Impeach former Thai officials over rice deals, says NACC

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Impeach former officials over rice deals, says NACC
Kris Bhromsuthi
The Nation

Anti-graft agency says the evidence against the trio is overwhelming

BANGKOK: -- THE ANTI-GRAFT agency yesterday urged the National Legislative Assembly to impeach three former government officials under the Pheu Thai administration, saying that they could not prove the Chinese state enterprises involved in a supposed government-to-government rice contract represented the central Chinese government.

National Anti-Corruption Commission member Vicha Mahakhun told NLA members that only state enterprises officially recognised as a delegation representing the Chinese government could engage in a G2G programme with the Thai government.

The three accused former officials are former commerce minister Boonsong Teriyapirom, former deputy commerce minister Poom Sarapol and the ex-director of the Commerce Ministry's Foreign Trade Department, Manus Soiploy.

The two former ministers yesterday attended the NLA meeting to deliver their closing speeches. Manus did not show up but produced his closing speech in writing.

The NLA is set to vote on whether to impeach the accused today.

Vicha alleged that the Chinese state enterprises in question - Guangdong Stationery & Sporting Goods Import & Export Corp and the Hainan Grain and Oil Industrial Trading - had not received official authorisation from the Chinese central government to engage in a G2G deal with the Thai government.

He alleged that the claim there was a G2G deal was a deception created by the three accused ex-officials.

Vicha alleged that bogus G2G deals were part of a plan that enabled a network of companies "network of alliance business firms" to make a huge amount of money while doing severe damage to the country's economy and the state budget.

He said one warehouse rice transaction involving China showed no G2G programme with that country but instead stated that the rice was sold at a "friendly price" to a Thai distributor.

He alleged that the distributor consisted of an alliance of firms belonging to members of the Pheu Thai Party and the transaction resulted in a huge profit.

The bogus G2G programme was approved, administrated and regulated by the accused ex-officials, he alleged, and as such they should take full responsibility for it and be impeached and barred from holding public office for five years.

But Boonsong insisted that it was a real programme because both Chinese companies were state enterprise and as such had officially represented the Chinese government.

He said there had been no public deception and he accused the NACC of refusing to interrogate the two Chinese state enterprises, which indicated prejudice against him and his political faction.

"Everyone wants to see justice but the NACC is deliberately trying to picture us as corrupt," he said. "This has created a lot of embarrassment for me and my family.

"Such an accusation indicates bias, prejudice and resentment towards myself.

"Again, I would like to deny all the accusations and wrongdoings."

Poom said he still believed that engaging the two Chinese state enterprises was the best course of action for this country at the time as high stockpiles of rice were rotting.

He said the process was normal practice and had been conducted for a very long time by the same civil servants who had expertly carried out the task for many governments.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Impeach-former-officials-over-rice-deals-says-NACC-30259583.html


-- The Nation 2015-05-08

[Robby nz]

Yea right a sporting and stationary goods company buying rice on behalf of the Chinese govt sounds likely ?

Considering that it was stated in parliament as far back as 2012 when this deal was supposed to have been done that the rice in question never actually moved from the warehouse it was stored in, and the ministers answer recorded in the house was that it was none of his business what happened to the rice once it was sold.

We await todays decision which, if guilty as charged, will lead to court proceedings and hopefully confiscation of assets on a guilty court verdict.

[BSJ]

Get them into court so they can have their day....before them being gaoled.

[halloween]

"..........an alliance of firms belonging to members of the Pheu Thai Party....."

Party member #1?

[jerojero]

Sporting and Stationary company buying rice on behalf of China. Duh! 5555

[Thaddeus]

Sporting and Stationary company buying rice on behalf of China. Duh! 5555

Perhaps they were experimenting in new markets.

(sarc)

[scorecard]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

"..........an alliance of firms belonging to members of the Pheu Thai Party....."

Party member #1?

Some might call it a political party.

Some would call it a get rich quick club with no morals gang sponsored and directed by a highly corrupt criminal.

[LuckyLew]

Great plan, impeach people who are no longer sitting

How about arrest them, charge them and chuck them in jail with no bail

[scorecard]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Great plan, impeach people who are no longer sitting

How about arrest them, charge them and chuck them in jail with no bail

Step by step.

[marquisdesade]

they should also be held criminally responsible as well for the corrupt money skimming practices they were trying to put in to effect.

