The Appeal Court has upheld the 2-year jail term handed down to former Pheu Thai Party leader Yongyuth Wichaidit for abuse of authority in connection with the sale of monastic land for the Alpine golf course.
The court’s decision was read out, in his presence, at the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases on Thursday.
Mr Yongyuth, now 77, was a deputy permanent secretary at the Interior Ministry, serving as acting permanent secretary, at the time of the offence.
The National Anti-Corruption Commission investigated the Alpine golf course land sale. It found Mr Yongyuth at fault for cancelling a Land Department order which revoked the sale of 732 rai of monastic land owned by Wat Thammikaram to private firm Alpine Real Estate Co and Alpine Golf & Sports Club in 2002. It asked that he be prosecuted.
Mr Yongyuth was found guilty of malfeasance and dereliction of duty under Section 157 of the Criminal Code and of serious disciplinary violations.
In August 2017, the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases sentenced him to two years in prison, without suspension.
The court later approved his temporary release on bail with a 500,000 baht surety, pending appeal.
The land in Pathum Thani’s Klong Luang district was donated by a widow, Noem Chamnanchartsakda, to Wat Dhammamikaramvoraviharn in Prachuap Khiri Khan in 1971. After her death the Mahamongkut Ratchawittayalai Foundation was appointed executor of the estate. The foundation sold the land to Alpine Real Estate and Alpine Golf and Sports Club.
The Council of State, the government’s legal advisory body, later found the sale was illegal because it was monastic land, and the Land Department cancelled the sale.
Mr Yongyuth overruled the Land Department’s order. A long-running scandal surrounded the sale of the land and its subsequent development as a golf course and sporting club, and involved leading political figures of the time, including former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and former interior minister Sanoh Thienthong.
Mr Yongyuth looked calm when he showed up at the court on Thursday. He was accompanied by his lawyer and close associates.
After hearing the ruling, the defendant applied for continuation of bail pending an appeal to the Supreme Court. He offered a 900,000 baht cash surety.
The court on Thursday afternoon later granted release on bail.
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