Supreme Court rejects Boonsong’s bail application

The Supreme Court yesterday rejected a bail application for former commerce minister Boonsong Teriyapirom, who has been detained since Aug 25 after being found guilty in connection with fake governmentto-government rice contracts.

It was his second attempt seeking temporary release while his legal team is preparing to appeal the ruling.

Defence lawyer Narin Somnuek said the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions threw out the bail request on the grounds there was inadequate reason to overturn its decision.

Mr Narin said his client was stressed after learning the bail request had been denied, but is trying to make peace with it. Boonsong’s health is improving, he said. On Tuesday night, Boonsong was sent to hospital with hypertension before returning to prison.

The lawyer said the defence would speed up its work and appeal the Supreme Court’s ruling as soon as possible.

Boonsong, who was sentenced to 42 years in prison, has 30 days to ask for a judicial review from the assembly of Supreme Court judges. While insisting he would not give up on the bail request, Mr Narin said he cannot say when it will be made, adding the bail application may be submitted with the appeal.

Thanakorn Waekwaree, a lawyer representing another defendant, Manas Soiploy, said he is gathering documents about Manas’ health problems and other evidence necessary for seeking bail.

He said the bail application should be filed this week or next.

Manas, former chief of the Foreign Trade Department, was sentenced to 40 years in prison by the court. His deputy, Thikhamporn Natworathat, was given 32 years while Akkharapong Teepwatchara, former director of the department’s office for rice trade, was handed down 24 years.

The Legal Execution Department said it will not proceed to seize other assets from Boonsong or former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra to pay for the losses until such a request is made by the Commerce Ministry.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday called a meeting with the armed forces leaders and the national police chief at Government House. National police chief Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda said the meeting was not about Ms Yingluck.

Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said the ministry has no information about Ms Yingluck’s whereabouts and had received no request from police regarding the revocation of her passport.

He said the matter will be handled in line with procedures and there is no need for the ministry to use a direct line with neighbouring states to locate the ex-premier.