Ex-MP Kasem has B21m in assets seized
The Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions yesterday ordered the seizure of another 21 million baht in assets from Kasem Nimmonrat, the former Pheu Thai MP for Chiang Mai, and his wife for amassing unusual wealth, on top of the 168 million baht previously confiscated.
The assets seized were two sections of land in tambon Rim Tai of Mae Rim district, Chiang Mai, and shares in Ascon Construction Plc. Their combined value was estimated at 21.14 million baht.
In July last year, the National Anti-Corruption Commission found Kasem, now 54, accrued wealth which it said could not be explained.
The court ruling said the two blocks of land were purchased on Dec 26, 2014. Payment was made with a Kasikornbank cashier’s cheque for 11 million baht, and Kasem paid 800,000 baht in cash as the title transfer fee.
A messenger paid for the cashier’s cheque in cash at Kasikornbank’s Chaeng Watthana branch in Bangkok. The messenger had no relationship with Kasem that could justify his paying 11 million baht for the cheque to buy the land for Kasem, the court stated.
The court also said Kasem declared earnings of 817,556 baht in 2013 and 664,480 baht in 2014 while his wife Duangsuda declared 1.37 million baht in 2013 and 1.15 million baht in 2014. In light of this, neither could afford to buy the land.
The court also said Ms Duangsuda’s 61.84 million shares worth 9.27 million baht in Ascon Construction were bought with money the court had earlier considered as unusual wealth. The purchase was made when Kasem was a vice president of the Chiang Mai provincial administrative organisation.
Kasem, a close aide of Yaowapa Wongsawat, a former Pheu Thai MP for Chiang Mai and younger sister of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was represented in court by his lawyer yesterday. The lawyer said he would ask if his client wished to appeal.
In March 2017 the Supreme Court division sentenced Kasem to 12 months in jail for hiding his wealth and ordered the seizure of 168 million baht of assets.