Thailand Sentences Generals to Six Years for Insulting King, Running Casino

Two police generals, including the former head of the Thai Police central investigative bureau were sentenced to six years each on corruption charges for running an illegal underground casino, and also wearing royal pins at the time.

MOSCOW, January 30 (Sputnik) — Thailand sentenced two police generals to six years of imprisonment each on Friday, according to Bangkok daily Thai Rath.

According to the publication, the former head of the Thai Police central investigative bureau, Lt. Gen. Phongphat Chayaphan, his former deputy, Maj. Gen. Kowit Wongrungroj and four of their subordinates were sentenced for "violating majesty" and organizing and maintaining an underground casino. All six were originally sentenced to 12 years behind bars, but the two generals had their sentences reduced due to an admission of guilt.

The generals and their subordinates were accused of wearing pins with the monograms of one of the members of the royal family an wearing lapels with the image of the crown prince while in the underground casino which they helped organize and provide security for, displaying a false connection between the casino and the king's court.

Also on Friday, the two generals and another defendant, Maj. Gen. Bunsyap Prathyan, pleaded guilty to two other offenses, accepting bribes from fuel smuggler and accepting bribes from subordinates in exchange for promotions. According to the newspaper, the charge of "violating majesty" applies to the cases because the accused wore symbols of the crown prince's court while accepting the bribes.

General Chayaphan was in charge of arresting Viktor Bout in 2008 on charges he was facing in the Unites States.