Surapong faces civil liability case over satellite concession
THE Finance Ministry is expected to set up a committee to pursue a civil-liability lawsuit against Surapong Seubwonglee, the former Information and Communications Technology (ICT) minister, due to financial damage caused by the unlawful amendment of a sat
The former ICT minister is serving a one-year jail term after the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders ruled last month that he had violated Article 157 of the Criminal Code – relating to negligence of official duty – by approving an illegal change to the concession contract in 2004.
The contract amendment allowed Shin Corp, the parent company of Thaicom Plc, formerly Shin Satellite, to reduce its shareholding in Thaicom from 51 per cent to 40 per cent, easing Shin Corp’s financial burden while increasing the risk of foreign control of a Thai company that held a concession granted by the government.
Shin Corp was later acquired by Temasek Holdings of Singapore and renamed Intouch Holdings. Intouch is also the parent company of Advance Info Service or AIS, one of the country’s biggest mobile phone firms.
Wissanu said the Finance Ministry was likely to be responsible for the civil liability suit seeking compensation for financial damage caused by the move.
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