Former Prime Minister's Office secretary-general Suranand Vejjajiva has delivered a message of sympathy to former commerce minister Boonsong Teriyapirom, who was sentenced to 42 years in jail over corrupt government-to-government rice deals.
Mr Suranand, who held the position during ex-premier Yingluck Shinawatra's government, on Friday expressed compassion for his close friend Boonsong via his Facebook, saying "Some stories 'must die with us'. We can't talk about them. I truly understand and I 'sympathise' my friend who is bound by that 'condition'. I may be luckier than my friend that I can still be myself while my friend is not as 'lucky' as I am."
According to the post, after the 2014 coup, Mr Suranand asked Boonsong "Can you tell me how the story goes?", saying he admired the spirit of his friend, who replied: "I can't talk about it."
Mr Suranand recounted he once visited Boonsong, who at that time served as commerce minister during Ms Yingluck's administration, and skimmed through some documents on his desk.
He asked Boonsong: "Who helps you handle these issues? They look scary." Boonsong replied he had a "team".
Mr Suranand said he occasionally met Boonsong and "felt something troubled his friend's mind".
He said he always warned Boonsong that both of them were only "clerks" who had no knowledge of the ins and outs of the stories.
Mr Suranand said: "The public can judge Boonsong in their own ways. But I know Boonsong and no matter what status he holds or whether he is right or wrong, he is still 'my friend'. I wish 'my friend' good luck and he survives all miseries. I always give him moral support."
Mr Suranand and Boonsong have known each other since 1999 when they shared the same political ideology in the establishment of Thai Rak Thai Party.
Meanwhile, Boonsong and his former deputy Poom Sarapol, who was sentenced to 36 years for the same offence, were yesterday transferred from Bangkok Remand Prison to Klong Prem Central Prison in Chatuchak district due to their harsh penalties, Corrections Department director-general Kobkiat Kasivivat said.
The transfer also aimed to separate the duo from other inmates who had different political ideologies from them.
Bangkok Remand Prison chief Krit Krasaethip said Boonsong and Poom had chronic diseases which were diabetes and hypertension.
The Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases has scheduled Tuesday for Poyjairapee Teriyapirom, Boonsong's wife, to listen to the court's decision on whether to accept the case she filed against government agencies in connection with Boonsong's seizure of 17.68 billion baht in compensation for the rice-pledging scheme.
Ms Poyjairapee owned two of the bank accounts which were frozen by the Legal Execution Department. She said freezing the accounts violated Section 157 of the Criminal Code.
