FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
nationthailand

Thai official freed in Japan after ‘deal’

Thai official freed in Japan after ‘deal’

THE Thai Intellectual Property Department official, accused of stealing three paintings worth 15,000 yen (Bt4,684) from a Japanese hotel, was released from custody late yesterday, a Foreign ministry spokesman said.

The release came after represent-atives of the Royal Thai Consulate General in Osaka negotiated the payment of compensation to the Kyoto hotel that owned the paintings. 
The representatives met early |yesterday with the detained official, who has been held for 10 days under terms of a court order recommended by a local public prosecutor, Sek Wannamethee, head of the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s Information Department, said. 
Sek said the case was likely to be dropped and the official released if a compensation agreement was reached with the hotel.
The official has not been formally identified, but Suphat Saquandeekul was the only deputy director-|general attending the January 20-25 meeting on intellectual property. He had also been due to give a lecture on the subject at a Kyoto university.
Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Minister Don Pramudwinai admitted the case had dealt a blow to Thailand’s image and reputation although he believed it would have no effect on Thai-Japanese relations. 
Sek said the official was released after Japanese prosecutors and police ruled it was a petty offence that |was not premeditated and had not caused damage to others because compensation was paid to the hotel. 

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