Ex-commerce minister Boonsong gets 48 years in jail over rice-pledging scheme

[kensisaket]

27 minutes ago, robblok said:

Quite probably, i really don't get it the guy was really rich already.. is it never enough for those corrupt crooks. I am happy at least some of them do jail time for corruption. Far too many escape punishment especially if the party they are connected too is in power.

My friend said he's a really nice guy; but, who knows what goes on behind closed doors (political doors). They do have wealth; but, not over the top like the Shinawatra family.  I think he ended up being the fall guy; and, the poster child for "taking one for the team".  

[berrec]

Yes, well it's only a rort if you're not in on it; I assume the ill gains were not distributed sufficiently enough to keep it off the radar screen.

 

And as for the prosecutions and sentencing well, “one in all in" but that never happens in in the LOS; the scapegoats take the fall but and the kingpins get the HiSo treatment.

 

BTW it does look a little politically motivated in the severity of sentencing and the way the whole circus has played out...................but who I am to judge the justice system in Thailand! 

[Knee Jerk Reaction]

2 hours ago, ChipButty said:

How come the sister only got 5 years?

 

 

 

 

 

She wasn't charged with being involved in the fraud. Her charge was dereliction of duty because she was PM when Boonsong and co. were 'moving' the rice around. Different sentencing tarrif for her charge.

[MAGA 2020]

3 hours ago, robblok said:

If he provides more information about who made him sign the fake G2G deals im sure he would get time reduced. Not sure he would live long after that. 

The Clintons got dirt on him also...?

[losworld]

25 minutes ago, kensisaket said:

My friend said he's a really nice guy; but, who knows what goes on behind closed doors (political doors). They do have wealth; but, not over the top like the Shinawatra family.  I think he ended up being the fall guy; and, the poster child for "taking one for the team".  

he's a really nice guy? what does your friend kow? people meet these big shots and think they know them much like they think they know their favorite celebrity they see on tv or the movies... in fact many don't have a clue what these people are like.  i remember someone once meeting a rich celebrity and saying "what a great guy and just like us he was eating a ham sandwich" lol

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, scorecard said:

Does that mean big sister's case is getting closer?

Not if she ain't in the country no.

[kensisaket]

2 minutes ago, losworld said:

he's a really nice guy? what does your friend kow? people meet these big shots and think they know them much like they think they know their favorite celebrity they see on tv or the movies... in fact many don't have a clue what these people are like.  i remember someone once meeting a rich celebrity and saying "what a great guy and just like us he was eating a ham sandwich" lol

There's a big difference between, "meeting" someone; and, being invited to their house for a family meal.  Thru all this BS they have remained friends.  By the way, I don't think they ordered out to 7-11 for ham sandwiches.  

[Krataiboy]

46 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Ever notice how the only ones who get convicted are from rival parties, and always an ex. Have you ever seen a current member of the administration, the police, immigration or customs arrested and convicted? Always an ex this, and an ex that. How very cowardly, and how very corrupt. 

 

More than likely he will only serve a few years in jail. The justice system here is so weak and anemic. 

The West is no better. Look at the way convicted pedophile and trafficker Jeffrey Epstein was cosseted until somebody decided he might squeal on his  well-heeled clients. And if the casino bankers who caused the 2008 financial meltdown had been flung in jail for half a century we probably wouldn't now be facing the prospect of a repeat horror story.

[losworld]

Just now, kensisaket said:

There's a big difference between, "meeting" someone; and, being invited to their house for a family meal.  Thru all this BS they have remained friends.  By the way, I don't think they ordered out to 7-11 for ham sandwiches.  

How can you know if someone is genuine over a dinner?  Cause they served nice steaks?  No offense. 

[AI5AASIA]

4 hours ago, Puchaiyank said:

Well...that appeals verdict should lighten the courts appeal cases...go to court to appeal a judgement and get additional time...can't make this stuff up!...LOL (Land of Laughs)

He had no option but to appeal the earlier sentence.  If he didn't appeal and the prosecution had appealed for an additional 40 years, he'd end up with the additional 40 years. If the prosecution didn't appeal and he did, then he could have had his initial sentence reduced to zero or time already served.

Win win scenario for the lawyers.

[AI5AASIA]

42 minutes ago, Knee Jerk Reaction said:

She wasn't charged with being involved in the fraud. Her charge was dereliction of duty because she was PM when Boonsong and co. were 'moving' the rice around. Different sentencing tarrif for her charge.

They didn’t actually move the rice, they just created documents to say it had moved around

[AI5AASIA]

4 hours ago, robblok said:

Its not about the price fixing.. its about the fake G2G deals connected to the rice program. The one that made them sell rice to China (that was never exported) at a low price and then be sold at a high price back into the system. Making a lot of money for the crooks involved. 

 

That does not mean I am against price fixing and hope that the current MOB does some time on corruption if they can find cases.

Good post!

I think the government could and should have done a much better job of explaining to the Thai people, what the actual scam was. It would behove the current government and indeed any future government, to put together a very simple to understand one page chart, perhaps even in cartoon format, to catch the attention and allow everyone to understand fully what the fraud was and the scale of financial damages actually done to the country. 

 

[spidermike007]

28 minutes ago, Krataiboy said:

The West is no better. Look at the way convicted pedophile and trafficker Jeffrey Epstein was cosseted until somebody decided he might squeal on his  well-heeled clients. And if the casino bankers who caused the 2008 financial meltdown had been flung in jail for half a century we probably wouldn't now be facing the prospect of a repeat horror story.

