The Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders dismissed the National Anti-Corruption Commission’s (NACC) charge of making a false asset statement against former Palang Pracharath MP for Ratchaburi province Pareena Kraikupt on Friday.
The NACC had also demanded that the court revoke Pareena’s rights to contest elections if she was found guilty.
According to the corruption watchdog, Pareena omitted assets from her declaration, namely two amulets worth, a combined 6 million baht, and a 7.7 million baht cheque, which she had received from a debtor as a guarantee for a loan extended by the former MP.
Citing amulet experts’ opinions that it is impossible for those who do not specialise in amulets to distinguish between amulets which look similar, the court said that it accepts that Pareena honestly believed that the two amulets in her possession were the same as those declared in the statement of assets submitted to the NACC.
As for the cheque, the court ruled that Pareena honestly understood that she had the right to receive the cheque in accordance with the loan contract.
In February 2021, Pareena was found at fault by the NACC for gross violation of political etiquette for alleged forest encroachment. The case was accepted by the Supreme Court, which suspended her from performing her duties as an MP while the case sub judice.
