The Appeal Court has upheld the 50-year prison sentence given to former Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Juthamas Siriwan for demanding 62 million baht in bribes from American organisers of Bangkok film festivals.
The court slightly shortened the sentence handed down to her daughter, to 40 years.
The Appeal Court's decision was read at the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases on Wednesday.
The Appeal Court found Juthamas, 72, guilty of 11 counts of collusion with Gerald Green and his wife Patricia, an American couple, in facilitating their contracts to organise the Bangkok International Film Festival from 2002 to 2007 without fair competition.
Each count carried a jail term of six years and her total term was 66 years. However, the former governor could spend only a maximum of 50 years in prison for her crimes under the Criminal Code.
The Appeal Court dropped one count for her daughter Jittisopha, 45, concerning alleged support for the crime. The count was considered during the trial in the lower court, but the Appeal Court ruled that prosecutors did not present clear evidence to support it.
Jittisopha was thus found guilty of 10 counts, each carrying a jail term of four years, and sentenced to 40-year imprisonment instead of 44 years.
The court found the daughter guilty of opening foreign bank accounts to receive the bribes paid in 59 transactions.
The Appeal Court dismissed the lower court's order to confiscate the 62 million baht in bribes, saying that confiscation had not been requested during the original trial.
The lower court delivered its rulings on Juthamas and her daughter on March 29, 2017. The court found the American couple were granted sole rights to run the events despite lacking the necessary expertise, experience, or any related proven work record.
Both defendants appealed. The Appeal Court had earlier rejected their application for bail in light of the severity of the sentences.
After the court's ruling on Wednesday, Juthamas and her daughter were returned to the Central Women's Correctional Institution in Chatuchak district to continue serving their sentences.
