Court lets 'Pinky' remove electronic tag

Actress Savika “Pinky” Chaiyadej on Tuesday won approval from the Criminal Court to remove an electronic monitoring (EM) device she was required to wear after her release from jail on Nov 30 last year.

The actress, who had been jailed while awaiting trial in connection with the Forex-3D Ponzi scheme case, insists she is innocent. She claims she was a victim duped into investing in the high-profile scheme, not someone who lured others into investing, for which she stands accused.

Her lawyer lodged a request for the court’s permission to remove the EM device, saying it was an impediment to her show business career.

Savika, named as the seventh defendant in the high-profile Forex-3D case, reported on Tuesday to court officials for a second time since her release from prison.

She is required as part of the bail granted on Nov 30 to report every month and not leave the country without court permission.

Savika, her mother Sarinya and brother Sarayut are among 24 alleged participants in the Ponzi scheme that is believed to have caused about 2.4 billion baht in total losses to many victims.

The Forex-3D scheme never had permission to operate from the Bank of Thailand.

Many of the victims claimed they invested after placing their faith in the credibility of celebrities and influential figures apparently connected to the venture. Savika is one of those celebrities.