Samak may go abroad, if court approves

[Khun Don]

Samak may go abroad, if court approves

(BangkokPost.com) - Former prime minister Samak Sundaravej's lawyer Prachum Thongmee said on Monday that he may file a petition to ask the Supreme Court to allow his ailing client to be treated overseas.

According to Mr Prachum, he had not heard the rumours about Mr Samak's plan to travel to the United States to get his liver cancer treated.

The lawyer pointed out that the former premier must ask for the court's approval regardless of the reasons to travel abroad because the court convicted him and former senator Dusit Siriwan of defaming former deputy Bangkok governor Samart Ratchapolsitte and they were sentenced to two years in prison.

Mr Prachum, however, said his client had not contacted him to petition the court, but his legal team had already prepared relevant documents for this purpose.

He believed the court would approved the petition, because Mr Samak committed a personal offence and the penalty would not be severe.

[Khun Don]

Samak to leave for USA Wednesday


Former prime minister Samak Sundaravej will leave for the United States Wednesday to receive treatment for liver cancer, his secretary said Tuesday.

The secretary, Phaisarn Akkasarakul, declined to give details of Samak's schedule.

The Nation

[Khun Don]

Court permission not required for Samak's treatment in US
By The Nation

Former prime minister Samak Sundaravej has left early this morning for cancer treatment in the United States, according to INN and Matichon reports on Wednesday.

His lawyer said Samak was free to leave the country without having to apply for permission from the high court since his libel conviction was not a serious crime.

Samak was freed on bail by the Appeals Court in September after failing to overturn the lower court's guilty verdict. His case is under the final appellate review by the Supreme Court.

[Khun Don]

Samak's letter to be on aired Friday night


Former prime minister Samak Sundaravej has written a letter recounting his encounter with protesters at the Houston International airport, Government Spokesman Natthawut Saikua said Friday.

He said the letter, which recounts how Samak felt while being humiliated by the protesters at the airport, would be aired during the Truth Today programme on NBT Channel at 10 pm Friday.

The Nation

[FaranginPhetch]

Pobly the last we ever see of that old dude.
He seems to have learned well from TOXIN, Take your corruption gained funds and split before they suspect that you have loaded a ton of cash on a plane and just beat the jailer to the border fence.

Another thing he doesn't aseem to understand fully, People in the USA are under a democratic govt. unlike Thailands democratic govt.
People there are free to protest and demonstrate without fear if being shot down in the streets like that old bastard did, Seems to me it was back in the early 70's, I was working offshore in the Arabian gulf at the time tho and wasn't here.

[Richard Barrow]

People there are free to protest and demonstrate without fear if being shot down in the streets

Yes, but if they took over the White House forcing the president of the US to move his office to the airport, do you really think that the national guard would have just ignored it?

What I don't really understand in this story is why he is going to America to have treatment? I thought that we were supposed to be promoting medical tourism here in Thailand. Is he saying that if I get ill here in Thailand I should seek medical attention abroad instead? I thought the private hospitals here in Thailand were supposed to be good. Unless, of course, there is another motive to go to America. Maybe he is not planning on coming back.

[Khun Don]

Possibly it is hoped he will not return-then the internationally embarrassing question of jailing a seriously ill ex-Prime Minister will not arise.