Three years for attempted bribery in Thai Rak Thai case
The Criminal Court yesterday sentenced Pol Colonel Charnchai Netiratkarn, former superintendent of Phokaew Police Station in Nakhon Pathom's Sam Phran district, to three years' imprisonment for two counts of attempted bribery of a Constitutional Court jud
Charnchai was convicted for violating Articles 144 and 167 of the Criminal Code by proposing Bt30 million in return for helping the party avoid a premature demise.
The court said Charnchai visited Justice ML Krairerk Kasemsan on October 16, 2006, at his office and promised him Bt15 million
for assisting with the case against the now-defunct Thai Rak Thai party.
The defendant denied committing any wrongdoing, saying he was an old friend of Krairerk, who had studied law with him and was merely kidding him.
The court said Krairerk refused the bribe and Charnchai went to see him again on October 22 and raised his offer to Bt30 million.
The defendant was quoted by the plaintiff as telling him he owed a debt of honour to Thaksin Shinawatra’s then-wife Pojaman.
The court said the second attempt to buy off his old pal made it clear that this was no joke and that the defendant had never visited Krairerk in such a manner before.
After being sentenced, Charnchai was expressionless. He was released on Bt300,000 bail.
