Court To Rule On Thaksin's Ex-Wife Pojaman

[MaiChai]

I suspect Thailand is moving up the list of most corrupt countries in the world? Has it overtaken Indonesia?

[rixalex]

Then, with the basis for the divorce removed, one can anticipate the Grand Re-Nuptials.

GK had better get the hankies on standby.

[OzMick]

Do you know that you sound EXACTLY like the red propaganda machine spewing out mis-information all over Isaan. Now ask yourself why there is a lack of confidence in the Constitutional Court and who that benefits?

So to mention a survey that has been done by Suan Dusit which is an established Thai conductor of surveys and which is a survey that has been discussed on all the main Thai traditional media much of which does not favour the red shirts and which I thought may interest a few people on here who do not know what the Thai media is discussing is to pass out red shirt propaganda!

Don't be so bloody paranoid - I accused you of nothing of the sort. I pointed out that lack of confidence in the constitutional court was caused by the red propaganda - double standards, bias, etc - when in fact there has been little of any of that, but the lack of confidence comes from the false perception. If in fact there was bias, why hasn't PTP been disbanded due to Thaksin's obvious influence in the last election?

[otherstuff1957]

Next step: Returning Thaksin's confiscated billions.

When do we think that this will happen? I'd guess late September/early October. That will give him enough time to make sure that the money is safely out of the country and reinvested before his triumphant return in late November/early December.

Last year under the last lot a whole load of the money was returned. Crispin wrote about it in the Asia Times as all being part of a deal that would also include not interfering with a PTP government if one was elected. Thaksin also made some agreements to not interfere in a couple of things

I think I found the article you refer to. I'd link to it, but I don't think that TV/theNation allows links or quotes to other news sources.

The article discusses the string of bomb attacks that tapered out late last year. Shortly after the bomb attacks stopped, $900 million of Thaksin's money that had been frozen, but not seized by the government, was unfrozen and presumably made its way to Dubai.

It went on to point out that the Reds and the Government seemed to have come to a quiet agreement to be less violent and to both abide by the election results.... at least not to the point of having a revolution or coup.

[ratcatcher]

Will those that made grandiose statements about the need to respect the court's decision, continue to respect those statements and accept the appeal court decision?

I doubt it somehow!

The remaining pillar of Thai society is crumbling

Do you really see it as that? The previous regime politicised the judiciary when they used them to end the airport closure by banning the PPP government with indecent haste, before the defence had time to prepare their case and rather than ordering the army to clear the airport- as they ordered them to remove the demonstrators from Rajprasong- then two years later failed to apply the same justice when the Dems were accused of accepting illegal party donations.

This is all part of an inevitable process. If the case against K. Potjaman is flawed, so is the case against her husband, The sooner K. Thaksin's appeal is heard and the sentence changed, the sooner he can return on his winge'd chariot and the government can concentrate on relieving the poverty afflicting millions by collecting the tax revenues that all the ruling elite should pay, but most, including Thaksin don't.

Are you suggesting that Abhisit & the Evil Dems should have ordered the army to clear the PAD from the airport just like they did at Rachaprasong??

[rubl]

Will those that made grandiose statements about the need to respect the court's decision, continue to respect those statements and accept the appeal court decision?

I doubt it somehow!

The remaining pillar of Thai society is crumbling

Do you really see it as that? The previous regime politicised the judiciary when they used them to end the airport closure by banning the PPP government with indecent haste, before the defence had time to prepare their case and rather than ordering the army to clear the airport- as they ordered them to remove the demonstrators from Rajprasong- then two years later failed to apply the same justice when the Dems were accused of accepting illegal party donations.

This is all part of an inevitable process. If the case against K. Potjaman is flawed, so is the case against her husband, The sooner K. Thaksin's appeal is heard and the sentence changed, the sooner he can return on his winge'd chariot and the government can concentrate on relieving the poverty afflicting millions by collecting the tax revenues that all the ruling elite should pay, but most, including Thaksin don't.

