The lawyer for former commerce minister Boonsong Teriyapirom, who was sentenced to 42 years in prison on Friday for bogus government-to-government rice sales, has confirmed he will file a second application for his client's temporary release on bail.
Narin Somnuek, speaking after paying a visit to Boonsong on Monday, said his client had asked him to process the bail request as soon as possible.
The ex-commerce minister had chronic health problems, including sinusitis, and was suffering from stress, Mr Narin said. His client has had two medical examinations during his detention due to high blood pressure.
He would file the bail application today or tomorrow morning, seeking temporary release on bail pending appeal to a full bench of the Supreme Court.
The former commerce minister is being detained at Khlong Prem prison, a facility for those serving more than 15 years in prison, following the Supreme Court’s ruling last Friday.
Boonsong and his former deputy Phum Sarapol were among 17 people found guilty and given prison terms for their roles in fraudulent government-to-government rice deals.
Mr Narin said Boosong did not talk much about how he is coping with being in prison. His family is scheduled to visit him tomorrow.
“His family didn’t come to see him today, just some friends. The family has asked him to be strong and take care of his health,” he said.
Mr Narin refused to discuss the assets to be offered as bail surety, but admitted the court's seizure order may complicate the issue.
He said on Sunday that Boonsong's family had amassed 30 million baht in cash to be deposited with the court as surety, and they were ready to increase it if needed.
Boonsong is required to pay 1.77 billion baht, out of the total 20 billion baht sum, as his share of compensation to the state for losses incurred by the fake rice sales.
Instead of being sold to the Chinese government the grain went to a Thai company, which obtained it at a heavily discounted price.
