September 26 2008
By Tim Johnston in Bangkok
Financial Times (UK)
A Thai appeals court has upheld a conviction and two-year jail sentence against Samak Sundaravej, confirming the downfall of a famously controversial politician who was until three weeks ago the country’s prime minister.
Mr Samak was forced out of office earlier this month after another court found he had violated the constitution by accepting paid employment as a television chef while holding national office.
On Thursday the appeal judges said they had found no reason to overturn a lower court decision that convicted Mr Samak of defaming the deputy governor of Bangkok in another television appearance, this time on a political talk show he hosted in January 2006.
He had accused the deputy governor, Samart Ratchapolasit, of receiving a luxury car as a gift from a construction company. Mr Samart was able to prove he had paid for the car.
Mr Samart is also pursuing the former prime minister through the civil courts, where he is seeking 100 million baht ($2.95 million) in damages.
Mr Samak, who used to host the television programme “Cooking and Grumbling”, has courted controversy throughout his long political career, and the appeals court said his refusal to back down in the libel case had contributed to their judgement.
“The courts have given the defendant chances to reform and change his behaviour but the defendant has not changed. So there is no reason to reduce the punishment,” the judgement said.
Mr Samak’s lawyer said his client would appeal the verdict to the Supreme Court, and the former prime minister remains free on bail.
Thursday’s decision is the latest blow to the country’s ruling People Power Party, which Mr. Samak used to head, and its senior members.
The party is facing a sustained challenge from both prosecutors, who accuse senior PPP officials of vote buying – charges that could result in the party being disbanded – and from an opposition group known as the People’s Alliance for Democracy, which forcibly occupied the Prime Minister’s offices in central Bangkok on August 26.
PAD has promised to continue its occupation of Government House until the government falls. They say both Mr. Samak and Somchai Wangsawat, who has succeeded him as Prime Minister, are too close to Thaksin Shinawatra, another former prime minister whom they accuse of corruption.
Mr Thaksin was thrown out of office in a military coup in 2006, but when the military called elections last year, they were convincingly won by Mr Samak, who was widely regarded as Mr Thaksin’s proxy.
The combative Mr Samak did little to appease his opponents, but Mr Somchai has taken a more conciliatory line since taking office last week.
But many people expect the new government to be short-lived: the courts are deliberating on charges that the People Power Party was involved in vote buying during the last election.
If the court finds the charges to be true, the party will be dissolved and new elections will be called. If so, they will be the fourth ballot in five years.
Mr Samak was forced out of office earlier this month after another court found he had violated the constitution by accepting paid employment as a television chef while holding national office.
On Thursday the appeal judges said they had found no reason to overturn a lower court decision that convicted Mr Samak of defaming the deputy governor of Bangkok in another television appearance, this time on a political talk show he hosted in January 2006.
He had accused the deputy governor, Samart Ratchapolasit, of receiving a luxury car as a gift from a construction company. Mr Samart was able to prove he had paid for the car.
Mr Samart is also pursuing the former prime minister through the civil courts, where he is seeking 100 million baht ($2.95 million) in damages.
Mr Samak, who used to host the television programme “Cooking and Grumbling”, has courted controversy throughout his long political career, and the appeals court said his refusal to back down in the libel case had contributed to their judgement.
“The courts have given the defendant chances to reform and change his behaviour but the defendant has not changed. So there is no reason to reduce the punishment,” the judgement said.
Mr Samak’s lawyer said his client would appeal the verdict to the Supreme Court, and the former prime minister remains free on bail.
Thursday’s decision is the latest blow to the country’s ruling People Power Party, which Mr. Samak used to head, and its senior members.
The party is facing a sustained challenge from both prosecutors, who accuse senior PPP officials of vote buying – charges that could result in the party being disbanded – and from an opposition group known as the People’s Alliance for Democracy, which forcibly occupied the Prime Minister’s offices in central Bangkok on August 26.
PAD has promised to continue its occupation of Government House until the government falls. They say both Mr. Samak and Somchai Wangsawat, who has succeeded him as Prime Minister, are too close to Thaksin Shinawatra, another former prime minister whom they accuse of corruption.
Mr Thaksin was thrown out of office in a military coup in 2006, but when the military called elections last year, they were convincingly won by Mr Samak, who was widely regarded as Mr Thaksin’s proxy.
The combative Mr Samak did little to appease his opponents, but Mr Somchai has taken a more conciliatory line since taking office last week.
But many people expect the new government to be short-lived: the courts are deliberating on charges that the People Power Party was involved in vote buying during the last election.
If the court finds the charges to be true, the party will be dissolved and new elections will be called. If so, they will be the fourth ballot in five years.
5 comments:
Don't drop your soap fat boy.
When is HUN SEN going to go to jail also?
He has been murdered many people.
I wish than monkey Khmer's court pratice or preach what they have learnt from school. Instead, they are not.
Khmer PP,
Hun Sen's butt hole is already out of proportion, he has been @#@@## by the Yuon countless times.
Cambodia is the lawless country. The court it just like a piece of shit.
Not like siemland, where you can occupied the government house and shit all over the place until the grass die out. That's call democracy in action.
You can send bring a prime minister down base on his bad cooking, that's call the justice of the banana republic.
A couple of siem are shot or decapitated every week by Islamic Insurgent. That's stability.
Viva la siem democracy.
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