A fugitive daughter of jailed rice trader Apichart "Sia Pieng" Chansakulporn was on Wednesday sentenced in absentia to four years in prison for her role in fake government-to-government (G-to-G) rice sales.
The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions found Thanyaporn Chansakulporn guilty of involvement in the fraudulent multi-billion baht deal.
Thanyaporn, the 21st defendant in the case, was also ordered to jointly pay 1.29 billion baht in compensation to the state, along with Khita Properties Co, the 20th defendant, and fined 40,000 baht.
A warrant for her arrest was issued after she failed to appear in court to hear the judgement in the rice deal case on Aug 25, and reading of her judgement postponed.
The court passed sentence and formally issued a second arrest warrant on Wednesday, ordering that she be brought back to serve the prison term.
The same court on Aug 25 sentenced her father, Apichart, an executive of rice exporter Siam Indica Co Ltd, to 48 years in prison in the same case, and ordered he pay 16.9 billion baht in damages to the Finance Ministry.
Former commerce minister Boonsong Teriyapirom was sentenced to 42 years in jail and his former deputy Poom Sarapol to 36 years.
Their requests for bail pending appeal were denied.
Other defendants also received jail terms and had to pay damages in proportion to their crimes as well.
Eight of the 28 defendants were acquitted. Two of them failed to appear.
