Thai Democrat Donation Case Worries Chuan

[webfact]

Donation case worries Chuan, PM

By The Nation

Democrat Party chief adviser Chuan Leekpai admitted yesterday the charge that his party had unlawfully obtained a Bt258-million donation was worrying.

BANGKOK: -- Chuan made the comment after a prosecution review panel decided on Friday to recommend that a case be launched against the Democrats.

Chuan said the party has yet to select members to defend the case. But Chuan said they would fight the charge with truth.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, as the party leader, also accepted the case would be difficult.

"There were many charges in the Democrat dissolution case in 2006. But almost all the people in the party knew what happened then. Therefore the defence was easier," Abhisit said.

"But this time, even the legal team members are the same as me - we were not [involved] in the incident, so we have to follow and track down the documents, evidence and what witnesses say. This is the harder part," he said.

However, the PM denied a new party had been registered as a back-up, in case the Democrat is dissolved.

The Bt258-million donation case is one of two cases pending against the Democrats. The party is alleged to have benefited from Bt258 million in campaign contributions paid by a listed company via a proxy company for a publicity campaign during the 2005 election before the funds were laundered and channelled to them.

Banyat Bantadtan was party leader with Abhisit as his deputy at the time.

Deputy attorney-general Waiyawut Lortrakul said he expected Election Commission chief Apichart Sukhagganond, as the political party registrar, to submit comments and all the documents to the Attorney-General today so that the case can be given to the Constitution Court by the deadline tomorrow. Otherwise, the EC will have to proceed with the case itself.

Waiyawut said yesterday the team of prosecutors had finished drafting 80 per cent of the case. A joint panel of prosecutors and EC staff has prepared witnesses and evidence to support the eight issues to be raised in the case.

He said the statute of limitation for the case to be taken to court had not expired, as the limit for prosecution of violations of the Political Party Act was at least 10 years.

Meanwhile, the team would let the court decide whether to believe Prachuap Sangkhao, a key witness, who has reversed his testimony many times, as the investigative team has all the records, he said.

In the other dissolution case against the Democrats, the ruling party has been charged with wrongful spending of Bt29 million in funds allocated by the Election Commission and earmarked for party development. Under the Political Parties Act, the offence is punishable by dissolution.

The Constitution Court has scheduled July 28 for examination of evidence, and August 9 to hear witnesses in that case.

-- The Nation 2010-07-11

[geriatrickid]

Is this stuff ever going to ever end?

Don't people ever get embarrassed?

Is it too much to ask that people put their country ahead of personal profit?

How much money do some of these wealthy people need to amass? It's not as if they can eat it or take it with them when they go up in smoke.

Bahh, it's ridiculous. A pox on them.

[Oberkommando]

Isn't it ironic how Chuan is vowing to fight these allegations when his brother elected to abscond justice and sit out the statute of limitations in Taiwan until the charges of embezzlement expired.

Chuan has a history too though, don't forget he was found guilty by the National Counter Corruption Commission for having undisclosed assets.

Edited July 11, 2010 by Oberkommando

[kissdani]

The fun part is that a couple of days ago the headline was that Chuan is NOT worried about the court cases.

The democrats are history and we will see their dissolution.

[LomSak27]

Oberkommando Posted

Isn't it ironic how Chuan is vowing to fight these allegations when his brother elected to abscond justice and sit out the statute of limitations in Taiwan until the charges of embezzlement expired.

Excuse me ?! You dare defame Mr Chuans reputation? Mr Chuan has only one response;

Chuan said they would fight the charge with truth

[Samuian]

Is this stuff ever going to ever end?

Don't people ever get embarrassed?

Is it too much to ask that people put their country ahead of personal profit?

How much money do some of these wealthy people need to amass? It's not as if they can eat it or take it with them when they go up in smoke.

Bahh, it's ridiculous. A pox on them.

Nope, here one makes it for THIS REASON into high places, that is why!

....Land scandal on Samui.... years ago (2001) a land scandal regarding land grabbing on Puket brought the Democrat led Government to fall ...

"They" won;t learn to quick, don't worry!

But they are everywhere... one feel's only sorry for the honest, for those who really want to move forward and can't... because of all these highwaymen and their attitudes of getting rich quickly, no matter what....

[Rucharee]

Does Chuan have a brother?

Proof it please.

He doesn't even have a wife.

But I heard rumor that his son drive a multi-million sport car?

[hyperdimension]

Can someone explain why TPI Polene would donate 258M THB? That's a large sum of money to invest. What kind of return on that investment could have been achieved?

[JohnLeech]

Can someone explain why TPI Polene would donate 258M THB? That's a large sum of money to invest. What kind of return on that investment could have been achieved?

Its pretty well documented, but essentially Prachai Leophairatana, owner and founder of TPI, had just been found guilty of share manipulation and sentenced to three years in jail, and TPI was being investigated by the Financial Institutions Development Fund to decide if it should be supported instead of being declared bankrupt.

Prachai has not yet been jailed, he is still involved in politics as part of the Democrat coalition, and TPI has not yet been declared bankrupt. There may, of course, be no connection between these events.

Edited July 12, 2010 by JohnLeech

[march]

The fun part is that a couple of days ago the headline was that Chuan is NOT worried about the court cases.

The democrats are history and we will see their dissolution.

It will take until 2011:

The inquiry is scheduled to take place on Mondays until it is completed.

The high court will hear testimony from 50 prosecution witnesses and 30 from the defence.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/2010/07/08/politics/Court-outlines-dissolution-case-against-Democrats-30133318.html

and

The party dissolution case might take seven to eight months, judging by Constitution Court trials in the past.

The documentary evidence submitted numbers 80,000 pages.

[Payboy]

Does Chuan have a brother?

Proof it please.

He doesn't even have a wife.

But I heard rumor that his son drive a multi-million sport car?

Pakdiporn Sujaritkul = Chuan's common law wife

Chuan has 8 siblings (brothers & sisters) - the brother in question is Raleuk, accused in 1987 of siphoning 200m baht from Kasikornbank (then Thai Farmers Bank). He fled to Taiwan and returned in 2004 when it was too late to prosecute him.

Edited July 14, 2010 by Payboy