Court backs asset seizure against ex-Dem

The Supreme Court has ordered the confiscation of assets worth more than 30 million baht belonging to former Democrat MP for Kanchanaburi Pracha Phopipit in connection with a bid-rigging case.

The order is related to a court case in which Mr Pracha, 72, also known as “Kamnan Siah”, and six others are accused of rigging bids for several projects in Kanchanaburi between 1999 and 2011.

Mr Pracha was sentenced to five years in prison for his role in rigging bids but the ruling was overturned by the Appeals Court. The case is now being reviewed by the Supreme Court.

As the criminal trial proceeds, prosecutors have filed a separate petition with the Civil Court seeking to confiscate the assets of Mr Pracha and his alleged accomplices in connection with the criminal case.

The lower courts ruled to confiscate the assets but Mr Pracha challenged the ruling, arguing he was cleared of the charge by the Appeals Court. In its ruling, the Supreme Court said an asset seizure is a separate process.

According to the court, the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo) is authorised by the anti-money laundering law to ask the prosecution to seek asset confiscations if the agency has proof the asset in question is an instrument of crime.

The Supreme Court said Mr Pracha’s argument is invalid and ruled the agency could seize the assets which include 872 heads of beef cattle.

Mr Pracha was also found guilty of encroaching on 1,199 rai of public land in Kanchanaburi’s Dan Makhamtei district and Ratchaburi’s Suan Phueng district last year. He was released on 100,000-baht bail and the Appeals Court is scheduled to hand down a ruling on Dec 22.