The Supreme Court on Wednesday sentenced the president of the Chiang Rai provincial administration organisation (PAO) to two years and six months in prison, suspended for two years, a 50,000 baht fine and a ten-year political ban.
Salakjarit Tiyapairat was found guilty of violating the Criminal Code and the Local Election Act by the court.
The case came about after former Chiang Rai PAO president Rattana Chongsuthanamanee filed a lawsuit against her successor Mrs Salakjarit for making a false statement to the court in violation of Section 137 of the Criminal Code and Section 114 of the Local Election Act.
The two women contested the March 14, 2004 PAO election. Mrs Rattana came first in the vote but her victory was not endorsed since Mrs Salakjarit petitioned the Election Commission, accusing her of doing favours for people in a community in Chiang Rai Municipality to solicit votes.
She fought the allegations in court and was acquitted, then counter-sued Mrs Salakjarit for making a false statement against her.
The court initially sentenced Mrs Salakjarit to three years and nine months in prison, a fine of 75,000 baht and a ten-year political ban. But she was acquitted by the Appeals Court.
Mrs Rattana then brought the case of the Supreme Court's election cases division.
After several deferments at the request of Mrs Salakjarit, the Supreme Court today read its verdict, sentencing her to five years in prison, a fine of 100,000 baht and a ten-year political ban. The jail sentence was commuted to two years and six months, suspended for two years, and the fine was cut in half.
As a result of the Supreme Court's verdict, Mrs Salakjarit has been dismissed from the post of PAO president.
Mrs Salakjarit is the wife of Yongyuth Tiyapairat, a former natural resources and environment minister of the now-disbanded Thai Rak Thai Party.
He was also banned from politics for five years after the Supreme Court found him guilty of submitting a false assets declaration to the National Anti-Corruption Commission in September 2009.