Are you suggesting that Abhisit & the Evil Dems should have ordered the army to clear the PAD from the airport just like they did at Rachaprasong??

History might have been changed while I was asleep. I really remember (vaguely) PPP with PM Somchai was in government at the time of the airport seizure. How one can err

BTW the logic of "k. Potjaman's case flawed" ergo "k. Thaksin's case flawed" escapes me. Another history change, having gone through a black hole or so?

Edited August 24, 2011 by rubl

[Buchholz]

I doubt it somehow!

The remaining pillar of Thai society is crumbling

Do you really see it as that? The previous regime politicised the judiciary when they used them to end the airport closure by banning the PPP government with indecent haste, before the defence had time to prepare their case and rather than ordering the army to clear the airport- as they ordered them to remove the demonstrators from Rajprasong- then two years later failed to apply the same justice when the Dems were accused of accepting illegal party donations.

This is all part of an inevitable process. If the case against K. Potjaman is flawed, so is the case against her husband, The sooner K. Thaksin's appeal is heard and the sentence changed, the sooner he can return on his winge'd chariot and the government can concentrate on relieving the poverty afflicting millions by collecting the tax revenues that all the ruling elite should pay, but most, including Thaksin don't.

Are you suggesting that Abhisit & the Evil Dems should have ordered the army to clear the PAD from the airport just like they did at Rachaprasong??

History might have been changed while I was asleep. I really remember (vaguely) PPP with PM Somchai was in government at the time of the airport seizure. How one can err

BTW the logic of "k. Potjaman's case flawed" ergo "k. Thaksin's case flawed" escapes me. Another history change, having gone through a black hole or so?

it's comical to observe these repeated feeble attempts, by an ever-changing cast of characters, to alter timelines and who was in charge during them.

.

Edited August 24, 2011 by Buchholz

[TAWP]

Will those that made grandiose statements about the need to respect the court's decision, continue to respect those statements and accept the appeal court decision?

So do you think we should respect the verdicts, no-matter what they are, or not?

[TAWP]

On reducing Bannapot's sentence, court says purpose of tax laws is for revenue collection, not for jailing people.

Remind me again, why am I paying taxes (and more than most people in my part of town)?

[moe666]

Ok boys both sides are missing the point. HE WHO RULES MAKES THE RULES.

[rubl]

NATIONAL

Freedom and 'fighters'

By Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation

Published on August 25, 2011

Court acquits Pojaman of tax evasion on a day when 12 red shirts get lengthy jail terms for May 2010 arson

On a day when the provincial court sentenced several red-shirt members to long jail terms, the Appeals Court overturned the Criminal Court's tax-evasion jail verdict against Khunying Pojaman na Pombejra, Thaksin Shinawatra's ex-wife, citing "incomplete" evidence.

Acquittal by the Appeals Court means Pojaman and her personal secretary Kanchana Honghern will walk free unless the Office of the Attorney-General appeals in the Supreme Court. This will present the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra a dilemma.

The acquittal practically rebuked the Criminal Court, which not only sentenced Pojaman and Bhanapot Damapong to three years in jail each, but gave them a stern reprimand when issuing its verdict in 2008.

At that time, the Criminal Court said Pojaman, Kanchana and Bhana-pot, who is Pojaman's adopted brother, deserved punishment because they were rich people with high political and economic status who were supposed to set a good example for society. The court said the "conspiracy" to evade tax was detrimental to society as well as the tax-collection system.

The Appeals Court yesterday ruled that the main responsibility for declaring and paying taxes belonged to Bhanapot, who received the shares worth Bt546 million from Pojaman in a controversial transaction that the Criminal Court decided involved nominees and false documents. The Criminal Court sentenced Pojaman to three years in jail for lying to the court and tax evasion. But the two presiding judges of the Appeals Court acquitted her and her secretary, citing the lack of foolproof evidence of a conspiracy between the two and Bhanapot.

