Accused of corruption in Klong Dan project
KULTIDA SAMABUDDHI
Vatana: Faces up to 10 years in jail |
The Supreme Court will today hand down its verdict in a high-profile case against veteran politician Vatana Asavahame for alleged corruption involving the issuance of title deeds for the construction site of the fraud-ridden Klong Dan wastewater treatment plant. The Pollution Control Department (PCD) in 2002 lodged a complaint with the National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC) accusing Mr Vatana of conspiring with land and pollution control officials to issue fake land deeds for 1,900 rai of land in Samut Prakan's Bang Bo district.
The alleged offence was committed in 1992 and 1993, when Mr Vatana was deputy interior minister. The land was sold to the PCD, the project developer, at an allegedly inflated price.
The NCCC's investigation panel forwarded the cases to the Office of the Attorney-General, which prosecuted the case in the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions.
Prosecutors filed separate cases against five officials involved. However, legal experts doubt the five will be brought to justice as the 15-year statue of limitations in the case will expire in October.
If convicted Mr Vatana, who is now chief advisory chairman of the Puea Pandin party, will face one to 10 years in jail and/or a 2,000-25,000 baht fine.
He will also be the second politician after former public health minister Rakkiat Sukthana to be convicted by the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions.
Rakkiat was convicted of bribery while serving as public health minister from 1997 to 1998, and was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment in 2004.
Lawyer Nakrit Sawettanan, who used to work on the case on behalf of the PCD, said today's verdict could have an influence on another criminal case being heard at Dusit Court, in which Mr Vatana is also a defendant.
He was referring to a lawsuit filed by the PCD in late 2005 against 18 parties for alleged corruption in land acquisition and breach of contracts with the department involving the Klong Dan wastewater treatment plant, causing damage to the state of about 20 billion baht. Other defendants besides Mr Vatana include an elder brother of banned former Thai Rak Thai executive Suwat Liptapanlop, the wife of former commerce minister Subin Pinkayan, and others who formed the NVPSKG consortium to operate the project.
If the court rules against Mr Vatana this could have a positive impact on the PCD's lawsuit against him and other defendants in the case on trial at Dusit court, but if the ruling is in his favour it would be the other way round, said Mr Nakrit.
The 23-billion-baht Klong Dan wastewater treatment plant is about 95% completed. The construction was suspended years ago due to strong opposition from locals who fear the plant will have a negative impact on the pristine local coastal ecology.
Villagers and anti-corruption activists also came up with evidence of the alleged corruption by businessmen and politicians that led to the court cases.
The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry has been considering whether the project should go ahead, while locals and environmentalists have demanded the structure be modified into a coastal research station.
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