Chaiyaphum rice mill owner acquitted of Bt11m embezzlement

[webfact]

COURT
Rice mill owner acquitted of Bt11m embezzlement
Sutthipong Settharangsi
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- THE APPEALS Court has acquitted the owner of the Nopporn rice mill in Chaiyaphum's Ban Khwao district for their roles in the alleged use of forged warehouse receipts to embezzle rice worth Bt11 million, but upheld suspended jail terms for nine farmers in a case involving 750 tonnes of rice.

The development was revealed by outgoing Chaiyaphum Governor Wichian Chantaranothai yesterday.

Wichian, to be installed as the governor of Nakhon Ratchasima next month after serving as Chaiyaphum governor for a year, said it would be up to his successor and related agencies to continue to fight to protect the country's benefits and take the case to the Supreme Court.

He said he would coordinate with related agencies on the case until it is time for him to leave the northeastern province.

Last June, the lower court handed the Nopporn mill owner a |20-year jail term while the nine farmers received six-month jail |terms, lowered to two-year suspended sentences.

The probe into corruption in the rice-pledging scheme in Chaiyaphum took two years and led to this prosecution.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Rice-mill-owner-acquitted-of-Bt11m-embezzlement-30269514.html


-- The Nation 2015-09-25

[davehowden]

Having "Friends in the Right Places" springs to mind.

[Thai at Heart]

Unbelievable.

[timewilltell]

And so the guy who stole the lions share of the money gets off again. It is amazing how the criminals can use their ill begotten gains in this sad place. Corruption through the justice process is rampant. There is no system of law in place to protect investors when the justice system can be bought so easily. DO not invest in Thailand until the justice system can show some transparency.

[edwinchester]

Cases such as this one are the real test as to whether the Govts fight against corruption is real or just for show.

[bdenner]

The probe into corruption in the rice-pledging scheme in Chaiyaphum took two years and led to this prosecution.

And 5 minutes to undo, the 11 Million now in the hands of someone MORE corrupt and they still have the 9 patsies on the books.

Well done Thailand on another amazing event.

[Tatsujin]

<deleted>. Rooting out corruption? Rewarding it more like. Nothing's changed. Move along.

[jaywalker]

That warehouse looks so unsafe to me it buggers belief.

[esprit]

And so the guy who stole the lions share of the money gets off again. It is amazing how the criminals can use their ill begotten gains in this sad place. Corruption through the justice process is rampant. There is no system of law in place to protect investors when the justice system can be bought so easily. DO not invest in Thailand until the justice system can show some transparency.

What do you expect when this country is run by criminals for criminals and has been been so for decades.

[ChrisY1]

The little men gaoled and the big man (with all the money) walks........disgusting Thai justice system!

[slapout]

The new governor''s first6 assignment should be appeal this decision to higher court so they can reverse such a blantent failure in enforcement of punishment.

This should be broght to the attention of any and all who may be tasked to deal with corruption including the PM

[ngieen]

now who will blame it on yinglak?

[kiwikeith]

Cases such as this one are the real test as to whether the Govts fight against corruption is real or just for show.

Don't forget Thailand has the best police force in the world, so must have the best judges fudges in the world as well

[mike324]

whats the use of suspended sentences in thailand? no wonder criminals and politicians run amok!

[Srikcir]

Is there no accountability for Thai court rulings?

What was the justification for acquittal? Maybe the judge lost his notes and couldn't remember the prosecution's evidence.

So if the rice bag don't fit, you acquit.

[Sviss Geez]

There's a lot of posters i.e. every single one so far, who appear to have been in court to hear the evidence that acquitted the man but apparently shouldn't have. Or maybe they were on one of the legal teams, who knows?

[EnglishJohn]

And yet again someone wealthy is found guilty during the trial and then acquitted in the appeals court.

This happens so often it cannot be coincidence. It stinks.

Someone might think the whole system is set up so dirty people can fight the original case to see if they can get off, then if they don't they have the safety net of using the stolen money to bribe their way out in the appeals court.

[EnglishJohn]

There's a lot of posters i.e. every single one so far, who appear to have been in court to hear the evidence that acquitted the man but apparently shouldn't have. Or maybe they were on one of the legal teams, who knows?

You mean some crucial evidence proving his innocence which - for some reason - he was unable to produce for the original trial ?.

You must be new in Thailand. Or someone who supports the system as it is. Or a very slow learner.