No doubt about that. Bankers are totally above the law in the US. Same with the Wall Street scumbags. And presidents.  

[nahkit]

Thought this was an interesting take on the origins of the rice scheme (and why it failed).

 

http://world.time.com/2013/07/12/how-thailands-botched-rice-scheme-blew-a-big-hole-in-its-economy/

[robblok]

2 minutes ago, AI5AASIA said:

Good post!

I think the government could and should have done a much better job of explaining to the Thai people, what the actual scam was. It would behove the current government and indeed any future government, to put together a very simple to understand one page chart, perhaps even in cartoon format, to catch the attention and allow everyone to understand fully what the fraud was and the scale of financial damages actually done to the country. 

 

Yes it could have been explained far better by the government as there are still people who think its about he rice program while it was not. It was all about the fraud inside the program and the top ministers being involved in it. 

 

Now its being touted as an unfair ruling about the rice program while it was not about the price guarantee (one that I think was bad too I don't believe in them not in these or in those of the current government)

[Boombum]

Courts are essentially the Debt Collection arm of the Banksters ... next step Bailiffs and Money Confiscation ... 

hence crimes against actual humans is fairly meaningless to them as they Care Not!!! 

[monkfish]

Exactly how much did they sell the rice for to incur such a big loss?
Can't find any details.

[Huckenfell]

5 hours ago, scorecard said:

Does that mean big sister's case is getting closer?

Serve the <deleted> right. Yingluck trusted him and his cronies, they thought that they were on a good thing taking advantage of her trust, she did not know what they were up to, but got the blame. I have no doubt that there are others doing similar right now, i just hope that they get caught no matter what position they hold.

[Huckenfell]

5 hours ago, Puchaiyank said:

Well...that appeals verdict should lighten the courts appeal cases...go to court to appeal a judgement and get additional time...can't make this stuff up!...LOL (Land of Laughs)

This is the unfair system as someone who is really innocent will be afraid to appeal unless desperate like the two Burmese boys who were set up for the Death Island murders.

[Huckenfell]

5 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

48 years for fraud 

8 years or less for rape

Seems there is a disconnect in sentencing often

Get off virtually free except for a financial arrangement if rich enough to pay, with killing in a car when inebriated or drugged up.

[Ddbanksy]

5 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

48 years for fraud 

8 years or less for rape

Seems there is a disconnect in sentencing often

Money involved in fraud

[Huckenfell]

5 hours ago, mania said:

So will the current crew get the same later? Because are they not also now fixing prices of rice & rubber?

And Palm Oil.

[Huckenfell]

3 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Actually, there's no mention in the lousy Nation article of whether ANY of the 15 people sentenced here are/were actually in custody or how many of them previously had fled abroad, like their masters.

 

Boonsong, I believe, has been in prison already. All the others, I have no idea. Also no mention in the BK Post article of anything on the custody status on any of those convicted.

 

Ahh, but I see, Thai PBS seems to have a better accounting and details on custody status:

 

 

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/ex-commerce-minister-boonsong-faces-6-more-years-in-prison-in-final-court-verdict-in-the-g-to-g-rice-scandal/

 

So the group, except for Yingluck who got 5 years in absentia back in 2017 after having fled, seems to actually have been in prison.

Yingluk would not have been interested, sh was already a rich businesswoman, she was just set up by you know who !

[Huckenfell]

2 hours ago, Sir Swagman said:

Governments hate competition......

 

Especially in Thailand

[Knee Jerk Reaction]

1 hour ago, AI5AASIA said:

They didn’t actually move the rice, they just created documents to say it had moved around

That's why I put 'moving' in quotes. It was metaphoricaly moved, not virtually.

[scorecard]

26 minutes ago, Huckenfell said:

Serve the <deleted> right. Yingluck trusted him and his cronies, they thought that they were on a good thing taking advantage of her trust, she did not know what they were up to, but got the blame. I have no doubt that there are others doing similar right now, i just hope that they get caught no matter what position they hold.

Agree, and I certainly hope that includes the ultimate family master-mind of the fake rice deals etc, who, last heard of, had also absconded.

 

What's also still in the overall picture is the lack of structured and fair application of the law, still sometimes ('often' is probably a better word) way under what is appropriate and fair way over what is appropriate and fair and it's totally and disgustingly obvious.

 

I still believe that when they get the chance, and they will, the FF team will make (force) major valuable changes in all of this and create a new path to taking Thailand forward into the real world and ultimately into the well respected aspects of the first world. Go go go FF. 

[newatthis]

12 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Go go go FF.

Sadly, there's the 2Ps, the NACC, EC and CC [and probably the RTP ] all working hard to make sure that FF don't exist for too long.

[scorecard]

1 minute ago, newatthis said:

Sadly, there's the 2Ps, the NACC, EC and CC [and probably the RTP ] all working hard to make sure that FF don't exist for too long.

Sadly, maybe true, and perhaps ultimately your list could / will include pt. 

[Benmart]

It appears that crimes against persons often results in substancially lesser prison sentences that one such as this. Not being Thai or very I knowledgeable about the "system", I can only observe in amazement.

[Jimdandy]

6 hours ago, mania said:

So will the current crew get the same later? Because are they not also now fixing prices of rice & rubber?

Depends on the synonym of the day for price-fixing; economic pressure, credit squeeze, price freeze, financial restructuring...