Former Pheu Tai Party member and former MP, Anurak Tungpanithanon, was found guilty of extorting a bribe from a high-ranking official and sentenced to six years in prison and banned from political office for life. The decision was handed down by the Supreme Court for Criminal Cases Related to Political Offices on Tuesday.
The charge was filed against Anurak Tungpanithanon in February 2022. He was accused of abusing his position as a Member of Parliament and demanding a bribe of 5 million baht to support projects for the development of the GRD when he was Chairman of the Parliamentary Budget Committee.
The decision of the court was based on the materials of the case and the events that took place around it. It contends that the testimony of a key prosecution witness contradicts Anurak's own testimony. The court also noted that the telephone conversation between Anurak and the high-ranking official lasted 15 minutes, well beyond the time required for a simple request for documents.
