Thai 'Yellow Shirt' Founder Sondhi Limthongkul Jailed For 20 Years

[Reasonableman]

Is that meant to be a statement of fact or your personal opinion? Sometimes they aren't the same thing.

[jalansanitwong]

The great thing about Thailand is that things can only get 'worse for the better'...everything is upside down here.

[airconsult]

I believe the Nation has forgotten that AOT won damages of 522 million thb from the 13 PAD leaders as well.

Can't link to the article the BP forbids it - but it was on the 25/03/2011 Civil court awarded damages to AOT against 13 PAD leaders.

Cheers

EDIT - I believe link to Asian Correspondent (Bangkok Pundit) is ok?

http://asiancorrespondent.com/51144/thai-court-orders-pad-leaders-to-pay-compensation-over-airport-seizure/

Edited February 28, 2012 by airconsult

[birdpooguava]

Thaksin gets 2 years, and Sondhi gets 20. Thaksin always maintains his was politically motivated. Ha Ha. does anyone want to compare the sentences ???? which crimes against the state were more bad ???? interesting to look for consistency.

Sonthi confessed. Thaksin is innocent. A little different.

[whybother]

Thaksin gets 2 years, and Sondhi gets 20. Thaksin always maintains his was politically motivated. Ha Ha. does anyone want to compare the sentences ???? which crimes against the state were more bad ???? interesting to look for consistency.

Sonthi confessed. Thaksin is innocent. A little different.

[birdpooguava]

Thaksin gets 2 years, and Sondhi gets 20. Thaksin always maintains his was politically motivated. Ha Ha. does anyone want to compare the sentences ???? which crimes against the state were more bad ???? interesting to look for consistency.

Sonthi confessed. Thaksin is innocent. A little different.

Before you start posting stupid smileys could you go and read all of the facts regarding the Ratchada land deal, and then you will realise that the laughing matter is the trivial nature of the accusation against Thaksin and not my post.

[whybother]

Thaksin gets 2 years, and Sondhi gets 20. Thaksin always maintains his was politically motivated. Ha Ha. does anyone want to compare the sentences ???? which crimes against the state were more bad ???? interesting to look for consistency.

Sonthi confessed. Thaksin is innocent. A little different.

Before you start posting stupid smileys could you go and read all of the facts regarding the Ratchada land deal, and then you will realise that the laughing matter is the trivial nature of the accusation against Thaksin and not my post.

It's pretty straight forward. Thaksin signed off on the land deal that was linked to the government. Being PM, he should have kept clear of it.

And then there's all the cases that haven't been tried yet, which are more likely to lead to the 20 (or 85) year sentences.

[SomTumTiger]

One down.....

[GentlemanJim]

<deleted> do you know ...

...how long it takes for an accountable democracy to form?

Countries in the West are still in the process of "perfecting" it!

<deleted>. Give this society a break. Social and political changes (revolutions) - no matter their manifestation - take TIME! - along with the warts 'n farts (and darts from a buncha armchair know-it-alls)

It sounds like you have Tourettes.

[h90]

Does anyone believe this might have happened in a "yellow shirt" administration?

Of course not.

Everyone know how the courts work.......Hint hint....it is not much different than the Police.

[birdpooguava]

It's pretty straight forward. Thaksin signed off on the land deal that was linked to the government. Being PM, he should have kept clear of it.

And then there's all the cases that haven't been tried yet, which are more likely to lead to the 20 (or 85) year sentences.

Yes that is how his critics like to summarise it in an attempt to vilify him, but in fact it's much more complex than that.

In legal perspective, it boils down to whether the FDIF, which is an agency set up under the BOT, is considered as “state owned” or a “state enterprise”. If we look at Supreme Court decision No. 4655/2533 (In brief the plaintiff is suing the government for FDIF mis-management and asking the government to pay for the mistake because the FDIF had a legal shield) the Supreme Court had made a decision that the FDIF is not state owned or a state enterprise so the charge was dropped. Anyway, in 2007 the Junta/ ASC re-classified the FDIF as being state owned and they charged Thaksin on that ground.

[Payboy]

The Criminal Court on Tuesday found yellow-shirt leader Sondhi Limthongkul guilty for 15 counts of business fraud from 1996 to 1998 and sentenced him to serve 85 years in jail.

Suck on that Chamlong.

[whybother]

It's pretty straight forward. Thaksin signed off on the land deal that was linked to the government. Being PM, he should have kept clear of it.

And then there's all the cases that haven't been tried yet, which are more likely to lead to the 20 (or 85) year sentences.

Yes that is how his critics like to summarise it in an attempt to vilify him, but in fact it's much more complex than that.

In legal perspective, it boils down to whether the FDIF, which is an agency set up under the BOT, is considered as “state owned” or a “state enterprise”. If we look at Supreme Court decision No. 4655/2533 (In brief the plaintiff is suing the government for FDIF mis-management and asking the government to pay for the mistake because the FDIF had a legal shield) the Supreme Court had made a decision that the FDIF is not state owned or a state enterprise so the charge was dropped. Anyway, in 2007 the Junta/ ASC re-classified the FDIF as being state owned and they charged Thaksin on that ground.

Well, didn't the government just transfer over a trillion baht of FIDF debt FROM the government TO the BOT? That sounds pretty much like government controlled to me.

