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Published on August 14, 2007

The joke is on a retired police officer at the centre of an attempted bribery case after he said yesterday he had acted "in jest" while offering bribes to rig the electoral-fraud verdict against the Thai Rak Thai Party.

Colonel Charnchai Netiratta-karn surrendered himself at Chana Songkhram police station and was released on Bt200,000 bail after giving his statement.

Assistant national police chief Lt-General Jongrak Jutanont spelled out two counts of offering bribes to two Constitution Tribunal judges.

If convicted on both counts, Charnchai could face 12 years in jail and a fine of up to Bt24,000.

"Charnchai's statement lacks credibility as he said his bribery offer was a joke," Jongrak said, adding the police already had a strong case to prosecute Charnchai - regardless of his denial.

In his statement, Charnchai denied attempting to bribe the judges with Bt30 million.

He said he met with judge ML Krairerk Kasemsant at a Thammasat alumni party. The two are law graduates from the class of 1966. Another judge, Somchai Pongsara, who is from the same class, was also approached with a bribe in a separate case.

"My remarks to judge Krairerk were wisecracks among friends, as I had no intention of bribing him nor to act as a go-between for any political party," he said in the statement.

He refused to elaborate or answer any more police questions and claimed his right to testify in court.

Meanwhile, Krairerk refused to comment on Charnchai's claim that it was all about a joke between friends.

"I have no comment on this. It is the right of a suspect to say anything he wants. I will leave it to the justice system," he said.

Campaign for Popular Democracy secretary-general Suriyasai Katasila called on police to unmask the mastermind behind Charnchai. "I urge the police to designate Charnchai for a witness-protection programme because he might be silenced before the truth comes out," he said.

He said he strongly suspected the same mastermind was linked to Charnchai in two previous cases - the 2001 asset-concealment case involving former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and the 2006 case of abuse of power involving three election commissioners.