Prosecutors won’t appeal construction tycoon Premchai’s sentence

[webfact]

Prosecutors won’t appeal construction tycoon Premchai’s sentence

 

 

The public prosecutors have agreed not to appeal the verdict of the Appeals Court against construction tycoon Premchai Karnasuta, in connection with the illegal hunting of a black leopard and other protected wildlife in Thung Yai Naresuan wildlife sanctuary in Thailand’s western province of Kanchanaburi in February 2018. The illegal hunting scandal sparked public uproar due to the accused’s high profile.  

 

The deadline for the prosecutors to appeal Appeals Court’s verdict expired today (Thursday), and the Region 7 Provincial Police Bureau supported the prosecutors’ decision to not appeal the sentence to the Supreme Court.

 

The Appeals Court sentenced Premchai, CEO of Italian-Thai Development Corp, to 3 years and 2 months in prison without suspension, instead of just 16 months as ruled by the Thong Phaphum provincial court.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/prosecutors-wont-appeal-construction-tycoon-premchais-sentence/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2020-03-13

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[Chazar]

so how  long has he been inside  now?

[Oxx]

19 minutes ago, Chazar said:

so how  long has he been inside  now?

The last I heard was that he was released on bail last year, so not inside.

[Curt1591]

Wai doesn't he just pass around a few wais and make a donation. Or, is that just for killing people?

[Chazar]

17 minutes ago, Oxx said:

The last I heard was that he was released on bail last year, so not inside.

exactly

[smedly]

1 hour ago, Chazar said:

so how  long has he been inside  now?

he built his own prison and will hand it over once he has completed his sentence - thereafter it will be called "something Hilton" lol

[jaiyen]

This is the Thai way for the rich. Sentence them to a prison term but never put them inside. Poor people go in straight away !

[Prairieboy]

Justice for the rich - commit your crime, pay your bail money and carry on!

[canopy]

What is sickening is no one cares at all about what happened to the others at the camp that night.  Nobody cares about the hunter hired to shoot it, the cook who butchered it, the people that ate it all sitting around the carcass having a grand old time after all committing a long list of crimes. Several that were there have had all charges dropped or given suspended sentences, how is that possible? This case just shows there are two standards of justice: stick it to the rich, let the poor off.

 

[madmitch]

I am no expert in worldwide legal systems but do many countries have the system whereby you can pay bail and be freed after a verdict is handed down? I believe in most places you're jailed as soon as the judge announces the sentence and if you appeal you do so from your cell. In Thailand the system appears to be one that keeps the rich and connected out of jail.

[Jimbo2014]

Im sure this will be more of an Epstein 2010 style prison sentence.  ????

[xtof2]

8 minutes ago, Prairieboy said:

Justice for the rich - commit your crime, pay your bail money and carry on!

Not sure he is carrying on.

First, it's a major loss of face and no one is looking at him the same way than before.

Then, if you look at the Company financial results, share went down from 4 bahts in January 2018 to less than 1 Baht today. Not sure his business partners look at him the same way too.

[Oxx]

25 minutes ago, canopy said:

What is sickening is no one cares at all about what happened to the others at the camp that night.  ... This case just shows there are two standards of justice: stick it to the rich, let the poor off.

 

I don't believe that to be true.

 

Yong Dodkruea was sentenced to 13 months in jail: three months for illegal firearm possession, six months for illegally carrying firearms, and four months for possessing the black leopard carcass.

 

Nathee Riamsaen was sentenced to four months in jail (suspended).

 

Thanee Thummat was sentenced to two years and 17 months in jail: three months for illegal firearm possession, four months for having the leopard carcass, six months for illegally carrying firearms, four months for attempted poaching, one year for poaching and one year for collecting forest products.

 

As for "let the poor off", remember the poor mushroom pickers sentenced to 15 years in jail?

[Misterwhisper]

So.... is he behind bars yet?

No?

Well, I didn't think so anyway.

[Grusa]

33 minutes ago, Misterwhisper said:

So.... is he behind bars yet?

No?

Well, I didn't think so anyway.

A Thai friend explained to me that he will never go to jail: "only his name will go". I never found out quite how that works, but seemingly it is common.

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, Chazar said:

so how  long has he been inside  now?

Not nearly long enough, I'm just waiting for the "let me out on health grounds" plea to start.