[SOTIRIOS]

...how long do they have to talk about it...or think about it...before taking any real action.....

[orange31]

Oh no, don't ban them from politics for 5 years. Oh the punishment is too harsh, what on earth will they do? Have fun spending their ill gotten gains while their sibling runs instead. Great punishment!!

[Tatsujin]

"Vicha alleged that bogus G2G deals were part of a plan that enabled a network of companies "network of alliance business firms" to make a huge amount of money while doing severe damage to the country's economy and the state budget."

"He alleged that the distributor consisted of an alliance of firms belonging to members of the Pheu Thai Party and the transaction resulted in a huge profit."

And there's the whole Thaksin plan in a nutshell for those that are too blind to see it or refuse to accept it (which is most of the Thaksin supporters).

< deleted > over the people and the country they claim to care for and love so much whilst lining their own very very deep pockets as quickly and as often as they can. It's sickening and depressing to see how easy the sheeple here are conned by their "leaders".

[scorecard]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

...how long do they have to talk about it...or think about it...before taking any real action.....

It's in progress now.

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

i guess they won't flee Thailand until the criminal charges are issued?

[Robby nz]

For those who want some background on this read the original report on the evidence presented by the Democrats in the 2012 no confidence debate.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/600926-rice-deals-with-china-fake-thai-democrats/

You will see that it is no small matter as the rice was said to be sold to these companies at 300b per sack while the market price at the time was between 1500 and 1550b per sack which would have made someone a profit on the deal of 20 billion.

You will note as you read that link that the name Siam Indiga comes up, for farther info on this company have a look at :

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/590133-winners-and-losers-emerge-in-rice-scheme-thailand/

Pay particular attention to post number 4.

Another interesting connection :

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/737022-rice-fraud-verdict-on-thaksins-aide-due-today/page-3

Posted 2014-06-24 17:21:57

Thaksin aide jailed for rice fraud

[robblok]

For those who want some background on this read the original report on the evidence presented by the Democrats in the 2012 no confidence debate.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/600926-rice-deals-with-china-fake-thai-democrats/

You will see that it is no small matter as the rice was said to be sold to these companies at 300b per sack while the market price at the time was between 1500 and 1550b per sack which would have made someone a profit on the deal of 20 billion.

You will note as you read that link that the name Siam Indiga comes up, for farther info on this company have a look at :

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/590133-winners-and-losers-emerge-in-rice-scheme-thailand/

Pay particular attention to post number 4.

Another interesting connection :

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/737022-rice-fraud-verdict-on-thaksins-aide-due-today/page-3

Posted 2014-06-24 17:21:57

Thaksin aide jailed for rice fraud

But there was no corruption according to YL and the red supporters.

20 billion.. I would not think that is pocket change.

Combine this with rice being accepted at a higher grade as it really was (loads of inferior rice was find). That is a moneymaker scheme too.

All in all quite a bit of corruption and mismanagement. Its only fitting if some people YL inclusive (end responsible as she chaired the rice program and stated assured there was no corruption)

Now we see why they bombed and shot at the people who tried to bring down the government. Without them in power all their corruption became exposed. So the red leaders decided to kill a few anti government protesters in the hope that people would not come and the protest would die down and they stay in power.

If only Thaksin did not include himself int he amnesty.. then this house of cards would never have come down. I guess we must be happy that this convicted criminal the defacto leader of the PTP (do you know any other country where a convicted criminal leads a country by proxy ?) was so self centered.

Else they could have covered this rice scam up with the mony they wanted to loan for the infrastructure projects.

[trainman34014]

No surprises here then. The real 'surprise' will be if anyone actually gets punished in a meaningful way. True justice for wrongdoers at this level is all but non existent...shame on Thailand.

[Baerboxer]

Looks like the Shin apologists and supporters are ignoring this thread.

Makes a mockery of all Yingluck's repeated claims of nothing wrong, no corruption and being being in charge but not knowing or doing anything.

Remember the Chinese government previously confirmed these two Chinese companies were not licensed to import and sell rice and the Chinese government were not party to these dodgy deals.

What a scam this really was - all to line the pockets of the Shin faithful at the criminal expense of the Thai people.

[khaowong1]

Great plan, impeach people who are no longer sitting

How about arrest them, charge them and chuck them in jail with no bail

Yes, I agree, using the word impeach is the wrong word. Arrest them..