Nation Thailand
Thai businessman jailed for life in Laos hydropower corruption case
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A Thai businessman has been sentenced to life imprisonment in Laos in a major corruption case involving a hydropower project under Electricity of Laos, or EDL.
Key facts
- The Vientiane Capital People’s Court announced verdicts on July 1 in four major corruption cases involving 17 defendants, including former senior government officials, state enterprise executives and businesspeople
- The court also ordered Aphichart to pay more than US$24.8 million in compensation to EDL
- More than US$1 million in bribe payments will also be confiscated and returned to the Lao state.
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Summary
The Vientiane Capital People’s Court announced verdicts on July 1 in four major corruption cases involving 17 defendants, including former senior government officials, state enterprise executives and businesspeople. At least ten defendants received life sentences across the four cases.
For Thailand, the key case involved Thai businessman Aphichart Vannakul, who was convicted alongside four former senior EDL executives identified as Thongphet, Phonevixay, Saysanit and Khambon.