Bhanapot was yesterday given a two-year suspended jail term and ordered to pay a Bt100,000 fine for failing to declare and pay taxes for the shares he received from Pojaman.

The sentence was suspended because the judges argued that jailing someone over tax evasion was not the main objective of the tax law. Punishment was prescribed to compel people to pay tax and was not really meant to put offenders behind bars, the Appeals Court said. Doubts were raised by the judges about Pojaman's claim in her testimony that the shares given to Bhanapot were meant as a wedding gift as the share transfer took place two years after the wedding. In the absence of evidence to prove her real motives, Pojaman was given the benefit of the doubt. Pojaman, accompanied by her children, left soon after hearing the verdict and didn't make any comment. But the red-shirt movement welcomed the verdict.

Thida Thavornset Tojirakarn, caretaker chairwoman of the red-shirt Democratic Alliance Against Dictator-ship, was among those listening to the court's verdict. She said the case was an attempt to attack Pojaman's credibility from the very beginning.

The Appeals Court verdict did surprise many court officials. It, however, was not mentioned on the House floor when the government, led by the youngest sister of Pojaman's ex-husband, was declaring its policy statement to Parliament.

Legal observers say the Appeals Court ruling apparently would not affect tax money the state had been after. The ruling acknowledged that tax evasion did take place, but it held Bhanapot solely responsible for it. This, observers believe, might give the Yingluck government a reason not to take the case to the Supreme Court.

Satit Rangkasiri, director-general of the Revenue Department, said he needed to look at the details of the court verdict to see whether tax payment in this case would be affected, partly or otherwise.

-- The Nation 2011-08-25

[Siam Simon]

Accusing the Thai courts of being anything other than impartial is not only against TVF rules, it's also highly illegal.

[Siam Simon]

Will those that made grandiose statements about the need to respect the court's decision, continue to respect those statements and accept the appeal court decision?

So do you think we should respect the verdicts, no-matter what they are, or not?

You either respect the rule of law in a country, or you don't. If you don't, then welcome to the club of the grouping that you've spent the last few years insulting.

[mca]

Ok boys both sides are missing the point. HE WHO RULES MAKES THE RULES.

Guess Thaksin's BIL Somchai must have missed that class at school.

[moe666]

I think its called tea money.

[Colin Yai]

Do you know that you sound EXACTLY like the red propaganda machine spewing out mis-information all over Isaan. Now ask yourself why there is a lack of confidence in the Constitutional Court and who that benefits?

So to mention a survey that has been done by Suan Dusit which is an established Thai conductor of surveys and which is a survey that has been discussed on all the main Thai traditional media much of which does not favour the red shirts and which I thought may interest a few people on here who do not know what the Thai media is discussing is to pass out red shirt propaganda!

Don't be so bloody paranoid - I accused you of nothing of the sort. I pointed out that lack of confidence in the constitutional court was caused by the red propaganda - double standards, bias, etc - when in fact there has been little of any of that, but the lack of confidence comes from the false perception. If in fact there was bias, why hasn't PTP been disbanded due to Thaksin's obvious influence in the last election?

Stick to your Guns Mick ,any thinking person knows you are on the right wave length .

[webfact]

UPDATE

Freedom and 'fighters'

By Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation

Court acquits Pojaman of tax evasion on a day when 12 red shirts get lengthy jail terms for May 2010 arson

On a day when the provincial court sentenced several red-shirt members to long jail terms, the Appeals Court overturned the Criminal Court's tax-evasion jail verdict against Khunying Pojaman na Pombejra, Thaksin Shinawatra's ex-wife, citing "incomplete" evidence.

Acquittal by the Appeals Court means Pojaman and her personal secretary Kanchana Honghern will walk free unless the Office of the Attorney-General appeals in the Supreme Court. This will present the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra a dilemma.

