Bribery_NN1 :_: Thailand_NP1 's_GE favourite_JJ pastime_NN1 Is_VBZ it_PPH1 becoming_VVG a_AT1 race_NN1 to_TO punish_VVI the_AT alleged_JJ bribers_NN2 and_CC the_AT bribed_JJ ?_? 
We_PPIS2 shall_VM see_VVI ,_, but_CCB things_NN2 are_VBR definitely_RR heating_VVG up_RP for_IF Jutamas_NN2 Siriwan_NN1 ,_, former_DA governor_NN1 of_IO the_AT Tourism_NN1 Authority_NN1 of_IO Thailand_NP1 ._. 
The_AT opening_NN1 of_IO a_AT1 trial_NN1 in_II the_AT United_NP1 States_NP1 of_IO those_DD2 who_PNQS allegedly_RR paid_VVN money_NN1 to_II Thai_JJ officials_NN2 between_II 2002_MC and_CC 2006_MC to_TO get_VVI special_JJ treatment_NN1 in_II the_AT Bangkok_NP1 International_JJ Film_NN1 Festival_NN1 means_VVZ that_CST she_PPHS1 will_VM be_VBI worried_VVN as_RG much_DA1 by_II what_DDQ happens_VVZ in_II the_AT US_NP1 courts_NN2 as_CSA by_II the_AT local_JJ legal_JJ process_NN1 ._. 
It_PPH1 will_VM be_VBI interesting_JJ to_TO see_VVI how_RRQ things_NN2 go_VV0 ._. 
It_PPH1 is_VBZ rare_JJ for_IF two_MC countries_NN2 to_TO have_VHI parallel_RR legal_JJ procedures_NN2 in_II the_AT same_DA corruption_NN1 case_NN1 ._. 
While_CS a_AT1 verdict_NN1 in_II one_MC1 country_NN1 may_VM not_XX be_VBI legally_RR binding_VVG in_II the_AT other_JJ --_JJ meaning_NN1 that_CST a_AT1 "_" guilty_JJ "_" verdict_NN1 against_II the_AT alleged_JJ bribers_NN2 in_II America_NP1 may_VM not_XX necessarily_RR mean_VVI Jutamas_NP2 will_VM automatically_RR lose_VVI her_APPGE case_NN1 here_RL --_JJ we_PPIS2 are_VBR in_RP for_IF some_DD unique_JJ precedents_NN2 ._. 
In_II this_DD1 interconnected_JJ world_NN1 ,_, corruption_NN1 cases_NN2 can_VM span_VVI across_II continents_NN2 ._. 
Jutamas_NP1 '_GE name_NN1 has_VHZ reportedly_RR come_VVN up_RP in_II US_NP1 court_NN1 transcripts_NN2 ._. 
Locally_RR ,_, she_PPHS1 has_VHZ vehemently_RR denied_VVN involvement_NN1 in_II the_AT bribery_NN1 scandal_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ allegedly_RR took_VVD place_NN1 when_CS she_PPHS1 was_VBDZ TAT_NN1 governor_NN1 during_II the_AT Thaksin_NN1 government_NN1 ._. 
Local_JJ investigators_NN2 have_VH0 established_VVN that_CST irregularities_NN2 concerning_II the_AT film_NN1 festival_NN1 involved_VVD bribery_NN1 ,_, favouritism_NN1 and_CC suspicious_JJ budgets_NN2 that_CST were_VBDR within_II Jutamas_NP2 's_GE power_NN1 to_TO approve_VVI ._. 
The_AT case_NN1 has_VHZ been_VBN forwarded_VVN to_II the_AT National_JJ Anti-Corruption_JJ Commission_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ is_VBZ expected_VVN to_TO make_VVI a_AT1 decision_NN1 soon_RR on_II how_RRQ to_TO proceed_VVI ._. 
In_II the_AT US_NP1 ,_, the_AT trial_NN1 of_IO two_MC Hollywood_NP1 producers_NN2 accused_VVN of_IO trying_VVG to_TO bribe_VVI their_APPGE way_NN1 into_II running_VVG the_AT Bangkok_NP1 International_JJ Film_NN1 Festival_NN1 is_VBZ now_RT underway_RR at_II the_AT US_NP1 Federal_JJ District_NN1 Court_NN1 in_II Los_NP1 Angeles_NP1 ._. 
The_AT US_NP1 indictment_NN1 ,_, filed_VVN in_II December_NPM1 2007_MC ,_, claims_VVZ that_CST Gerald_NP1 Green_NP1 ,_, the_AT executive_NN1 producer_NN1 of_IO the_AT 2006_MC film_NN1 "_" Rescue_NN1 Dawn_NP1 "_" ,_, and_CC his_APPGE wife_NN1 Patricia_NP1 ,_, conspired_VVD to_TO pay_VVI a_AT1 Thai_JJ government_NN1 official_NN1 more_RRR than_CSN US$1.7_FO million_NNO (_( Bt58_FO million_NNO )_) to_TO land_VVI the_AT contract_NN1 to_TO run_VVI the_AT festival_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ would_VM allegedly_RR yield_VVI more_DAR than_CSN $10_NNU million_NNO in_II return_NN1 ._. 
Nothing_PN1 seems_VVZ too_RG complicated_JJ here_RL ._. 
The_AT case_NN1 is_VBZ no_AT different_JJ from_II a_AT1 Thai_JJ contractor_NN1 paying_VVG a_AT1 politician_NN1 under_II the_AT table_NN1 to_TO beat_VVI other_JJ bidders_NN2 to_II a_AT1 lucrative_JJ deal_NN1 ._. 
The_AT American_JJ couple_NN1 is_VBZ being_VBG subjected_VVN to_II the_AT hand_NN1 of_IO their_APPGE country_NN1 's_GE foreign_JJ business_NN1 law_NN1 that_CST prohibits_VVZ such_DA practice_NN1 ._. 
But_CCB if_CS the_AT prospect_NN1 of_IO a_AT1 $10_NNU million_NNO profit_NN1 had_VHD lured_VVN them_PPHO2 into_II taking_VVG the_AT risk_NN1 ,_, we_PPIS2 may_VM be_VBI seeing_VVG only_RR the_AT tip_NN1 of_IO an_AT1 iceberg_NN1 here_RL ._. 
The_AT US_NP1 laws_NN2 against_II corrupt_JJ practices_NN2 of_IO American_JJ business_NN1 people_NN overseas_RL shook_VVD the_AT Thai_JJ political_JJ scene_NN1 a_AT1 few_DA2 years_NNT2 back_RP ,_, also_RR during_II the_AT Thaksin_NN1 government_NN1 ._. 
