The court had originally planned to read the verdict yesterday but postponed because of the large amount of evidence involved.

The seven defendants in the case, one of whom died two years ago, were police officers investigating the case. One defendant is former senior commander Lt-General Chalor Kerdthes.

The seven, who pleaded not guilty, are accused of stealing and embezzling a number jewellery items and other ornaments worth about Bt500 million belonging to a member of the Saudi royal family.

The jewellery was initially stolen by a Thai servant working at a Saudi palace. Many of the stolen items have since been returned to the owner.

The trial began before a high-profile murder case in which Chalor was sentenced to the death by the Court of Appeal for masterminding the murders of the wife and son of a gem trader who had bought the stolen items from the Thai servant. This separate case is subject to a further appeal.