The acquittal practically rebuked the Criminal Court, which not only sentenced Pojaman and Bhanapot Damapong to three years in jail each, but gave them a stern reprimand when issuing its verdict in 2008.

At that time, the Criminal Court said Pojaman, Kanchana and Bhana-pot, who is Pojaman's adopted brother, deserved punishment because they were rich people with high political and economic status who were supposed to set a good example for society. The court said the "conspiracy" to evade tax was detrimental to society as well as the tax-collection system.

The Appeals Court yesterday ruled that the main responsibility for declaring and paying taxes belonged to Bhanapot, who received the shares worth Bt546 million from Pojaman in a controversial transaction that the Criminal Court decided involved nominees and false documents. The Criminal Court sentenced Pojaman to three years in jail for lying to the court and tax evasion. But the two presiding judges of the Appeals Court acquitted her and her secretary, citing the lack of foolproof evidence of a conspiracy between the two and Bhanapot.

Bhanapot was yesterday given a two-year suspended jail term and ordered to pay a Bt100,000 fine for failing to declare and pay taxes for the shares he received from Pojaman.

The sentence was suspended because the judges argued that jailing someone over tax evasion was not the main objective of the tax law. Punishment was prescribed to compel people to pay tax and was not really meant to put offenders behind bars, the Appeals Court said. Doubts were raised by the judges about Pojaman's claim in her testimony that the shares given to Bhanapot were meant as a wedding gift as the share transfer took place two years after the wedding. In the absence of evidence to prove her real motives, Pojaman was given the benefit of the doubt. Pojaman, accompanied by her children, left soon after hearing the verdict and didn't make any comment. But the red-shirt movement welcomed the verdict.

Thida Thavornset Tojirakarn, caretaker chairwoman of the red-shirt Democratic Alliance Against Dictator-ship, was among those listening to the court's verdict. She said the case was an attempt to attack Pojaman's credibility from the very beginning.

The Appeals Court verdict did surprise many court officials. It, however, was not mentioned on the House floor when the government, led by the youngest sister of Pojaman's ex-husband, was declaring its policy statement to Parliament.

Legal observers say the Appeals Court ruling apparently would not affect tax money the state had been after. The ruling acknowledged that tax evasion did take place, but it held Bhanapot solely responsible for it. This, observers believe, might give the Yingluck government a reason not to take the case to the Supreme Court.

Satit Rangkasiri, director-general of the Revenue Department, said he needed to look at the details of the court verdict to see whether tax payment in this case would be affected, partly or otherwise.

-- The Nation 2011-08-25

[Buchholz]

Doubts were raised by the judges about Pojaman's claim in her testimony that the shares given to Bhanapot were meant as a wedding gift as the share transfer took place two years after the wedding.

For some odd reason, I received my wedding gifts on days much more proximate to the ceremony date than two years later. An odd Shinawatra custom I presume.

Too bad the issue of Potjaman buying the shares from her maid... and then the nearly Billion Baht payment being deposited later in Potjaman's account wasn't addressed.

It would be interesting to hear the rationale for that other odd Shinawatra custom.

.

[whybother]

So, will someone be paying the tax?

[Oberkommando]

The case fully exposes Thailand and its corrupt systems once again.

One law for the rich and another for the poor.

[Ricardo]

The previous regime politicised the judiciary when they used them to end the airport closure by banning the PPP government with indecent haste, before the defence had time to prepare their case and rather than ordering the army to clear the airport- as they ordered them to remove the demonstrators from Rajprasong- then two years later failed to apply the same justice when the Dems were accused of accepting illegal party donations.

Erm ... it was surely the PPP-led coalition-government who were in power then, not PM-Abhisit & the Democrat-led coalition which came afterwards, so you appear to be suggesting that it was PM-Somchai's government which exercised "indecent haste", using the judiciary to ban itself ?

