rickfarang Posted November 10, 2004 Report Share Posted November 10, 2004 BAIL CONTROVERSY : Court frees tourists? killer KANCHANABURI: -- Police officer who admitted shooting 2 Britons released in Kanchanaburi A policeman accused of gunning down two young British backpackers has been given bail in Kanchanaburi province, where witnesses are said to be living in fear. Somchai Wisetsingh, 38, the police sergeant who admitted to killing Adam Lloyd and Vanessa Arscott in September, has been released from jail on bail of Bt1 million. The bail was granted last Thursday by Judge Narong Suthamkoson in Kanchanaburi but went unreported at the time, the province?s chief public prosecutor Pichet Kasetsin said yesterday. Pichet said public prosecutors opposed bail for fear that Somchai?s release might affect witnesses and evidence. ?But we have to accept the judgement,? Pichet said. He said public prosecutors had finished assembling the case against Somchai, who has petitioned public prosecutors for special consideration in the case. In the petition Somchai claims Lloyd attacked him first, he added. He said Somchai?s petition would be submitted to the director of the State Attorney?s Regional Office 7 for consideration today along with the case against him. ?As soon as the director of the regional office makes a decision on the case, we will charge Somchai in court,? Pichet said. Public prosecutors would then ask the court again to order Somchai detained in custody to stop him interfering with witnesses and material evidence, he said. A source in the Kanchanaburi public prosecutor?s office said Somchai reasoned in his request for bail that he had never previously committed a crime and promised not to run away. The source said the judge instructed him to refrain from intimidating witnesses. Case officer Lt Colonel Chavalit Biakaew said: ?That is Thai law. It is out of the hands of the police. Anybody in Thailand is entitled to bail. It?s a matter for the courts to decide.? He said that witnesses had nothing to be afraid of. Although there are some 16 witnesses to the killings almost all were reluctant to sign statements against Sergeant Somchai. During the investigation Police Colonel Vej Somboon admitted witnesses would not come forward and sign statements saying: ?This is because the suspect is a policeman and they are afraid of retaliation because they all live nearby.? Yesterday, one of the witnesses, who asked for anonymity, said: ?This is exactly what we were all afraid of. Now we are all scared. He must know who we all are. We don?t trust the police or the court here.? Somchai is accused of gunning down with his .38 first Adam Lloyd, 24, and then running down Vanessa, 23, and finishing her off with bullets to her neck and chest in September. Somchai admitted the killings after he was captured following several weeks on the run. Although he has apologised indirectly to the family of Vanessa Arscott, he has not apologised for the killing of Adam Lloyd, who he claimed hit him several times, causing him to lose face. The sergeant?s release on bail is contentious, given he fled from the scene and remained at large for over a month. After the killings he was allowed to go home, pack his bags, go for treatment to a hospital for facial injuries, visit his sister, and call his colleagues to demand terms for his surrender. He was later given shelter by ?influential people? near the Burmese border and surrendered by prior agreement, but only after protests by British Embassy officials. --The Nation 2004-11-10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 10, 2004 Report Share Posted November 10, 2004 >>>>>A source in the Kanchanaburi public prosecutor?s office said Somchai reasoned in his request for bail that he had never previously committed a crime and *promised not to run away*.<<<<<<< Hahahahaha Well....as long as he promises, then I guess is ok. :: Unbelievable! HT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Toad Posted November 10, 2004 Report Share Posted November 10, 2004 Without upsetting KS The comments on an other baord are scathing to say the least! And I can only agree with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardy641 Posted November 11, 2004 Report Share Posted November 11, 2004 Can't wait the reactions of the English yellow press. Especially after the 2 English drug dealers got one the death penality the other life in prison for possessing a few grams of heroin and some cocaine... Interesting to see if they will be given bail as well. This will cause a lot of damage to Thailand's international reputation again. Te CEO will be fuming! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keekwai Posted November 11, 2004 Report Share Posted November 11, 2004 It's bad enough what happened to the male victim but what an unimaginable bit of violence, to run down a woman with a car then shoot her to death. Horrible. And they let the fucker out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 11, 2004 Report Share Posted November 11, 2004 Like earlier closing times, I am confident this is all part of some super sophisticated program to increase tourism in Thailand that we Farangs are just not smart enough to understand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 11, 2004 Report Share Posted November 11, 2004 Can't wait the reactions of the English yellow press. Especially after the 2 English drug dealers got one the death penality the other life in prison for possessing a few grams of heroin and some cocaine... Maybe someone should do a cut & paste of the posts in the "Is Bangkok Worth Visiting Now?" thread, make a few edits and additions (I would change "Bangkok" to "Thailand" and a combine a few quotes from the article above into a new point no. 1), and send it along to the English yellow press. Thailand deserves no less! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaiLuk Posted November 11, 2004 Report Share Posted November 11, 2004 >>After the killings he was allowed to go home, pack his bags, go for treatment to a hospital for facial injuries, visit his sister, and call his colleagues to demand terms for his surrender. << What are they talking about? Who "allowed" him to go home after the killings? A poorly written article. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaiLuk Posted November 11, 2004 Report Share Posted November 11, 2004 >>Especially after the 2 English drug dealers got one the death penality the other life in prison for possessing a few grams of heroin and some cocaine...<< Haha good point. A true nightmare place thailand is for anyone considering a first time visit. Khun Taksin must have some influence down there and should have the guy re-arrested. Anyone know the procedure for obtaining bail in a double murder case with 16 eye witnesses? And what judge is dumb enough to accept a payoff in a high profile case (if that is what happened :. Last question. Defendant said the guy made him lose face. A uniquely thai and legally recognized defense to murder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sayjann Posted November 11, 2004 Report Share Posted November 11, 2004 i remember when this happened and it was reported in the UK Press. friends asked me about it as i had travelled to Thailand and i just told them that if/when he went to Court nothing would happen to him. they didn't believe me and said that after all the evidence he must get punishment. i told them that the Thai legal system does not work the same as in the UK. i think the original post in this thread backs this up. i know that if i was accused of a crime like this in the UK i would not be granted bail. i know that i would be left rotting in jail for many Months before any sort of hearing. as for the promise of not running away,that is a joke. i would have had my Passport confiscated straight away and it would have been hard for me to leave the Country. this Guy however has already ran away once and i can't see anything to stop him doing it again. he can easily cross the border and rely on Family and friends to help him. the whole Court case is a joke...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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