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Published on January 25, 2008

Juthaporn Roengronasa, chief of the investigating panel, yesterday said that its conclusions would be submitted today to the Los Angeles TAT Office, where all the contracts were signed, as well as to Tourism and Sports Minister Suvit Yodmani and TAT governor Phornsiri Manoharn.

"Green is a shareholder of Saso Entertainment, Creative Ignition and Ignition, all of which were involved in promoting the BIFF overseas," said Juthaporn, who is also deputy governor of the TAT.

At that time, the TAT reasoned that Saso was an experienced and respectable film promoter. Moreover, Saso was also said to have a strong relationship with leading American actors and could exercise its influence in bringing them to the BIFF. Creative Ignition was contracted to design the film festival and website as well as schedule screening programmes.

Aside from the 22 contracts, the TAT hired Total Creative - also owned by Green - to develop its website www.ExperienceThailand.com to promote Thai tourism, Juthaporn said after her panel met yesterday. The panel was set up following the arrest of Green and his wife Patricia in Los Angeles for breaching the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which bars American companies from paying bribes for business deals.

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is also investigating the case.

Juthaporn added that her agency was ready to coordinate with other agencies to investigate the scandal. The process will not be delayed to benefit of anyone, she said.

However, she admitted that coordination with the DSI could be delayed because the committee needs more time to find information before forwarding it to the department.

Former TAT governor Juthamas Siriwan is said to have been involved in the scandal, as she headed the state agency from 2001 to 2006. She has denied all involvement in the affair, but the scandal pressured her to resign from the Puea Pandin Party before last month's general election.

Green and his wife Patricia were indicted for paying bribes to the ex-governor, through her daughter's banking accounts.

It was reported earlier this week that the DSI found that the TAT governor in 2006 had split BIFF projects so that each would be valued at less than Bt25 million. Under a law supervising the TAT, governors can approve projects valued below Bt25 million without the board's consent.

The Nation