Surapong freed on bail as Supreme Court agrees to hear case

[snoop1130]

Surapong freed on bail as Supreme Court agrees to hear case

By THE NATION

 

 

FORMER FOREIGN minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul was on Thursday released on bail after the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case of malfeasance against him for reissuing a revoked passport to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

 

Surapong, 64, denied the charges against him and insisted on his innocence.

 

The Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders yesterday started hearing a trial against Surapong in a case filed by the Office of the Attorney-General in March. The lawsuit followed an indictment in February by the National Anti-Corruption Commission for allegedly violating Article 157 of the Penal Code regarding malfeasance and also committing wrongdoing under the anti-corruption law.

 

Surapong managed to get bail after offering a bond of Bt3 million. The court granted him temporary release on condition that he not leave the country without court permission.

 

While serving as foreign minister in the Yingluck Shinawatra government in 2011, Surapong had ordered the issuance of an ordinary passport to fugitive Thaksin, who has been convicted for abuse of power. The act was deemed a violation to the Foreign Ministry regulations regarding issuance of passports.

 

The former foreign minister showed up at the court yesterday with a walking cane. He was accompanied by his lawyer and Pheu Thai Party politician Ruangkrai Leewattanakrit, who is his representative.

 

After hearing the defendant, the court yesterday scheduled July 27 for examination of witnesses and evidence. The hearing of witnesses from both sides was scheduled for August 24 and 29, as well as September 13.

 

There are no more than 10 witnesses from the prosecution and some 20 witnesses from the defence, according to a source familiar with the case.

 

In April, Surapong resigned as Pheu Thai member, saying he did not want the party to be affected by his earlier impeachment which had resulted in a five-year ban from politics. The National Legislative Assembly in late March voted overwhelmingly to impeach Surapong over the passport scandal.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30318184

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-6-15

[Chris Lawrence]

They are still gunning for the black listed pollies.

[klauskunkel]

2 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Surapong, 64, denied the charges against him and insisted on his innocence.

Oh, I miss him so! And Chalerm, I miss him, too. When they were in the government, politics were so much fun. Sure, politics were 10 times more criminal and corrupt , but the entertainment factor alone made up for it. Now it's corrupt and drab and gray... there just isn't any imagination. Remember Chalerm's antics, every week something new, totally outlandish and him soo oblivious to anything. A genuine classic. I just hope the PM will get there in time...

[halloween]

Hard to imagine what his claim of innocence is based on. Politically motivated persecution is the usual defence of last resort.

[mrmicbkktxl]

I wonder how fast the court can work and schedule court dates when a red shirt is involved.

[Baerboxer]

17 hours ago, Chris Lawrence said:

They are still gunning for the black listed pollies.

 

Nope. It's just taken too long as usual.

 

He and his cousin the former PM were both repeatedly asked questions regarding this by the Ombudsman. After several stalling replies they tried to simply ignore it.

 

Break the rules and face the consequences. 

 

Maybe they'll check who paid for the flight and expenses when the passport was supposedly hand delivered as a birthday present.

[Baerboxer]

12 hours ago, mrmicbkktxl said:

I wonder how fast the court can work and schedule court dates when a red shirt is involved.

 

Seems they can work at different speeds whenever they chose - have done so for both sides of the political divide, and various elites.

[halloween]

Does that photo look weird to anyone else? His head looks too large for the body (that I could believe), but what's going on with his leg?

[Baerboxer]

14 hours ago, halloween said:

Hard to imagine what his claim of innocence is based on. Politically motivated persecution is the usual defence of last resort.

 

Probably along the lines he thought it was within his power, didn't bother to check and/or was badly advised - an honest mistake!

 

Wonder why he just ignored the poor Ombudsman? Guess he really believed the Amnesty Whitewash Bill would be pushed through, the boss would be back and take power and they'd be in office for the next 1000 years!

[halloween]

Just now, Baerboxer said:

 

Probably along the lines he thought it was within his power, didn't bother to check and/or was badly advised - an honest mistake!

 

Wonder why he just ignored the poor Ombudsman? Guess he really believed the Amnesty Whitewash Bill would be pushed through, the boss would be back and take power and they'd be in office for the next 1000 years!

Would that be the 3rd (red) Reich?

[Baerboxer]

14 minutes ago, halloween said:

Would that be the 3rd (red) Reich?

 

Just a coincidence I picked 1000