[smutcakes]

He is definitely not in jail, i saw him a few weeks ago in Ploenchit in his range rover with what looked like his son...

[xtof2]

12 minutes ago, smutcakes said:

He is definitely not in jail, i saw him a few weeks ago in Ploenchit in his range rover with what looked like his son...

And a black leopard in the trunk ?

[Stargeezr]

Well at least  this guy did not do a runner like the other rich family

members, or the Red Bull murderer.  Just saying..

Geezer

[canopy]

On 3/13/2020 at 8:18 AM, Oxx said:

As for "let the poor off", remember the poor mushroom pickers sentenced to 15 years in jail?

 

They were never accused, tried, or convicted of picking mushrooms. They were caught red handed illegally logging the national forest. The sympathy, support, and ridiculous headlines about mushrooms so people would not discuss the actual crime and ridicule them was sickening. The lesson of that case is don't try to go after the poor ever again. People simply do not want to believe the poor do wrong or have them prosecuted as they feel sorry for them. But if someone is rich then collect DNA evidence and excruciatingly exhaustive forensics to build a rock solid case, get a search warrant for their house, and dig up every possible charge and throw the book at them. Clearly two standards of justice here. I am personally glad they nailed Premchai to the wall. But I would like to see this same level of concern and justice applied to the arrogant poor who are the biggest problem when it comes to burning, hunting, encroaching, and decimating the precious remaining forests. Saying those poor people were picking mushrooms to sweep it under the rug is a complete double standard. If old premchai said he was out picking mushrooms you'd be laughing your asses off at him. People simply cannot see their bias.

 

[rosst]

Everybody on this site is aware of just how crooked the system is. 

Thailand, hang your head in shame. 

[Just Weird]

On 3/13/2020 at 6:26 AM, Chazar said:

so how  long has he been inside  now?

As he's currently appealing the sentence, how long do you think he's been inside when he has bail?

Edited March 14, 2020 by Just Weird

[Just Weird]

On 3/13/2020 at 7:43 AM, jaiyen said:

This is the Thai way for the rich. Sentence them to a prison term but never put them inside. Poor people go in straight away !

Not if they're on bail pending an appeal, they don't and bail isn't only for "the rich".

[Just Weird]

On 3/13/2020 at 7:45 AM, Prairieboy said:

Justice for the rich - commit your crime, pay your bail money and carry on!

Until your appeal is over and the sentence comes into effect.  And why not?

[Just Weird]

On 3/13/2020 at 7:49 AM, canopy said:

What is sickening is no one cares at all about what happened to the others at the camp that night.  Nobody cares about the hunter hired to shoot it, the cook who butchered it, the people that ate it all sitting around the carcass having a grand old time after all committing a long list of crimes. Several that were there have had all charges dropped or given suspended sentences, how is that possible? This case just shows there are two standards of justice: stick it to the rich, let the poor off.

 

That is total nonsense.  All those involved, with one exception who was on a minor charge, were found guilty and sentenced to prison and multi-million baht fines.

[Just Weird]

On 3/13/2020 at 8:00 AM, madmitch said:

I am no expert in worldwide legal systems but do many countries have the system whereby you can pay bail and be freed after a verdict is handed down?

Yes, it's a common practice worldwide if an appeal is pending.

[Just Weird]

On 3/13/2020 at 8:01 AM, Jimbo2014 said:

Im sure this will be more of an Epstein 2010 style prison sentence.  ????

Will be?  He's already been sentenced and it was nothing like Epstein's.

[Just Weird]

On 3/13/2020 at 9:23 AM, Misterwhisper said:

So.... is he behind bars yet?

No?

Well, I didn't think so anyway.

He's on bail, why should he be behind bars?

[Just Weird]

On 3/13/2020 at 10:00 AM, Grusa said:

A Thai friend explained to me that he will never go to jail: "only his name will go". I never found out quite how that works, but seemingly it is common.

Your friend was talking nonsense, there are quite a few 'influential' people inside. 

 

If that were the case why would he have not just got on with it instead of drawing so much attention to himself with appeals?

Edited March 14, 2020 by Just Weird

[Just Weird]

On 3/13/2020 at 10:11 AM, smutcakes said:

He is definitely not in jail, i saw him a few weeks ago in Ploenchit in his range rover with what looked like his son...

Why not, he's on bail, appealing!