Apirak to face graft indictment

Governor likely to quit, but says he is innocent

Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin is expected to resign today after he was charged with corruption in connection with alleged irregularities in City Hall’s procurement of fire trucks and boats.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) yesterday voted 9:0 to seek Mr Apirak’s indictment for his role in alleged irregularities involving the 6.68-billion-baht scheme to buy 315 fire trucks and 30 fire boats from the Austrian firm Steyr Co.

The governor was accused of corruption in ordering Krung Thai Bank to issue a letter of credit for the purchase of the fire fighting gear at an inflated price.

A source in the Democrat party said Mr Apirak is more likely to resign than suspend himself from duty if the case goes to trial. Mr Apirak would fight to clear his name in court, and if he wins he would move on to the national political scene, the source added.

The case would be heard in the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions.

Mr Apirak had decided to suspend himself from duty when he was implicated in the alleged corruption by the now-defunct Assets Scrutiny Committee earlier this year.

The NACC’s decision to seek the indictment of Mr Apirak has sent Democrat party heavyweights scrambling for options. “If he quits, it is like an admission of guilt. If he stays on, it will pose a question of political spirit,” said the source.

Mr Apirak and Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva met last night to mull over the options.

Mr Apirak, who was re-elected on Oct 5 with a landslide victory,said yesterday he would seek the party’s advice before making a decision.

Mr Abhisit was also tight-lipped about Mr Apirak’s future, saying the decision would be announced at today’s press conference.

Mr Apirak maintained his innocence, claiming he was forced by the contract to open a letter of credit for the purchase of the fire trucks otherwise he would have been sued by the supplier.

He said the purchase was rushed through by former governor Samak Sundaravej who signed the deal on Aug 27, 2004 - his last day in office.

Another source in the Democrat party said the party is considering potential candidates for a fresh governor election in case Mr Apirak steps down.

Korn Chatikavanich, M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra and Prakob Jirakitti have emerged as potential candidates, said the source.

However, there is speculation that Mr Apirak may only suspend himself from duty and pick one of his deputies as a caretaker governor while he is fighting his case, which is expected to be wrapped up within six months.

Election commissioner Sumeth Uppanisakorn said the EC is obliged to hold elections within 90 days if Mr Apirak chooses to resign.

The NACC has also recommended charges of corruption against Mr Samak, former interior minister Pokin Polakul, former deputy interior minister Pracha Maleenont, former commerce minister Watana Muangsook and former chief of City Hall’s disaster prevention and mitigation department Pol Maj-Gen Athilak Tanchukiart.

The NACC has cleared former city clerk Nathanon Thavisin, Mr Pokin’s assistant secretary Somsak Khunngern, former Foreign Trade Department chief Rachen Pojanasunthorn, and Steyr Co’s representative Mag Minar of criminal wrongdoings in connection with the scandal.

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Supreme Court of Canada rules to extradite Rakesh Saxena

The Attorney-General is trying to accelerate the extradition process to bring Rakesh Saxena back to face charges of bank fraud after the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled for Saxena’s extradition.

But Saxena is appealing the Supreme Court’s verdict, by claiming that his safety would be at risk if he were to be sent back to Bangkok during this time, according to Sirisak Tiyaphand, the director-general of the Foreign Division of the Attorney-General, said.

Saxena fled for Vancouver, Canada in 1996 after the collapse of the Bangkok Bank of Commerce, which cost the government’s bailout of more than Bt100 billion.

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UK cancels visas of Thaksin, wife

The British Embassy has revoked entry visas of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Pojaman.

The cancellation, which was decided while the couple were outside England, has been notified to airlines yesterday.

The decision was made by the United Kingdom Border Agency, and the notification email was signed by Bangkok-based Immigration Liaison Manager Andy Gray.

The email read:

“Dear All,

The United Kingdom Border Agency has revoked the UK visas held by the following Thai nations:

Thaksin Shinawatra. Thai Passport Number D215863

Potjaman Shinawatra. Thai Passport Number D206635

The UK visas contained in the passports of the individuals listed above are no longer valid for travel.

