Court vetoes bail for Juthamas

The Appeal Court yesterday rejected bail requests by former Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Juthamas Siriwan and her daughter Jittisopha after deeming they were flight risks due to the severity of their jail sentences.

Ms Juthamas, 70, was given a 66-year prison sentence and Ms Jittisopha, 43, a 44-year term on Wednesday for taking US$1.8 million (61.8 million baht) in bribes over the hosting of the Bangkok International Film Festival.

The Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases also ordered the confiscation of the equivalent of 62.7 million baht in cash from the overseas bank accounts of Ms Jittisopha.

Although sentenced t o 66 years, the former TAT governor can expect to serve a maximum of 50 years in prison for her crimes, a limit imposed by the Criminal Code.

Their lawyer, Thanakorn Waekwaree, filed a request for bail, offering surety of one million baht for each of his clients, pending appeal.

The pair were put behind bars on Wednesday evening pending the Appeal Court’s decision on their bail requests.

After the court’s decision was read yesterday, the pair were sent back to the Central Women’s Correctional Institution to serve their jail terms.

The Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) indicted both women on Aug 25, 2015.

The lawsuit filed by the OAG charged Ms Juthamas with demanding a bribe from Gerald Green and his wife Patricia, an American couple, in exchange for them being awarded a 60 million baht contract to organise the annual Bangkok International Film Festival from 2002 to 2007.

The Greens were sentenced to six months in jail and six months of home detention for their part in the bribe scandal.

Ms Juthamas and Ms Jittisopha were found guilty of money-laundering and violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Ms Jittisopha helped her mother commit the offences by opening accounts with numerous foreign banks, and the American couple transferred a total of US$1.8 million into these accounts, the court was told.