Members of the National Council for Peace and Order (L-R) Wissanu Krea-ngam, General Paiboon Khumchaya and Pornpetch Wichitcholchai speak to the media during a press conference at Government House in Bangkok.
BANGKOK – Thailand’s Office of Attorney-General headed by General Paiboon Khumchaya has decided to indict former Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Juthamas Siriwan over a film festival bribery allegation.
Juthamas Siriwan
The OAG ordered the indictment after it reviewed the investigation summary and recommendations presented by a joint panel of the OAG and National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) set up to consider the case.
The panel accused Ms Juthamas of taking bribes from a Los Angeles film-making couple who were awarded a 60-million-baht contract to host the annual Bangkok International Film Festival between 2003 and 2006.
Gerald and Patricia Green allegedly paid Ms Juthamas about US$1.8 million (63.2 million baht) to help secure the Bangkok International Film Festival rights and related TAT deals between 2002 and 2007.
The Greens were sentenced by a US court to six months in jail and six months of home detention for their part in paying bribes to secure the rights to run the festival.
NACC secretary-general Sansern Poljeak said the agency will send a summons to Ms Juthamas on Friday, giving her 15 days to report to the OAG and to be taken for indictment in the Criminal Court. She will face arrest if she does not show up, Mr Sansern said.