BANGKOK – Following a US Justice Department report alleging bribery payments made to “a senior TAT official” in the investigation of Gerald and Patricia Green, Former Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Juthamas Siriwan has threatened to sue anyone who refers to her tenure as Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor at all.
The Greens were arrested earlier this week by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation under suspicions of violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act which prohibits US citizens from making bribes as part of their business dealings abroad. They are suspected of having paid US$1.7 million dollars (฿52 million) in bribes to a Thai government official in return for the $10 million contract to manage the 2004 Bangkok International Film Festival. Although not named by the Justice Department report, Juthamas Siriwan has come under suspicion because she was the TAT governor at the time, a charge which she denies.
“I was never employed by the TAT, not in 2004 or at any other time” she said at a press conference. “Anyone who says I was TAT governor is a liar and will be sued for libel and slander.” She referred to the approximately 350 articles written about her or referring to her as TAT governor between 2001 – 2006 as “a concerted press smear campaign.” She furthermore insisted that the over 1000 photographs and video clips of her presiding over TAT events, cutting ribbons at the opening ceremonies of TAT-sponsored galas, and conducting official meetings with other TAT officials are “fakes” and likely the work of “politically motivated influential people.” When asked what she was doing from 2001 to 2006, Juthamas replied she was at home with her family.
A spokesperson for the Puea Pandin Party, with which Juthamas was a candidate for a Bangkok seat prior to her withdrawal, confirmed her story. “She was never part of the TAT,” said Suwin Khunkiti. “Never mind what it says on our party website, or our posters, or on our election campaign flyers referring to her as former TAT governor. Those are typos.”
An attorney for Ms. Siriwan has threatened to sue any person or company which displays, disseminates, references, or acknowledges the existence of any of the slanderous material suggesting that she was TAT governor, including the TAT itself, which has a large painting of Juthamas in its lobby bearing an engraved brass plaque with her name. Phone calls to the TAT requesting comment were not answered. However, the TAT released a statement earlier today denying it had ever been involved in, or had ever heard of, the “so-called Bangkok International Film Festival.”