And the problem for PPP was that they were guilty, not that their lawyers didn't have time, to prepare a proper defense ? If the E.C. now brings a similar case against PTP, for the clear & blatant involvement of Thaksin (a banned politician) in the decisions of the party throughout the recent election-campaign, that would similarly come as no great surprise to anyone, not even PTP and their lawyers ? They should be preparing for such a ruling now, in case it happens ... wouldn't want to get caught-out by "indecent haste" again, would they ?

By the way, a similar charge might be levelled, by the E.C. against Newin's party, don't want any double-standards.

So, will someone be paying the tax?

Don't hold your breath, the rich don't pay tax, do they ? Not even their children or maids/gardeners, when shares are 'parked' in their names ? That's only for the poor little-people, whose role will be to meekly accept it, when later told that the new government can't fulfill its pre-election promises after all, because there's not enough tax-money 'in the kitty' !

[AleG]

Doubts were raised by the judges about Pojaman's claim in her testimony that the shares given to Bhanapot were meant as a wedding gift as the share transfer took place two years after the wedding. In the absence of evidence to prove her real motives, Pojaman was given the benefit of the doubt. Pojaman, accompanied by her children, left soon after hearing the verdict and didn't make any comment. But the red-shirt movement welcomed the verdict.

Thida Thavornset Tojirakarn, caretaker chairwoman of the red-shirt Democratic Alliance Against Dictator-ship, was among those listening to the court's verdict. She said the case was an attempt to attack Pojaman's credibility from the very beginning.

Excuse me a second, but isn't the Red Shirt raison d' etre is to fight against the rich elites, the double standards in laws and to reduce the gap between the haves and have nots? this same people were joyful at a rich elite being acquitted on the flimsiest of excuses from embezzling millions of Baht in taxes, which should serve as a wealth redistribution mechanism?

They didn't just lost the plot, they strangled the plot, tied a mill stone around its neck and dumped it in the river.

[rubl]

Thida Thavornset Tojirakarn, caretaker chairwoman of the red-shirt Democratic Alliance Against Dictator-ship, was among those listening to the court's verdict. She said the case was an attempt to attack Pojaman's credibility from the very beginning.

What was Ms. Thida doing there? Nothing else to do? Just watching how the rich, elite are handled?

Are all red-shirts incarcerated already freed on bail?

(edit: add: Why wasn't she in Ubon Ratchathani where 12 red-shirts were jailed ?)

Edited August 25, 2011 by rubl

[Buchholz]

Thida Thavornset Tojirakarn, caretaker chairwoman of the red-shirt Democratic Alliance Against Dictator-ship, was among those listening to the court's verdict. She said the case was an attempt to attack Pojaman's credibility from the very beginning.

What was Ms. Thida doing there?

Interesting point. Although she repeatedly said the Red Shirts had nothing to do with Thaksin, she didn't say the Red Shirts had nothing to do with Potjaman.

(edit: add: Why wasn't she in Ubon Ratchathani where 12 red-shirts were jailed ?)

Their financial contributions to the so-called movement were far less.

.

Edited August 25, 2011 by Buchholz

[jayboy]

Don't hold your breath, the rich don't pay tax, do they ? Not even their children or maids/gardeners, when shares are 'parked' in their names ? That's only for the poor little-people, whose role will be to meekly accept it..

Perhaps given the truth of what you say a debate is needed on who exactly among the ultra rich of Thailand pays their legal taxes in full.Somehow one doubts this will ever happen.

[Macmundi]

This is a rather obvious case. Now that they won the election, the LAW (Thai LAW) will be working in their favor. Basically there is only one LAW here in Thailand and that is the AW of the elite. Others are left with no right of speech or way.

[rubl]

Don't hold your breath, the rich don't pay tax, do they ? Not even their children or maids/gardeners, when shares are 'parked' in their names ? That's only for the poor little-people, whose role will be to meekly accept it..

Perhaps given the truth of what you say a debate is needed on who exactly among the ultra rich of Thailand pays their legal taxes in full.Somehow one doubts this will ever happen.

