Yellowshirt leader Sondhi jailed 20 years for fraud

[webfact]

Yellowshirt leader Sondhi jailed 20 years for fraud

By Sasiwan Mokkhasen, Staff Reporter -

 

Sondhi Limthongkul leaves the courtroom Aug. 7, 2014 after the Court of Appeals upheld his conviction for fraud.

 

BANGKOK — Years of legal maneuvering ended with one-time Yellowshirt leader Sondhi Limthongkul sent directly to prison Tuesday morning after the Supreme Court ruled he must serve his sentence without it being suspended.

 

The final verdict upheld a former Appeals Court ruling that Sondhi; founder of Manager Media Group Co., Ltd.; was guilty for creating a fraudulent report under which Manager guaranteed a billion baht loan in 1997 for another company in which he also held a stake.

 

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/politics/2016/09/06/yellowshirt-leader-sondhi-jailed-20-years-fraud/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2016-09-06

[webfact]

Sondhi and two colleagues now serve 20 years in prison for corporate frauds

 

 

BANGKOK: -- The Supreme Court today upheld 20-year imprisonment sentence for former media tycoon Sondhi Limthongkul and two colleagues after finding them guilty of corporate frauds.

 

Two other colleagues sentenced to 20 years in prison are Ms Sawalak Tiranujanyong, and Ms Yupin Chanthana.

 

Another colleague who was director also of The Manager Media Group Suradej Mukayangkul was sentenced to two years and six months in prison.

 

The court also rejected their pleas for probation.

 

Sondhi, founder of the yellow-shirt People Alliance for Democracy was later escorted by security guards to Bangkok Remand Prison to serve his sentence.

 

Sondhi has been jailed after an appeal court refused him bail for a 20-year sentence for corporate fraud.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/sondhi-two-colleagues-now-serve-20-years-prison-corporate-frauds/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2016-09-06

[Denim]

Won't do 20 years though. Will get a pardon after a year or two. Still.......nice to see him where he belongs if only for a few years. Horrible little man.

[bendejo]

Does Thailand have country club prisons, like the US does?

 

 

[Somtamnication]

Good riddance. 1 down, 20000 left to try. 

[Dexlowe]

Bet the members of his provident fund back in the mid-90's are cheering. 

[Mango Bob]

Hurray 

[tukkytuktuk]

Won't do 20 years though. Will get a pardon after a year or two. Still.......nice to see him where he belongs if only for a few years. Horrible little man.

You leave him alone, bully. He's my hero. If it wasn't for Sondhi we'd be up to our necks in Shinawatra's. No he's setting a good example as leader of the yellow shirts by doing some time. Time someone did some time from the red shirted clan. Any court cases coming up with a prominent red figure head soon? Ah, yes the Rice scandal with Yingluck. She should set an example too and do some time down the old prison route. Careful, take her socks away from her we don't want no accidents do we. Luck might be running out Ying.

[craigt3365]

5 minutes ago, Mango Bob said:

Hurray 

This should help prove justice here is not totally color blind.

[Thian]

Why are the countryboys so quiet now? Is it siestatime?

[Briggsy]

6 minutes ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

Served his purpose and now discarded like an old shoe.

 

This is true but he also served his own purpose as his businesses were deep in debt and his entry into politics was all about trying to get off the hook.

 

Having said all that, it is clear that this case is being pushed on from behind the scenes by some powerful figures in the military. He has become a nuisance for them.

[rixalex]

5 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

This should help prove justice here is not totally color blind.

Colour blind, in the case of justice, would be a good thing. I think you got your metaphor the wrong way round.

[seajae]

another one down, just good to see the higher ups getting jailed, shirt colour doesnt matter when they are guilty, just hope they get the rest that are currently out on bail when they should also be locked up.

[ezzra]

He's been dodging prison for several years now with countless appeals,

re trials and all sorts of legal manoeuvres, but the die was cast....... 

[Pib]

He be out in within 5 years with the help of frequent/annual govt pardons, good behavior, failing health, etc. 

[halloween]

17 minutes ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

 

They tried to whack him in 2009 because he knew too much. His son said of the assassins, "A new form of war is emerging -- it's being launched by the collusion of certain police and military officers. They are plotting a new coup. It is said that a minister, who is said to be involved in the attempted assassination of a privy councillor, is actively behind this new exercise."

 

Wonder who he was referring to? 

 

Don't try and kid yourself that this somehow evens out the pogrom against the reds and UDD. 

Why should it be even when the reds have more criminals?

[LomSak27]

Sad really - He was one Thaksins biggest supporters until Thaks decided not to forgive his Sondhis non performing loans,a dn demand repayment be made. The shawdows of 97 still haunt those once good friends 

[DLang]

Will be released after Yingluck is sent down.

