Former Pheu Thai heavyweight Watana Muangsook lost his appeal on Friday as a panel of judges decided to uphold a guilty ruling over his role in irregularities in a low-cost housing project and stood by the prison term of 99 years he was handed earlier.
Watana was accused of abusing power in violation of Section 148 of the Criminal Code related to the 2.5-billion-baht Eua Arthorn housing project when he served as social development and human security minister.
In September 2020, the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders found him guilty on 11 counts of corruption, which carry up to 99 years in prison.
He appealed the ruling and was granted a temporary, conditional release on 10-million-baht bail.
Watana turned up to hear the ruling yesterday at the Supreme Court and was escorted to prison after the ruling was read.
According to the law, he can only spend a maximum of 50 years behind bars for the crimes he committed.
Speaking before the ruling, the politician maintained his innocence and insisted the case against him was politically motivated.
The politician vowed to continue fighting despite losing the appeal.
"I'll fight every possible means including submitting an appeal to the King. I'm confident but also prepared for any possible outcome. I'll respect the judgement and will keep fighting," he said.
Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, chairwoman of the Thai Srang Thai (Thai Nation Building) Party was among those who showed up to extend moral support. They quit the Pheu Thai Party in late 2020.
The judges reviewing the appeal also revised an earlier asset confiscation ruling, ordering Watana and other defendants to pay 89 million baht in compensation to the state.
The inquiry into alleged irregularities in the low-cost housing project was initiated by the now-defunct Assets Scrutiny Committee (ASC) which was formed after the 2006 coup to handle alleged corruption cases against the ousted Thaksin Shinawatra government.
After the ASC was dissolved, the case was handled by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).
The anti-corruption agency ruled in 2017 there were grounds in the allegations against Watana and 13 others and forwarded its findings to the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG).
Two key defendants in the case were red-shirt co-leader Arisman Pongruangrong and Apichart "Sia Piang" Chansakulporn, a well-known rice trader.
Arisman was sentenced in 2020 to four years in prison for aiding and abetting the offence. Arisman failed to attend the ruling and the court issued a warrant for his arrest.
Apichart, who got a 48-year prison term in the bogus government-to-government (G2G) rice agreements, was given 50 years in the housing project case.