The Criminal Court yesterday sentenced the mastermind of the gang that robbed the home of former transport permanent secretary Supoj Saplom in November 2011 to 12 years in prison, commuted from 18 years.
The crime sparked allegations of unusual wealth against Mr Supoj when the burglars reported seeing vast amounts of cash in his house.
Singthong: Burglary gang mastermind
Gang leader Singthong Chaichomchuen's prison term was reduced to 12 years by the court because his testimony was deemed useful.
Two other members of his gang were also sentenced to 18 years, and then had their terms reduced to nine years because they confessed.
The fourth, fifth, sixth and ninth defendants were each sentenced to five years in jail for receiving stolen property. The fourth and sixth defendants had their terms cut to two years and six months for their confessions.
The fifth and ninth defendants' jail terms were each reduced to three years and four months because they gave useful testimony.
The eighth defendant was sentenced to eight years in prison for being an accomplice in the robbery, while the seventh defendant was acquitted.
The court also ordered the return to Mr Supoj of 18 million baht cash seized from the gang. The burglary took place while Mr Supoj was at his daughter's wedding. The thieves claimed there was more cash stashed in bags in the house than they could carry away. The unusual wealth investigation is ongoing.