[candide]

43 minutes ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

 

They tried to whack him in 2009 because he knew too much. His son said of the assassins, "A new form of war is emerging -- it's being launched by the collusion of certain police and military officers. They are plotting a new coup. It is said that a minister, who is said to be involved in the attempted assassination of a privy councillor, is actively behind this new exercise."

 

Wonder who he was referring to? 

 

Don't try and kid yourself that this somehow evens out the pogrom against the reds and UDD. 

The son also said that this “new power group is putting up military barrier on the outer ring to prevent Thaksin Shinawatr from returning while blocking Premier Abhisit with an inner ring".

[GarryP]

4 minutes ago, candide said:

The son also said that this “new power group is putting up military barrier on the outer ring to prevent Thaksin Shinawatr from returning while blocking Premier Abhisit with an inner ring".

Seems their ringpieces weren't protected well enough and they are getting the shafting they deserve.  

[Hawk]

At last they got him and put him in a place where he deserves to be.

[does]

1 hour ago, Briggsy said:

This is true but he also served his own purpose as his businesses were deep in debt and his entry into politics was all about trying to get off the hook.

 

Having said all that, it is clear that this case is being pushed on from behind the scenes by some powerful figures in the military. He has become a nuisance for them.

How is it "clear"?

[BlindMagician]

1 hour ago, tukkytuktuk said:

You leave him alone, bully. He's my hero. If it wasn't for Sondhi we'd be up to our necks in Shinawatra's. No he's setting a good example as leader of the yellow shirts by doing some time. Time someone did some time from the red shirted clan. Any court cases coming up with a prominent red figure head soon? Ah, yes the Rice scandal with Yingluck. She should set an example too and do some time down the old prison route. Careful, take her socks away from her we don't want no accidents do we. Luck might be running out Ying.

Justice should not be based on who else gets banged up...it's not like make sure of a fair distribution of sweets amongst the kids...or it shouldn't be.

[williamgeorgeallen]

thought the yellows are in power. why is a yellow getting locked up?

 

[rixalex]

1 hour ago, Pib said:

He be out in within 5 years with the help of frequent/annual govt pardons, good behavior, failing health, etc. 

True, but lots of prisoners get early release. That's the way the system works, and not only for the rich and famous... not that you'll find many of those in Thai prisons.

 

Just the fact that someone like him is going to spend time behind bars is a massive step forward. Hopefully it will send a message.

[PS2]

7 minutes ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

thought the yellows are in power. why is a yellow getting locked up?

 

 

You think it's about yellow and reds?

It has only to do Chineese clans power, nothing about politics or the needs of the Thais.

 

The Hakkas, Hailamese, Cantonese, Hokkiens and Teochew , control every institution that is important in Thailand.

Thaksin is Hakka.

Abhisit is Hokkien.

Sondhi is Hailamese .

Then we have the Teochew .....

[animatic]

1 hour ago, LomSak27 said:

Sad really - He was one Thaksins biggest supporters until Thaks decided not to forgive his Sondhis non performing loans,a dn demand repayment be made. The shawdows of 97 still haunt those once good friends 

Of course Thaksin was getting rid of a potential satellite communications rival, when he left Sondhi swinging in the breeze on his joint investments, when then PM Chavalit said 'No baht devaluation' Thursday, with Thaksin standing behind his shoulder, and Monday devalued it to plumet to the bottom at end of day in 1997.

By Tuesday Asia in freefall. 

 

Actions that killed the Asian Tiger growth spurt, and caused a decade of SE Asian penury.

 

Thaksin got richer, and Sondhi took the hit that caused his huge cash crunch, that his later actions were hoping to repair.

 

That was one of the main reasons he was anti-Thaksin, and also why he screwed up and got this sentence.

He did the crime, so gets the time, but he was still sand-bagged in '97

Edited September 6, 2016 by animatic

[trainman34014]

And even then, only scratching the surface of a very large heap of obscenely corrupt individuals on all sides !

[justaphase]

Out in 5?...or found dead in his cell in 1?

[red roger]

2 hours ago, tukkytuktuk said:

You leave him alone, bully. He's my hero. If it wasn't for Sondhi we'd be up to our necks in Shinawatra's. No he's setting a good example as leader of the yellow shirts by doing some time. Time someone did some time from the red shirted clan. Any court cases coming up with a prominent red figure head soon? Ah, yes the Rice scandal with Yingluck. She should set an example too and do some time down the old prison route. Careful, take her socks away from her we don't want no accidents do we. Luck might be running out Ying.

Fair enough. About time the yellow shirt thugs got their just desert. Now go for the architect of the 6 months of mayhem that brought down a democratically elected government Suthep for his dealings in government where he was given the remit to hand over land on Pukhet to local farmers for the growing of local produce. A noble intention but many plots are adorned by magnificent villas belonging to friends of his. Now that's what I call criminality. Oops, forgot. The sly old fox joined the monkood so he's untouchable.