Imprisoned former TV news anchor Sorrayuth Suthassanachinda seemed resigned to a life behind bars on Thursday, saying escape would be pointless because his face is too well known.
He expressed his feelings from Bangkok Remand Prison in a message dated Wednesday and posted on his Facebook account, Sorrayuth Suthassanachinda News Labourer, on Thursday by the page administrator.
“I have not thought about escape because this is not the end, not the solution to the problem," the post said.
"If I escape in Thailand, all people remember my face. If I go abroad, overseas Thais there also know me, so I would be arrested and sent back to Thailand. Or I have to spend the rest of my life hiding and may never see my mother again.
“My stay in the prison will have an end. It is tough staying here but I have to adjust gradually. I have thought about the worst-case scenario and if I have to reach that point, I have to live with it. Life will go on. So don’t be worried, I can live here.”
Within an hour of being posted the message had about 44,000 reactions and over 5,500 comments. Many of the comments offered moral support.
Sorrayuth was admitted prison on Tuesday evening after the Appeal Court upheld his 13-years and 4 months jail sentence for the embezzlement of 138 million baht in state advertising revenue and the Supreme Court subsequenty rejected his bail application.
The case involved his company, Rai Som Co, and two other defendants - Rai Som employee Montha Theeradet; and former Mass Communications Authority of Thailand (MCOT) employee Pichapa Iamsa-ard.
The court found the defendants used forged and damaged documents to cheat the MCOT out of 138 million baht in advertising revenue during Sorrayuth's tenure as host of a TV news programme a decade ago.
The lower court in February 2016 sentenced Sorrayuth and Montha each to 13 years and 4 months in jail for helping Pichapa, a government official, commit malfeasance. Pichapa was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment. They too were denied bail after their appeals were rejected.
Rai Som was fined 80,000 baht. It has repaid the 138 million baht to the MCOT as demanded.
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