Appeals Court clears General Thammarak of election fraud



BANGKOK: -- The Appeals Court has overturned the lower court’s conviction of General Thammarak Issarangkoon na Ayudhya, a former executive of the now defunct Thai Rak Thai party, who was found guilty and sentenced to three years and four months imprisonment, for hiring a small party to contest the April 2 election in 2006.

The Appeals Court said that there were no eyewitnesses to confirm that the retired general was involved in the hiring of the Pattana Chart Thai party to field candidates in competition against Thai Rak Thai party’s candidates in the election eight years ago in order to avoid a requirement that the winners must receive at least 20 percent of the votes of the eligible voters in each constituency.

The hiring of a party to contest the poll to avoid the 20 percent requirement is regarded as a violation of the election law.

The same court, however, upheld the conviction of three election officials namely Amornvit Suwanpha, Chavakarn Tosawat and Suksant Chaithet but lowered their jailterms to three years and four months for Amornvit and two years each for the remaining two.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/appeals-court-clears-general-thammarak-election-fraud/


-- Thai PBS 2014-01-07

Doubtless, the court was swayed by the import of his appearance in full military regalia.

Weren't there a lot of members here saying vote buying/corruption wasn't an issue?

Weren't there a lot of members here saying vote buying/corruption wasn't an issue?

Those members can't see, or prefer not to see, that there's more to buying an election than handing notes to the hoi polloi.

Elections are bought by buying up regional power brokers (not far from feudal lords), small mercenary parties, village head men and so on and so forth, basically the way Thaksin became PM in the first place.

The money given to the voters themselves is only a very small part of it all.

Weren't there a lot of members here saying vote buying/corruption wasn't an issue?

Those members can't see, or prefer not to see, that there's more to buying an election than handing notes to the hoi polloi.

Elections are bought by buying up regional power brokers (not far from feudal lords), small mercenary parties, village head men and so on and so forth, basically the way Thaksin became PM in the first place.

The money given to the voters themselves is only a very small part of it all.

You're missing the point completely. He was cleared of hiring a small party to contest the April 2006 elections because the dems boycotted the election (sound familiar) - this was the main reason given for the EC at the time to declare the April 2006 elections null and void. If they had gone ahead, there wouldn't have been the wait for new elections in October 2006 and maybe, just maybe, there wouldn't have been a coup. But seeing as the army had been planning the coup since February of that year that viewpoint is moot.

Reminds me of an old doorman at our local Odeon........... Circle 10 bob, stalls 6 bob, cheap seats 2 and 6!!!

Weren't there a lot of members here saying vote buying/corruption wasn't an issue?

Those members can't see, or prefer not to see, that there's more to buying an election than handing notes to the hoi polloi.

Elections are bought by buying up regional power brokers (not far from feudal lords), small mercenary parties, village head men and so on and so forth, basically the way Thaksin became PM in the first place.

The money given to the voters themselves is only a very small part of it all.

You're missing the point completely. He was cleared of hiring a small party to contest the April 2006 elections because the dems boycotted the election (sound familiar) - this was the main reason given for the EC at the time to declare the April 2006 elections null and void. If they had gone ahead, there wouldn't have been the wait for new elections in October 2006 and maybe, just maybe, there wouldn't have been a coup. But seeing as the army had been planning the coup since February of that year that viewpoint is moot.

Thank you for presenting yourself as one of those who don't want to see.

While he was cleared, the attempted electoral fraud is a fact and others involved in it are still deemed guilty.

Which war, did he fight in?. To get all those decorations.

The Battle of the Bulge!!

Which war, did he fight in?. To get all those decorations.

Oh not that old chestnut. Here's a group of seasoned campaigners. It was

taken in 2008 so they hadn't received the Ratchaprasong / Lumpini Park

Campaign ribbons at that time.

Which war, did he fight in?. To get all those decorations.

Oh not that old chestnut. Here's a group of seasoned campaigners. It was

taken in 2008 so they hadn't received the Ratchaprasong / Lumpini Park

Campaign ribbons at that time.

Back row 3rd left - is that Psy of Gangnam Style fame?

That sounds about right the big guy at the top who benefits is innocent, the small fry go to jail.

That sounds about right the big guy at the top who benefits is innocent, the small fry go to jail.

Na Ayudhya?

Can not remember.

Was there not a story about a Honda Civic on Dec 27, 2010?

Reminds me of an old doorman at our local Odeon........... Circle 10 bob, stalls 6 bob, cheap seats 2 and 6!!!

You young whippersnapper....at the Regal in Harwich it was threpence. Mind you they were all in black and white with no sound!!!

You're missing the point completely. He was cleared of hiring a small party to contest the April 2006 elections because the dems boycotted the election (sound familiar) - this was the main reason given for the EC at the time to declare the April 2006 elections null and void. If they had gone ahead, there wouldn't have been the wait for new elections in October 2006 and maybe, just maybe, there wouldn't have been a coup. But seeing as the army had been planning the coup since February of that year that viewpoint is moot.

And why did Thaksin call very early elections in 2006, well under 2 years in office with a big majority? Shall we discuss the rampant corruption and the calls for his party to resign?