bust Posted January 18, 2006 Report Share Posted January 18, 2006 Doubt very much if it will take 20 years. http://au.news.yahoo.com/060118/2/xmzj.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffHello Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 Wednesday, 18 January 2006, 11:08 GMT Trial 'overwhelms' Horton killers By Chris Walsh-Heron BBC News, Surat Thani Thai fisherman Wichai Somkhaoyai, 24, centre, is escorted to a courtroom in Surat Thani, Thailand, Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2006 Thai fisherman Wichai Somkhaoyai faces lethal injection The two fisherman who confessed to Katherine's murder were swamped by dozens of reporters and photographers from across the world as they stepped out of the prison van that had brought them in to the provincial court of Surat Thani. They were led into the packed courtroom, both in shackles and seeming overwhelmed by events. But as they took their place at the dock, they began to smile nervously as the TV cameras began to focus on them. As the judges began summing up the case against Wichai Somkhaoyai and Bualoi Posit, the pair bowed their heads and only Posit made eye contact with the panel. Colonel Preecha Thimimontri said the case has had a large impact on Koh Samui's tourist industry but stressed that the 'Land of Smiles' was still a safe place for visitors to come Pair face death penalty The court heard their confessions, the eyewitness statements and the compelling DNA evidence linking them to the crime. They remained solemn as they were handed the death penalty, but as the court rose they were once again surrounded by the media, eager for comment. Death deterrent Amid the melee of reporters jostling for position, they were taken to a van waiting to take them back to prison. Colonel Preecha Thimimontri, who lead the investigation, said the death penalty sets the best example to stop people committing crimes like this in the future. He said the case has had a large impact on Koh Samui's tourist industry but stressed that the "Land of Smiles" was still a safe place for visitors to come. On Koh Samui itself, people have been very upset and embarrassed by this crime. Jack, manager of the Spa resort near the spot where Katherine died, told me he hopes that the world can forgive them for what happened there. ***************** strange that tv.com have hushed up this story .no mention Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffHello Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 you wonder why the cop in kanchanaburi also didnt get the death penalty? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckwoww Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 Hold the applause... Thai killers await automatic appeal Jan 18 2006 icWales The Amnesty International spokeswoman said: ``There is an automatic appeal in capital cases in Thailand so it will go straight to the Court of Appeal regardless of whether the individuals or their lawyers specifically ask for that. "Until the Court of Appeal delivers the final decision, the sentence isn't completely finalised. If the Court of Appeal delivers its decision and the sentences are upheld, then the order of execution will be issued." The men then have the option of lodging their case with the Supreme Court if the Court of Appeal maintains the death sentence. She said that after the Supreme Court, the only other course of action the men can turn to is the Thai royal family. "If the Supreme Court upholds the death penalty, there is a limited time of 60 days for them to apply for a royal pardon," she said. http://tinyurl.com/cj327 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilli13 Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 Very cool, but why is PM & a gang of cabinet members riding motorbikes without helmet in Roi et as pictured on the Nations frontpage today? Fairly illegal right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bkkbound04 Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 Sky TV news in UK is giving this wide coverage, the Horton family have issed a statement that they have not expressed any views about the death sentance and do not wish to get involved in discusing the legal or political process of another country. JP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 BuffHello said:you wonder why the cop in kanchanaburi also didnt get the death penalty? Allegedly, the cop in Kanchanaburi was one of the gunmen bumping off accused drug dealers in Thaksin's war on drugs. Gossip says he was spared as part of a deal to keep his mouth shut about the killings. May or may not be true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckwoww Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 Thai killers 'will avoid death' Two men sentenced to death for murdering and raping a British backpacker in Thailand will have their sentence reduced to life imprisonment, a legal expert has predicted. Mark Stephens, a barrister with law firm Finers, Stephens, Innocent, believes the Thai judiciary acted out of a "cultural feeling of national disgrace" over the killing of 21-year-old Katherine Horton. Bualoi Posit, 23, and Wichai Somkhaoyai, 24, face lethal injection for attacking Miss Horton, who disappeared while holidaying in Koh Samui with her best friend Ruth Adams on New Year's Day. Her body was later found floating in the sea. After the sentencing, the Reading University student's family thanked Thai police for quickly catching the culprits and helping them "seek an end to the uncertainties of this tragedy". The Foreign Office