Court sentences former Democrat MP one year in prison

[Lite Beer]

Former Democrat MP gets a year in jail for land encroachment
The Nation


Former Democrat MP Pracha Phothiphiphit attends the Criminal Court for yesterday

BANGKOK: -- Former Democrat MP Pracha Phothiphiphit was sentenced yesterday to a year in jail for encroaching on a vast area of state land in Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi provinces.

A former influential kamnan based in Kanchanaburi, Pracha, 71, has been released on bail of Bt100,000 while an appeal is under way. He was present at yesterday's hearing after reportedly undergoing hospital treatment recently for poor health.

The Criminal Court judge found him guilty of having encroached on nearly 1,200 rai (about 190 hectares) of state land in the two neighbouring provinces between 1990 and 2004, although he later purchased the entire area. The imprisonment was ordered with immediate effect.

The judge dismissed Pracha's claims that he innocently acquired the blocks, not knowing that they were state land.

They cited his basic qualification as a kamnan - as a virtual state employee - and his experience in the job as basic factors that should have kept him from overlooking this when buying a large area of land over many years.

Pracha is also awaiting final ruling by the Supreme Court, after being acquitted of a charge of bid-fixing by the Court of Appeals, which overturned an earlier five-year prison term handed to for the charge of running a criminal conspiracy. The bid-fixing conviction initially saw him, his wife and two other accomplices given four-year prison terms, but all the four were acquitted by the Court of Appeal.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Former-Democrat-MP-gets-a-year-in-jail-for-land-en-30242110.html

-- The Nation 2014-08-30

[chooka]

But isn't it only the Thaksin people who are/have been involved in corruption and criminal activity. I guess this is just another case proving the corruption and criminals wear many colours.

[ianf]

NO democrat will ever do jail time ! They are as corrupt as the Shins, but no body cares.

Suthep also occupied governments land and buildings illegal, lets see if needs to spend his time in jail, i doubt !

Yes there are corrupt Democrats but remember that Abhisit fought tooth and nail the corruption within his own party. To compare them to the Shin lot is like comparing bicycles to balloons and demonstrates a total lack of understanding of what's been happening here in Thailand over the years.

[Prbkk]

I'll bet that's not a knock-off LV bag from Patpong market.

[apetley]

Steal 1200 rai of state land....1 year in jail.

Pick wild mushrooms on state land....20 years in jail.

[chooka]

NO democrat will ever do jail time ! They are as corrupt as the Shins, but no body cares.

Suthep also occupied governments land and buildings illegal, lets see if needs to spend his time in jail, i doubt !

And how many of the corrupt Shins are doing time in jail at the moment?

Where is Suthep occupying governments land building illegal? Never heard of it.

Guess you missed the last demo, the one right before this current coup.

[chooka]

Steal 1200 rai of state land....1 year in jail.

Pick wild mushrooms on state land....20 years in jail.

The mushroom guy was just a poor peasant trying to feed his family. The other a super rich hi so who spits on authority and those beneath him. A huge difference and the hi so will probably do home detention with a pass to go to restaurants.

[Chang_paarp]

They cited his basic qualification as a kamnan - as a virtual state employee - and his experience in the job as basic factors that should have kept him from overlooking this when buying a large area of land over many years.

These experiences should have ensured he knew what to check, not what to ignore, but hey we are discussing the kleptocracy here.

[Ricardo]

But isn't it only the Thaksin people who are/have been involved in corruption and criminal activity. I guess this is just another case proving the corruption and criminals wear many colours.

No, there's corruption on all sides, this case just shows that the guilty can be brought to court & punished, whoever they are/were.

No Double Standards !

[heybuz]

i have tried to explain to my wife that these people are taking money off them,like the the head of a company with share holders,namely the thai people not receiving any dividend from said company and the company head taking all the profits. reaction,a blank stare.

[sweatalot]

But isn't it only the Thaksin people who are/have been involved in corruption and criminal activity. I guess this is just another case proving the corruption and criminals wear many colours.

Do you think the shins look better when other people are found to be corrupt and criminal, too ?

Edited August 30, 2014 by sweatalot

[thaiguzzi]

Of course, one year for that, and 15 years for a couple who illegally picked mushrooms. Fairs fair. My missus never forgets to remind me about that old couple mushroom picking. She hates the Thai justice system with a vengeance. She also enjoys mushroom picking.

[thaiguzzi]

Former Democrat MP gets a year in jail for land encroachment

The Nation

Former Democrat MP Pracha Phothiphiphit attends the Criminal Court for yesterday

BANGKOK: -- Former Democrat MP Pracha Phothiphiphit was sentenced yesterday to a year in jail for encroaching on a vast area of state land in Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi provinces.

A former influential kamnan based in Kanchanaburi, Pracha, 71, has been released on bail of Bt100,000 while an appeal is under way. He was present at yesterday's hearing after reportedly undergoing hospital treatment recently for poor health.

The Criminal Court judge found him guilty of having encroached on nearly 1,200 rai (about 190 hectares) of state land in the two neighbouring provinces between 1990 and 2004, although he later purchased the entire area. The imprisonment was ordered with immediate effect.

The judge dismissed Pracha's claims that he innocently acquired the blocks, not knowing that they were state land.

They cited his basic qualification as a kamnan - as a virtual state employee - and his experience in the job as basic factors that should have kept him from overlooking this when buying a large area of land over many years.

