The Supreme Court has ordered the seizure of 30 million baht in assets from former Democrat Party MP Pracha “Kamnan Sia” Phothipipit, and his associates over a bid-rigging case.
In the decision read by the Civil Court on Wednesday, the Supreme Court upheld the lower court's verdict to seize the assets of Pracha and six accomplices.
Pracha, 72, and the other co-defendants were indicted on charges of intimidating a rival firm from bidding on construction contracts in Kanchanaburi in 2001. He received 10-12% of the median prices for those contracts.
Prosecutors asked the court to seize his assets and those of other defendants for their role in the bid-rigging.
The assets include 872 beef cattle worth 25 million baht and five cars.
The lower court earlier found the former Democrat MP and the other co-defendants guilty of extortion and malfeasance and sentenced them to five years in jail. But the Appeals Court overturned the verdict by acquitting all of them.
However, the lower court and the Appeals Court ruled to seize the assets. Pracha and his co-defendants appealed to the Supreme Court, reasoning that the Appeal Court had already acquitted them in the criminal case.
But Supreme Court judges rejected the appeal on grounds there was substantial evidence that the assets had been acquired through wrongdoing.
The Anti-Money Laundering Office earlier asked prosecutors to seek a court ruling seizing the assets.
Pracha, who has wielded much influence in Kanchanaburi, has also got involved in public land encroachment.
Last year, the Criminal Court earlier sentenced him to one year in prison after finding him guilty of encroaching on 1,199 rai of public land in Kanchanaburi's Dan Makhamtei district and Ratchaburi's Suan Phueng district.
Pracha was released on bail and was appealing the ruling. The Appeal Court has scheduled to give its ruling on Dec 22.