The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has found former information and communication technology minister Surapong Suebwonglee and two ICT officials guilty of malfeasance in the amendment of a concession to allow ShinCorp to reduce its minimum shareholding in ShinSat, since renamed Thaicom, from 51% to 40% without cabinet approval.
The two ICT officials are Chaiyan Puengkiatpairote, former director of the Space Affairs Bureau Thailand, and Kraisorn Pornsuthi, former permanent secretary for information and communication technology.
An NACC source said the commission at its meeting Wednesday vote 6-2 in finding all three guilty of malfeasance in violation of Section 157 of the Criminal Code.
The commission also found Mr Chaiyan and Mr Kraisorn additionally guilty of a serious breach of discipline under the Civil Service Act of 1992.
Mr Chaiyan and Mr Kraisorn proposed the concession amendment to allow ShinCorp to reduce its minimum shareholding in ShinSat - now renamed Thaicom - from 51% to 40%. This effectively helped ShinCorp to reduce its investment burden.
Their proposal was endorsed by Mr Surapong, who was the ICT minister, and who failed to seek the cabinet's approval for this important change in the concession between the government and ShinSat.
The NACC resolved to send its recommendation to the ICT Ministry, that it take disciplinary action against Mr Chaiyan and Mr Kraisorn .
The resolution is also to be sent to the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions to consider taking legal action against all three of them for malfeasance in office.