds for an education sponsorship programme

does anyone have any background on ths sponsorship program ?

Did it fund scholarships , fund student loans , how and to who were the funds administered ?