confirmed that the men have 30 days to submit an appeal - but if they do not, an appeal will automatically be submitted by the court on their behalf. No death sentence has been carried out in Thailand since 2003, although more than 1,000 people are on death row, according to Amnesty International. Mr Stephens, who studied the Thai legal system for the International Bar Association, believes today's sentence will be reduced to life imprisonment at the Court of Appeal, as is customary for guilty pleas to murder. He said: "It usually takes three to six months for a case to come before the Court of Appeal but in this instance it would be at the shorter end of the scale. "I think part of the reason why they were sentenced to death is because the judge knew that (the sentence would get reduced). "There is a cultural feeling of national disgrace over this incident and, as a consequence, I think they wanted to send a message to the Thai community and the international community that they are prepared to deal quickly with offenders of this kind." http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1688830.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limbo Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 Buff Hello, This is big news on TV but it's listed on the Samui thread under Thailand news. Investigate Sherlock! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 THE NATION 19 January 2006 Samui pair get death sentence Less than three weeks after the rape and murder of a British tourist on the resort island of Koh Samui received international attention, the Surat Thani Provincial Court yesterday sentenced to death by lethal injection the two fishermen convicted of the crime. Bualoy Phosit, 23, and Wichai Sonkhaoyai, 24, both pleaded guilty to raping and murdering Katherine Horton on New Year's Day. The two men remained calm as their death sentences were read. The court argued that the two men deserved the death penalty for the sheer brutality of their crimes. According to prosecutors, Bualoy and Wichai swam ashore from their fishing boat after an evening of drinking and watching pornographic movies on January 1 with the intention of finding a woman to have sex with. They saw Horton walking down the beach alone at around 9 pm, talking to her mother in Britain on a cell phone. One of them knocked the woman down with the wooden pole of a beach parasol, then the two dragged her behind a pile of rocks about 40 metres away. After taking turns raping her, the pair bludgeoned her with the beach umbrella and dumped her body in the sea. They then returned to their boat to brag to fellow fishermen about what they had just done. "The court considers that the evidence proves without a doubt the two suspects committed the crimes of gang rape and murder," said Judge Jamnong Sudjaimai. He said the pair's confessions did not provide grounds for leniency, considering the enormity of their crimes. Horton's mother, Elizabeth, had earlier told British media that she was against the death penalty on principle and would prefer to see the killers of her daughter spend the rest of their lives in prison. After the verdict was read, Wichai said he accepted the court's ruling. "I am sorry. I would like to apologise to everyone for causing damage to the country," he said. Well-publicised news of the shocking murder case is seen as a blow to tourism on Samui Island. Bualoy said that were he able to turn back the clock, he would not have committed the crime. "I am very sorry," he said. Wichai's mother, Piyoh Uma, said she would appeal against the death penalty verdict. She said her son had told her that although he had beaten Horton, he had not raped her. "I can't accept that my son is going to be executed," she said. Under Thai law, murder is punishable by death. Surat Thani Provincial Court chief justice Pongsak Trakoolsilp said both Bualoy and Wichai could appeal the verdict. Asked about the appeal from Horton's mother against capital punishment, Pongsak said the court delivered its verdict based on the strength of evidence. "I understand her feeling, but her opinions cannot influence the trial," Pongsak said. Britain's Foreign Office reiterated yesterday that it opposed the death penalty in all circumstances, although it went on to thank Thai police for their hard work in solving Horton's murder. Southern Tourism Bureau Region 5 director Pramote Sapyen said he hoped the swift legal proceedings would improve the country's tarnished image abroad. About 150,000 British tourists visit Koh Samui each year. "The Horton case has drastically affected tourism," Pramote said. Ruangnam Jaikwang, chairman of the Surat Thani Tourism Association, said it would take some time before the island's image as an idyllic holiday destination fully recovered. He said tourism operators were working closely with Marine Police to regulate fishing trawlers and to ensure the safety of tourists. Marine Police commander Maj-General Suraphol Tuantong said he believed that a severe lack of education among fishermen was a major problem. "Sometimes they think nothing of doing things that appall other people," he said. Suraphol said his agency had regularly sent psychologists to educate the captains of fishing trawlers that spend long periods of time at sea. "The captains can help inculcate the right attitude in their young crews," Suraphol said. He added that fishing-trawler zoning would soon be implemented. by Suwannee Banthisak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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