Airlines are advised not to carry these passengers to the UK”

*** end *****

The embassy would not comment on the report. Contacted embassy officials said they “cannot comment on policy matters.”

It was a big political blow for Thaksin, who was believed to be on his way from China to the Philippines yesterday. It was understood that the cancellation had to do with the recent court rulings that found Pojaman guilty of tax evasion and Thaksin guilty of breaking the conflict of interest law in the Ratchadapisek land purchase scandal.

Their children’s British visas are still valid.

A senior People Power Party politician who has been in China this week answered The Nation’s phone contact but replied to the inquiry about Thaksin’s visa situation with only “I don’t know. I don’t know.”

Thaksin has always described England as a “democratically mature” country as compared to Thailand. But he always denied having applied for asylum although he said England would be the country where he wanted to live in exile.

Last Saturday, in a controversial long-distance phone-in from Hong Kong, Thaksin accused his political opponents of breaking his family apart. In the same address, he also begged for royal pardon or a popular show of force to bring him back to Thailand.

“Nobody can bring me back to Thailand, except royal kindness of HM the King or the power of the people,” Thaksin said. He also claimed that many countries have offered him “honorary citizenship”, “which made me a bit sad because I could do many things for anybody else in the world, but nothing now for my country.”

The statement triggered a major controversy in Thailand, with Thaksin being accused of trying to drag HM the King into politics. The UK visa move, however, gave Thaksin’s statement a whole new perspective, making him sound more like someone desperate to find refuge rather than trying to provoke a political reaction.

It is not immediately known, however, whether Thaksin was aware of the impending visa cancellation before he left England the last time.

A source familiar with the UK legal and diplomatic thinking said the cancellation could have been based on “the different statuses” of Thaksin between the time he was issued the visa and now.

The Supreme Court only found Thaksin guilty in the Ratchadapisek land case late last month, weeks after he fled Thailand during the Beijing Olympics. He fled with his wife, who only days earlier had been found guilty of tax evasion.

England has been under the world community’s watchful eyes when Thaksin is concerned. Diplomatic observers have said a decision whether or not to give Thaksin asylum would generate strong ramifications on England’s relations with Thailand, as well as London’s reputations when democracy, foreign relations and legal principles are concerned.

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Sulak arrested on lese majeste charge
By The Nation

Police have acted suspiciously for the arrest of social critic Sulak Sivalak charged for insulting the monarchy, his lawyer Somchai Homla-or said on Friday.

Sulak was apprehended at his Bangkok home by Khon Kaen police on Thursday’s night, taken for booking at the Northeastern province before being released on bail pending the completion of police report.

Somchai said Sulak made his remarks at Khon Kaen University last December which raised the question why police decided to take action at this juncture.

Sulak’s remarks, if viewed within the context, were meant to defend the monarchy and his client had no intent to smear, he said.

He cast doubt on the police action which he said was a political game designed to silent his client who just commented on the amnesty campaign for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

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QUOTE Vatana’s son gets suspended jail term for assaulting traffic police
By The Nation
Chonsawat Asavahame, a son of Puea Pandin Party chief advisor Vatana Asavahame, was Tuesday convicted of assaulting a traffic policeman and got a suspended jail term.

The Criminal Court found Chonsawat, his two aides - Sakul Pramoolchai and Pratya Chaiyakul - guilty of assaulting a traffic policeman of Makkasan police station at 2 am on May 21 last year.

They were also found guilty of preventing the policeman, Sergeant Prarop Saengnil, from carrying out his duty to test alcohol blood level on Chonsawat, who is now assistant secretary to the Information and Communications Technology minister.

The court initially sentenced Chonsawat and Sakul to 12-month imprisonment and a fine of Bt9,000 each and Pratya to 10 months in jail and a fine of Bt8,000.

But the court lifted the imprisonment on ground that the three had confessed. They were put on probation for three years.

They were required to report themselves to probation officers for four times in the first year.

Pratya was also ordered to do community services for 24 hours.

Chonsawat used to be the mayor of Paknam Municipality. He was impeached on corruption charges.

His father was convicted in the Klong Dan waste water treatment corruption case. He fled the country reportedly to Cambodia’s Poi Pet.

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