Former Commerce Minister Released on Parole: Corruption Case Update

Former commerce minister Boonsong Teriyapirom, who was serving a 48-year prison sentence for corruption in government rice sales, has been released on parole by the Department of Corrections. Boonsong, 64, left the Medical Correctional Institution in Bangkok and returned to his hometown in Chiang Mai. He will be on parole probation for three years and five months, monitored with an electronic tag.

Legal Troubles

Boonsong was initially sentenced to 42 years in jail in 2017 for fraudulent government-to-government (G2G) rice deals. The court found that these contracts, meant to export pledged rice to China, were actually fake, with the rice being sold to private Thai companies instead. This rice originated from government stocks under the rice-pledging scheme during Yingluck Shinawatra’s administration, where Boonsong served as commerce minister. Despite an unsuccessful appeal, Boonsong’s sentence was reduced to ten years and eight months due to royal clemency.

Political Fallout

The corruption scandal also implicated former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who was sentenced to five years in prison for her role in failing to prevent corruption within the rice-pledging program. Interestingly, on the same day Boonsong was incarcerated, Yingluck, who had been ousted from her position as prime minister, fled the country to avoid legal consequences. The rice-pledging scheme, a flagship policy of the Pheu Thai Party during the 2011 election, ultimately led to significant legal repercussions for those involved.

Reflections on Justice

The release of Boonsong on parole raises questions about accountability and justice in cases of government corruption. As citizens, we must consider the implications of such scandals on our political landscape and demand transparency and integrity from our elected officials. Let this case serve as a reminder of the importance of ethical conduct and the consequences of betraying public trust.