Vatana faces arrest warrant

The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders issued an arrest warrant yesterday for former Interior Minister Vatana Asavahame for failing to appear to hear its ruling on a graft case linked to the Klong Dan wastewater plant scandal.

"It seems obvious he did not intend to appear in court and he has violated the bail contract," said Senior Judge ML Krairerk Kasemsant, who heads the panel of judges.

"His guarantor could be fined and an arrest warrant will be issued to ensure he appears at the next ruling at 2pm on August 18," he said.

The statement was issued after Vatana's lawyer, Paiboon Phonoi, told the court he had not been able to contact Vatana for three days.

"He confirmed to me three days ago over the phone that he would be appearing. But I was unable to contact him today and I have no idea where he is," Paiboon said.

Vatana, who is also a chairman of Puea Pandin Party, faces a lawsuit filed by the Attorney General for the graft case linked to the Bt23.7-billion wastewater treatment plant controversy.

The project in Samut Prakan sparked a corruption investigation after the scandal broke about a decade ago.

Vatana is one of 19 defendants in the case. He is accused of abusing his power while Interior Minister by pushing for the illegal issuing of land-ownership deeds on five plots of public land - an area totalling 1,900 rai - and selling the land to the Pollution Control Department (PCD), the project owner, at an inflated cost of almost Bt2 billion.

If the court finds him guilty, Vatana would be jailed for at least five years and, at worst, could face the death penalty.

Vatana has postponed court hearings four times already during the trial, claiming health problems.

The former minister was free on bail of Bt2.2 million. Interviewed on May 8, he insisted he was innocent and that he would receive the maximum penalty if he found guilty. He had also agreed to appear for the ruling.

Pol Lt Gen Chatchawan Suksomjit said yesterday evening that documents relating to the case had yet to arrive at his office.

"We will process them right away if we receive the document as the case is in the public spotlight. The arrest warrant will be immediately sent to all relevant authorities and border crossings," he said.

PCD chief Supat Wangwongwattana said a ruling on Vatana would not directly affect to the wastewater plant. Subcommittees had been set up recently to try to find a solution for the troubled project, which is 98 per cent completed.

"A civil case into this project is in the arbitration process, between PCD and NVPSKG, the construction joint-venture. For another criminal case between the PCD and 18 people in relation to the land fraud, we had just replaced the legal team [for higher efficiency]," Supat revealed.