NACC to consider next move involving Juthamas : DSI

Los Angeles court on Tuesday charged Juthamas, former governor of Tourism Authority of Thailand and her daughter Jittisopa for receiving US$1.8 million of bribes from film producers Gerald and Patricia Green between 2002 and 2007 in exchange for running the Bangkok International Film Festival and other tourism-related deals.

The Greens were arrested and convicted of involvement in an overseas corruption scam and were sentenced to be sentenced on Thursday.

The US federal prosecutors said Juthamas and her daughter were charged with conspiracy and eight other counts. Both can face up to 20 years jail term if convicted.

The US prosecutors also said the bribes Juthamas accepted were given both in form of cash and disguised as sales commissions of between 10 and 20 per cent.

Prosecutors added that the suspects opened bank accounts in Singapore and the United Kingdom to receive the corrupt payments.

Department of Special Investigation (DSI) chief Tharit Pengdit Thursday said the DSI has investigated the case and submitted the investigation results to the National Anti-Corruption Commission as the accusations were made when Juthamas still served as a Thai state official.

Col Piyawat Kingkate, who headed the investigation team probing Juthamas case in 2007, said the DSI coordinated with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in collecting the evidence.

In its investigation, Col Piyawat said, the DSI concluded that two offences were committed: bid rigging and the malfeasance of state official.