[jdinasia]

Hmmmm trying to cite legal precedent in Thailand ... amazing! Thai courts (including the Supreme Court) are not bound by legal precedent ... particularly 22 year old precedent.

What we know is Sonthi pled guilty and will certainly stay out on bail. We know that Thaksin fled the jurisdiction and was not present to hear the verdict even though previously he had said he had faith in the Thai courts.

Payboy --- this isn't a charge relating to the PAD, but again we know that Chamlong won't be taking a runner.

We know that he (and other people from the PAD) have actually turned themselves in and gone through the system instead of fleeing jurisdiction.

When comparing this to Thaksin, we can only say that Sonthi stayed for the verdict. The more serious cases against Thaksin can't proceed until he appears in court to face charges.

[pattayadingo]

This is great comedy reading all the posts for, agains etc. I love it.

Edited February 28, 2012 by pattayadingo

[GentlemanJim]

Sondhi need not worry at all. By my reckoning there will be a long term lease becoming available soon on a des res property in Dubai, already furnished for the discerning Thai Billionaire traveller to limited world wide destinations. I hear Montenegro are doing a special offer on a Citizenship share a passport scheme.

[animatic]

<deleted> do you know ...

...how long it takes for an accountable democracy to form?

Countries in the West are still in the process of "perfecting" it!

<deleted>. Give this society a break. Social and political changes (revolutions) - no matter their manifestation - take TIME! - along with the warts 'n farts (and darts from a buncha armchair know-it-alls)

It takes a lot less time if your culture is willing to observe and learn from other cultures steps in that direction, rather than say we aren't like them we do it our way... as an excuse to do little or nothing. Plenty of good examples to draw up an new constitution from, they do it by nevel gazing looking for 'The Thai way', and rarely consider other countries successes doing the same in the past.

[animatic]

Thaksin gets 2 years, and Sondhi gets 20. Thaksin always maintains his was politically motivated. Ha Ha. does anyone want to compare the sentences ???? which crimes against the state were more bad ???? interesting to look for consistency.

Sonthi confessed. Thaksin is innocent. A little different.

Bought that one hook, line and sinker, with a bit of poo added.

[animatic]

='ginjag' timestamp='1330425214' post='5095096'

Thaksin gets 2 years, and Sondhi gets 20. Thaksin always maintains his was politically motivated. Ha Ha. does anyone want to compare the sentences ???? which crimes against the state were more bad ???? interesting to look for consistency.

Sonthi confessed. Thaksin is innocent. A little different.

Before you start posting stupid smileys could you go and read all of the facts regarding the Ratchada land deal, and then you will realise that the laughing matter is the trivial nature of the accusation against Thaksin and not my post.

It's pretty straight forward. Thaksin signed off on the land deal that was linked to the government. Being PM, he should have kept clear of it.

And then there's all the cases that haven't been tried yet, which are more likely to lead to the 20 (or 85) year sentences.

Whybothers's read it more than once and was here at the time.

And then ignored the propaganda driven changes that have been attempted

to gloss over the facts and muddy them into irrelevance.

Edited February 28, 2012 by animatic

[Unkomoncents]

This likely wouldn't have happened if the current government wasn't so politically motivated. I'm not encouraged by this because these kinds of things tend to only exacerbate things as they stand. I'm sure this will provoke reaction after reaction that can only create more animosity amongst Thai government officials. That's not to say justice shouldn't be served and I suspect that to get where this fine gentleman got, there were a lot of envelopes exchanged. It's most certainly the nature of the beast now. But this seems very politically selective. Not a good omen.

[edwardandtubs]

Good to see him get his comeuppance. He should have been finished in 1997 when he was declared bankrupt but his "debt forgiveness" allowed him another 15 years of corruption and troublemaking.

Unfortunately, we all know only poor people go to jail in Thailand so I'm sure his life of luxury will continue.

Edited February 28, 2012 by edwardandtubs

[Macmundi]

YESS!!! I want to see this man in jail. along with Thaksin. For more than 20 years! With no chance of bail or parole..!

[MaiChai]

Statute of limitations didn't expire on this case? Sounds like it was a long time ago?

[hellodolly]

Thaksin gets 2 years, and Sondhi gets 20. Thaksin always maintains his was politically motivated. Ha Ha. does anyone want to compare the sentences ???? which crimes against the state were more bad ???? interesting to look for consistency.

Sonthi confessed. Thaksin is innocent. A little different.

whybother you are only partially rite

That's better.

birdpoo here is for you

[rubl]

With all guano being thrown about I had to think of the picture below. Although it's about the Euro crisis there is some similarity with what we observe in Thailand and TV, I think. Now who would be the top bird

Edited February 28, 2012 by rubl

[nurofiend]

what goes around comes around.

[Siam Simon]

what goes around comes around.

Only sort-of. When the generals and their backers have the same rules run over them, I will be quite happy to see figures such as Sondhi and Thaksin staring at four walls.

[cdnvic]

Posts containing unattributed copyrighted information (The Guardian) deleted. Use your own words or link to your source rather than cutting and pasting someone else's work.

[DP25]

He was accused by Thailand's Securities and Exchange Commission of falsifying documents used as collateral for a loan of almost 1.1 billion baht ($36 million) for his ASTV/Manager media empire.

If that equates to 20 years, Thaksin should get about 2,000.

[givenall]

Will he join Mr. T in Dubai?

All those luxury condos are empty and perfect for all rich criminal to scape there