At least those rich who are or were MP, or had a cabinet post will have to submit their asset declaration any moment now

[Robby nz]

Wonder if this will clear the way for Thaksin to appeal his sentance?

Or is the supreme court really beyond political interferance.

[rubl]

Wonder if this will clear the way for Thaksin to appeal his sentance?

Or is the supreme court really beyond political interferance.

I don't think so. K. Thaksin had 30 days to appeal after the court sentenced him to two years jail. He decided not to appeal. A case re-opening would depend on the constitution and various laws, and would need solid justification. Don't ask me details, I'm not a lawyer, I'm just an ordinary person

[hellodolly]

UPDATE

Freedom and 'fighters'

By Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation

Court acquits Pojaman of tax evasion on a day when 12 red shirts get lengthy jail terms for May 2010 arson

On a day when the provincial court sentenced several red-shirt members to long jail terms, the Appeals Court overturned the Criminal Court's tax-evasion jail verdict against Khunying Pojaman na Pombejra, Thaksin Shinawatra's ex-wife, citing "incomplete" evidence.

Acquittal by the Appeals Court means Pojaman and her personal secretary Kanchana Honghern will walk free unless the Office of the Attorney-General appeals in the Supreme Court. This will present the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra a dilemma.

The acquittal practically rebuked the Criminal Court, which not only sentenced Pojaman and Bhanapot Damapong to three years in jail each, but gave them a stern reprimand when issuing its verdict in 2008.

At that time, the Criminal Court said Pojaman, Kanchana and Bhana-pot, who is Pojaman's adopted brother, deserved punishment because they were rich people with high political and economic status who were supposed to set a good example for society. The court said the "conspiracy" to evade tax was detrimental to society as well as the tax-collection system.

The Appeals Court yesterday ruled that the main responsibility for declaring and paying taxes belonged to Bhanapot, who received the shares worth Bt546 million from Pojaman in a controversial transaction that the Criminal Court decided involved nominees and false documents. The Criminal Court sentenced Pojaman to three years in jail for lying to the court and tax evasion. But the two presiding judges of the Appeals Court acquitted her and her secretary, citing the lack of foolproof evidence of a conspiracy between the two and Bhanapot.

Bhanapot was yesterday given a two-year suspended jail term and ordered to pay a Bt100,000 fine for failing to declare and pay taxes for the shares he received from Pojaman.

The sentence was suspended because the judges argued that jailing someone over tax evasion was not the main objective of the tax law. Punishment was prescribed to compel people to pay tax and was not really meant to put offenders behind bars, the Appeals Court said. Doubts were raised by the judges about Pojaman's claim in her testimony that the shares given to Bhanapot were meant as a wedding gift as the share transfer took place two years after the wedding. In the absence of evidence to prove her real motives, Pojaman was given the benefit of the doubt. Pojaman, accompanied by her children, left soon after hearing the verdict and didn't make any comment. But the red-shirt movement welcomed the verdict.

Thida Thavornset Tojirakarn, caretaker chairwoman of the red-shirt Democratic Alliance Against Dictator-ship, was among those listening to the court's verdict. She said the case was an attempt to attack Pojaman's credibility from the very beginning.

The Appeals Court verdict did surprise many court officials. It, however, was not mentioned on the House floor when the government, led by the youngest sister of Pojaman's ex-husband, was declaring its policy statement to Parliament.

Legal observers say the Appeals Court ruling apparently would not affect tax money the state had been after. The ruling acknowledged that tax evasion did take place, but it held Bhanapot solely responsible for it. This, observers believe, might give the Yingluck government a reason not to take the case to the Supreme Court.

Satit Rangkasiri, director-general of the Revenue Department, said he needed to look at the details of the court verdict to see whether tax payment in this case would be affected, partly or otherwise.

-- The Nation 2011-08-25

Surprise surprise. Who would have ever thunk it?