Court confirms jail sentence for ex-EC bosses

Commission members for their mismanagement of the 2006 general election on grounds that they failed to show any remorse.

Following the verdict session, the three, Vasana Puemlarp, Prinya Nakchudtree and Virachai Neawboonnien, sought and received bail pending the filing of final appeal with the Supreme Court.

Wednesday's ruling was a second appellate case to confirm the electoral mismanagement involving the three. In each of the two cases, the three face a penalty of two years in jail and having their voting right revoked for 10 years.

Democrat Party secretary general Suthep Thuagsuban initiated the criminal litigation charging the three for lapse of duty by failing to promptly address the complaint that the then ruling Thai Rak Thai Party paid two small parties to contest the elections.

The appellate decision stated that the lower court had examined legal issues and facts pertinent to the case before handing down the guilty verdict and that the defence failed to raise new issues for the appellate review to warrant an overturn.

The three defendants was alerted to the allegation on electoral fraud on March 20, 2006, weeks before the April 2 balloting, the verdict said.

The three failed to take action against the then ruling party even after the Nam Yimyaem panel found sufficient evidence to substantiate fraud charges and after the Supreme Court handed down two consecutive decisions to cancel the revote on grounds that the fraud involved the ruling party.

The lower court initially penalised the three with a three-year imprisonment before granting leniency on grounds of their service to the country. The three asked for further leniency citing their poor health. But the appellate review turned down the sentence reduction for lack of remorse.

The three attended the session but refused to react to their verdict.