Pracha is also awaiting final ruling by the Supreme Court, after being acquitted of a charge of bid-fixing by the Court of Appeals, which overturned an earlier five-year prison term handed to for the charge of running a criminal conspiracy. The bid-fixing conviction initially saw him, his wife and two other accomplices given four-year prison terms, but all the four were acquitted by the Court of Appeal.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Former-Democrat-MP-gets-a-year-in-jail-for-land-en-30242110.html

-- The Nation 2014-08-30

Sorry, in Thailand, how the hell do you "purchase" 190 hectares??

[chooka]

But isn't it only the Thaksin people who are/have been involved in corruption and criminal activity. I guess this is just another case proving the corruption and criminals wear many colours.

Do you think the shins look better when other people are found to be corrupt and criminal, too ?

Definitely not. The point I was making this has taken the blinkers and earmuffs of some people on here that refuse to accept that it is not only the Shins who can be corrupt. Some on here totally believe that corruption and criminal activities only started when Thaksin came to power and he was/is the only one to have his nose in the trough. People from all colours and all sides of politics have and always will be fighting over their slice of the pie.

.

[chooka]

Former Democrat MP gets a year in jail for land encroachment

The Nation

Former Democrat MP Pracha Phothiphiphit attends the Criminal Court for yesterday

BANGKOK: -- Former Democrat MP Pracha Phothiphiphit was sentenced yesterday to a year in jail for encroaching on a vast area of state land in Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi provinces.

A former influential kamnan based in Kanchanaburi, Pracha, 71, has been released on bail of Bt100,000 while an appeal is under way. He was present at yesterday's hearing after reportedly undergoing hospital treatment recently for poor health.

The Criminal Court judge found him guilty of having encroached on nearly 1,200 rai (about 190 hectares) of state land in the two neighbouring provinces between 1990 and 2004, although he later purchased the entire area. The imprisonment was ordered with immediate effect.

The judge dismissed Pracha's claims that he innocently acquired the blocks, not knowing that they were state land.

They cited his basic qualification as a kamnan - as a virtual state employee - and his experience in the job as basic factors that should have kept him from overlooking this when buying a large area of land over many years.

Pracha is also awaiting final ruling by the Supreme Court, after being acquitted of a charge of bid-fixing by the Court of Appeals, which overturned an earlier five-year prison term handed to for the charge of running a criminal conspiracy. The bid-fixing conviction initially saw him, his wife and two other accomplices given four-year prison terms, but all the four were acquitted by the Court of Appeal.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Former-Democrat-MP-gets-a-year-in-jail-for-land-en-30242110.html

-- The Nation 2014-08-30

Sorry, in Thailand, how the hell do you "purchase" 190 hectares??

Probably the same way as you would purchase 200.

[AleG]

Do you think the shins look better when other people are found to be corrupt and criminal, too ?

Definitely not. The point I was making this has taken the blinkers and earmuffs of some people on here that refuse to accept that it is not only the Shins who can be corrupt. Some on here totally believe that corruption and criminal activities only started when Thaksin came to power and he was/is the only one to have his nose in the trough. People from all colours and all sides of politics have and always will be fighting over their slice of the pie.

.

The point you are making is a strawman argument built out of recycled strawmen arguments; it doesn't say anything about the fictional people you accuse of being blinkered and earmuffed, it does say a lot about yourself though.

The only people that say that Thaksin clan is the only corrupt group in Thailand are Thaksin apologists that try, ineffectively, to discredit the people that decry Thaksin's (and his clan/ political parties corruption) of having double standards or being partisans with an agenda.

It's a lazy, self serving fantasy to try and score partisan points, to paint yourself as a more enlightened and savvy people that those other guys.

Unless of course you can show a citation for all those people saying what you claim; not counting the obvious trolls, i.e. Suriya4 and Chotee if I got the names right.

[chooka]

Do you think the shins look better when other people are found to be corrupt and criminal, too ?

Definitely not. The point I was making this has taken the blinkers and earmuffs of some people on here that refuse to accept that it is not only the Shins who can be corrupt. Some on here totally believe that corruption and criminal activities only started when Thaksin came to power and he was/is the only one to have his nose in the trough. People from all colours and all sides of politics have and always will be fighting over their slice of the pie.

.

The point you are making is a strawman argument built out of recycled strawmen arguments; it doesn't say anything about the fictional people you accuse of being blinkered and earmuffed, it does say a lot about yourself though.

The only people that say that Thaksin clan is the only corrupt group in Thailand are Thaksin apologists that try, ineffectively, to discredit the people that decry Thaksin's (and his clan/ political parties corruption) of having double standards or being partisans with an agenda.

It's a lazy, self serving fantasy to try and score partisan points, to paint yourself as a more enlightened and savvy people that those other guys.

Unless of course you can show a citation for all those people saying what you claim; not counting the obvious trolls, i.e. Suriya4 and Chotee if I got the names right.

My apologies and I stand corrected. The Thaksin clan are the only corrupt people in Thailand. My apologies to all the other people of Thailand.

[Dogmatix]

His wife packed a Louis Vuitton bag with the old scamster's pyjamas and tooth brush for prison in case he didn't make bail.

Edited August 31, 2014 by Dogmatix

[soalbundy]

ooops