Thailand’s Supreme Court handed down a guilty verdict today to former prime minister Thaksin, guilty in the Ratchada land case. Thaksin was sentenced to 2 years in jail.

Thaksin in Chiang Mai, 2005 looking at CD-ROM cover

The Thai Supreme Court stated that Thaksin violated Article 100 and Article 122 of the National Counter Corruption Act, a law that says that Thai government officials and their spouses are prohibited from entering into or having interests in contracts with government agencies under their supervision.

Pojaman, his wife was found not guilty, cleared of all charges and the Supreme Court revoked arrest warrant against her.

The Thai Supreme Court ruled 5 to 4 that Thaksin was guilty of conflict of interest while he was a prime minister by facilitating his wife’s land purchase of 33 rai of land on Thiam Ruam Mit Rd. from the Bank of Thailand’s Financie Development Fund (FIDF) at below market price in 2003.

“Thaksin violated the article of the constitution on conflict of interest, as he was then prime minister and head of government who was supposed to work for the benefit of the public. He is sentenced to two years in jail,” a judge said in reading verdict.

Thaksin Verdict on land case; Guilty, sentenced to 2 year jail term

24 countries have issued travel warnings about traveling to Thailand, 10 of the 24 countries have raised the level of alarm of travel warning following the government’s violent and abusive crackdown on PAD anti-government protesters. The 10 countries are Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Japan and the UK, ten counties that account for over 60% of Thailand’s tourism revenue.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has an update of latest travel warnings in Thailand and latest information on the ongoing conflict on its their website, stressing that the effected areas of conflict are contained to small areas in Bangkok and not in popular tourist areas.

Over a thousand foreign travel agents and media reps were told that foreign tourists could travel in other areas of Bangkok and to all other destinations outside Bangkok in Thailand safely.

Latest Travel Warnings in Thailand

Thailand’s top learning institution, Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, is now rated in the top 200 universities in the world, rated by the latest Times Higher Education - QS World University Rankings.

Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand is ranked at number 166, tied with Germany’s Gottingen University, in the 2008 top universities in the world.

Japan’s University of Tokyo, ranked number 19, University of Tokyo is the top rated university in Asia, while Singapore’s National University is the top Southeastern Asia institution. Singapore’s National University ‘NUS’ is ranked at number 30, tied with University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).

Of the top 10 universities of the world, Harvard is first place, 6 are in USA and 4 in Britain.

Thailand’s best learning institution, Chulalongkorn University, rated top 200 universities in the world

Politicians pushed Thai police into deadly clash with PAD protesters

Forensic expert and renowned author Dr. Pornthip has said the wounds on PAD protesters came from tear gas canisters fired by Bangkok police and that the Thai government pressured Thai police to take forceful action against the the PAD protesters on October 7.

Prime Minister Somchai said his dissolving the Government House or stepping down a Prime Minister could end the ongoing political turmoil in Thailand and has not ruled yet about resigning the post.

Somchai said; “I’m not stuck on being prime minister if my resigning can solve the problems. But I’m not sure it can solve the problems now, we should find the real solution.”

Prime Minister Somchai is under tremendous pressure to resign due to the violent clashes between Thai police and PAD anti-government protesters.

Somchai said that Thailand should be dealing with the economic crisis, preparing for the royal events and the regional summit later this year, he said the PAD should respect the results of the December election.

The PPP won the election in December, the first election since the September 2006 coup that ousted Thaksin.

PAD began protests in May, saying the ruling People Power Party (PPP) is a proxy of ousted premier Thaksin, a relative of current Prime Minister Somchai, who they have accuse of massive corruption.

Prime Minister Somchai considers resigning

Forensic expert and renowned author Dr. Pornthip, head of the Central Institute of Forensic Science (CIFS), has been inspecting riot scenes of the alleged abuse by Thai police to PAD members. Dr. Pornthip’s investigations have found no explosive residue, that police claimed to be the cause of injuries to PAD members.

Dr. Pornthip’s is investigating Thai police’s claim that homemade bombs were carried by PAD members that were set off by accident and exploded in hand or on body while carried in pockets or bags by PAD members, the Thai police claim that this is responsible for many injuries and 1 death, Dr. Pornthip is also investigating weather tear-gas canisters could blow off people’s limbs.

Dr. Pornthip’s team was at a Bangkok Police office today to examine PAD members wounds.

At a press conference Dr. Pornthip stated; There is no traces of explosive residue on the clothing or bodies of the victims. Our team is using a GT-200 substance detector and found no explosive residue used in making bombs. We’ve already investigated the riot scenes here in Bangkok and the bodies and clothing of the injured victims. The GT-200 detector has collected chemicals from the scenes of the Bangkok riots and victims that can be used for comparisons later. Next week, Thai Police will show us how the different types of tear gas works, then we can collect the chemicals from the Thai police demonstration and compare them with what we found at the riot scenes here in Bangkok.

Forensic expert and renowned author Dr. Pornthip investigating PAD riot scenes to determine cause of injuries to PAD members

Seven of the nine leaders of the PAD surrendered to Bangkok Metropolitan Police Division 1 this morning on charges of inciting unrest and illegal assembly, the PAD leaders were released on 100,000bt bail shortly after surrender.

The PAD leaders surrender followed the Thai Appeals Courts order to drop treason charges on them yesterday morning.

The PAD leaders had refused to surrender until the Thai Appeals Court revoked treason charges against the PAD leaders, which they said was unjustified. Treason is punishable by the death penalty or a life sentence in Thailand.

The 7 PAD leaders to surrender were Sondhi Limthongkul, Pibhop Thongchai, Somsak Kosaisuk, Suriyasai Katasila, Therdpoom Jaidee, Amorn Amornrattananont and Somkiat Pongpaiboon. They arrived with their lawyer Suwat Apaipak, who helped expedite the bail process.

The PAD protest leaders had arrest warrants for them since early last month surrendered at Bangkok Metropolitan Police Division 1 police station near the Government House.

Chamlong Srimuang and Chaiwat Sinsuwong, the 2 other PAD members were arrested earlier this month and released on bail yesterday.

PAD Leaders Surrender to Police

Two panels to be formed to investigate the Thai police’s abuse on PAD rioters and to help victims.

The Thai Cabinet agreed to form two independent committee panels, one to investigate Tuesday’s crowd control operations by Thai police that turned violent and another panel to help PAD protester victims of police abuse and to rehabilitate injured Thai police officers.

Just shortly after PAD leaders appealed to have treason charges dropped today, the Thai Appeals Court today revoked the treason charges against against the 9 PAD members. The Thai Court said the treason charges against PAD members are vague, but other charges are intact.