Verdict in Premchai alleged poaching case set for March 19

By The Nation

 

Premchai Karnasuta

 

The verdict in the “black leopard” alleged poaching case against construction tycoon Premchai Karnasuta and three associates is set to be given March 19, after final arguments were heard on Friday. 

 

Thong Pha Phum prosecutor Panomrit Homerangsakul assigned his deputy Krissada Chuto to submit closing arguments to the court at 9.20am on Friday followed by defence lawyer Wipach Ampornklinkaew's closing arguments on behalf of all four defendants.

 

Premchai, president of listed construction giant Italian-Thai Development, was arrested and charged with poaching in Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary last February, along with three associates – Yong Dodkrua, Thanee Thummat and Nathee Riamsaen. 

 

Six allegations, including illegally carrying firearms in public, hunting protected wildlife, and poaching inside the wildlife reserve, have been laid against Premchai, while Thanee, Yong and Nathee are facing eight, seven and five allegations, respectively. 

 

Thong Pha Phum Provincial Court had set aside 10 sessions for the prosecution witnesses to take the stand, and six sessions for defence witnesses. 

 

However, the defence witness session ended a day early, on December 26, because the final witness, Thanee Thummat, suffered from high blood pressure and unable to testify.

 

The court told both sides to provide closing arguments on Friday so the verdict can be reached by March 19.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30362935

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-01-25

20 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Thong Pha Phum Provincial Court had set aside 10 sessions for the prosecution

sounds like a general description of the thai judicial part of the legal process; "set aside'

I wonder how many cake boxes have made their way to the court house?

Deliberately placed just a handful of days before everyone's attention is directed towards, and preoccupied with, the 'election' - so that people's outrage at the 'not guilty' verdict (or very lenient sentence, at worst) is stifled by other more urgent concerns.

Deliberately placed just a handful of days before everyone's attention is directed towards, and preoccupied with, the 'election' - so that people's outrage at the 'not guilty' verdict (or very lenient sentence, at worst) is stifled by other more urgent concerns.

And everybody here thinks the natives are stupid....

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13 hours ago, Eligius said:

Deliberately placed just a handful of days before everyone's attention is directed towards, and preoccupied with, the 'election' - so that people's outrage at the 'not guilty' verdict (or very lenient sentence, at worst) is stifled by other more urgent concerns.

Agreed. It is so transparent as to be bordering on insult. I have an idea..........let them postpone the election until after the not guilty verdict has been read.............

13 hours ago, Eligius said:

Deliberately placed just a handful of days before everyone's attention is directed towards, and preoccupied with, the 'election' - so that people's outrage at the 'not guilty' verdict (or very lenient sentence, at worst) is stifled by other more urgent concerns.

let just wait and see, the guy seems to have pissed off some people more important than him. Otherwise it would never have come to a trial. We will see i keep good hope that something happens. Though id like to know what kind of sentence other poachers get to get an idea of what is fair in Thailand. Because we can moan all we like but if it is in line with other poachers its fair.

 

Just like in an other topic where people moaned about the mc who drove on the footpath and got a month home detention. Finding it too light while in reality people who cause accidents almost never do time like that. So it was in line with Thai law. 

 

Just curious here I want this guy to be punished but I am not going to comment on something that has not passed yet. 

It will be very interesting to see if the rather fat brown envelopes actually work in this case. The fat slug needs jail time, but with his money I sadly doubt it! :(

NOT GUILTY. Once you take into account hi$ personal portfolio. 

Gives him time to move his assets and book a flight to Bahrain.

 

The judicial system here is so caring!

14 hours ago, Eligius said:

Deliberately placed just a handful of days before everyone's attention is directed towards, and preoccupied with, the 'election' - so that people's outrage at the 'not guilty' verdict (or very lenient sentence, at worst) is stifled by other more urgent concerns.

He will be found guilty.  I mean he does not wear ultra expensive watches, but his alleged crime is  a crime.  He will get more like 30 days in jail and a few million Baht fine.  His first offense, a pillar of Thai society, ultra rich elitist........ A lovely human being who just made a horrible mistake.  Some starving farmer would get 15 years, but that is besides the point.

That guy in the picture looks like he isn't worried in the slightest. Just another day in the jungle.

 

My wife and I were driving along in Thailand quite some time ago and we stopped at a rural roadside market. No one paid much attention to our Piccanto until they saw a falang get out. Then the scrambling was incredible as Thais all around grabbed "things" and hid them away. I took out my camera and the cacophony of "No photo!" followed by waving arms and busier hiding actions was hilarious. I got glimpses of creatures I'd never seen before.

Forever appeals and no jail time

Let's hope it doesn't collide with elections or coronations.

March 19th. Which year are they talking about?

If this was average Somchai and his average friends, how long would the deliberation process take after final arguments?  That's rhetorical.  Read similar cases involving average Somchai and friends and the answer is obvious.

4 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

Some kyte on the gadgie though

'Eh?  Can ya translate that for a poor Yank there Father?

One witness not able to attend sounds like maybe grounds for appeal ...not a fair trial ... now wasn't that handy..

The Real Big Money in Thailand is never convicted.

Verdict? HE is imprisoned for 10 years for killing endangered wildlife but suspended!!! 

9 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

500thb. No wai necessary as he's a Phuyai.

 

The face loss in this one was punishment enough. 

Just how much face do you think he's lost? Two months in the slammer on fish head soup and rice and maybe a bit of panther penis, he'd come out looking like a soap opera star.

Unlike those that have the ability to see into the future, it remains to be seen what form ustice will play out in this land.

15 hours ago, connda said:

If this was average Somchai and his average friends, how long would the deliberation process take after final arguments?

 

Of course this case takes longer, there are 7 people on trial, a huge number of charges on each one of them, and the prosecution painstakingly amassed a tremendous amount of great evidence. They would never go to these lengths if it were a poor average person. Premchai has been unable to bribe or delay his way out which has proven a lot of people wrong already. The verdict (GUILTY) and sentence (HARSH) ought to prove a lot of people here wrong yet again.

 

For comparison, let's consider those "mushroom pickers" we all love so much. You know those poor old folks who got busted and prosecuted for illegal logging and made up a story they were just picking mushrooms. They dragged their case through the courts for years all the way to the supreme court. The evidence was too solid and so the mushroom story never worked and they were found guilty every step of the way. I expect the same here.

 

This will likely go the same way as the Toad's watches. The case is dragged out over a long period of time in hopes that the public will just forget, or lose interest, in the case. Then, like magic, they determine that there have been enough envelopes, that are so thick they are ready to explode, and the whole thing just goes away. Then...yum, leopard soup for lunch!