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Published on February 26, 2008

Banjong Soikaew was attending the hearing into whether his assets would be seized after being found guilty of possession of 2,880 methamphetamine pills with intent to sell. He was convicted in May and sentenced to 50 years and a Bt3,333,333 fine.

Criminal Court guards apprehended Songkran Chaiyawong when he was seen handing 30 ecstasy pills to Banjong in the court. Songkran was given a six-month term for contempt of court and is now in custody awaiting trial for possession of the 30 pills along with possession of two packages of "ice" and 30 illicit Erimin tablets that were later found underneath his bench in Courtroom 905.

Phaholyothin police claimed Songkran said a man paid him Bt20,000 to hand the drugs to Banjong in the courtroom. Songkran said he needed the money for his wedding expenses.

Banjong is likely to have his assets seized after public prosecutors told the court that he had bought a car, two motorcycles, and gold jewellery with his drug money. He was arrested with two other people in a drug bust in May 2006.

In the same case as Banjong's, Ruengrit Soikaew was jailed for 37 years and six months and fined Bt750,000, while Yuwadee Saklor was jailed for life and fined Bt1 million. The three are in the process of appealing against the convictions.

The Nation