April International - 30% Premium increase

[sriracha john]

Chuwit Kamolwisit with some of his employees

Chuwit cleared of sex service charges

The Court of Appeals acquitted massage parlour tycoon Chuwit Kamolwisit of procuring three underage girls to work as prostitutes in one of his establishments. The court upheld the verdict by the Criminal Court in 2004 which ruled that Mr Chuwit and his Therme Ltd partnership, operators of Honolulu Massage Parlour, could not be held responsible for the sex services provided by the three girls at the parlour.

Mr Chuwit was taken to court after the girls sought help from the foundation Pavena Hongsakul, saying they were forced by a man to provide sex services at the parlour. They claimed they had worked for seven months without payment because the man kept it for himself for making them fake identification cards. The court said the girls did not prove that Mr Chuwit and Therme were involved in making them the fake IDs.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=118190

[Begbie]

I'm off for a massage.

[Heng]

Woo hoo!

[Phil Conners]

Only in Thailand

[pampal]

Underage working girls in Thailand,

You don't say

[OlRedEyes]

Only in Thailand

Surreal.

[chanchao]

Happy Times

It's actually a news story about the Thai legal system more than anything else.

Still you gotta hand it to the guy who expertly he shafts Paveena in the last line. (Paveena is also a couple cherries short of a pie)

Edited April 19, 2007 by chanchao

[cclub75]

Beyond the story... there is a funny detail that highlights the famous thai logic, and its heavy use of sophism.

"The court said the girls did not prove that Mr Chuwit and Therme were involved in making them the fake IDs. The court also noted Honolulu prohibited its masseuses from having sex with customers, so it did not make sense for them to allege that Chuwit and Therme had forced them into prostitution."

[kmart]

Still you gotta hand it to the guy who expertly he shafts Paveena in the last line. (Paveena is also a couple cherries short of a pie)

Isn't "Paveena" the attention-seeking ex-beauty queen MP who "couldn't see any prostitutes" on some high-profile tour of Pattaya?

Wonder if they sat her on the beach and had her turn back the tide?

I love this place.

[chanchao]

Isn't "Paveena" the attention-seeking ex-beauty queen MP who "couldn't see any prostitutes" on some high-profile tour of Pattaya?

Yup. Though as that alleged quote was in a Thai newspaper (BKK Post I guess) it's equally likely she was just misquoted. Thai newspapers are all over the place on just about anything.

[TIPSYBOB]

'Unforgettable Thailand' is the new tourism slogan for 2007

The Thai tourism industry will have a new ad campaign tagline, 'Unforgettable Thailand', that will "focus on delivering an unforgettable experience to visitors," said TAT Governor Siriwan.

My I suggest TAT for their "Unfogettable Thailand 2007" they promote a day in a Thai court or a night at Honolulu Massage Parlour.

[Heng]

'Unforgettable Thailand' is the new tourism slogan for 2007

The Thai tourism industry will have a new ad campaign tagline, 'Unforgettable Thailand', that will "focus on delivering an unforgettable experience to visitors," said TAT Governor Siriwan.

My I suggest TAT for their "Unfogettable Thailand 2007" they promote a day in a Thai court or a night at Honolulu Massage Parlour.

It's called Long Beach now.

[LaoPo]

Chuwit Kamolwisit with some of his employees

Hmmmm...I'm not sure if I like this guy or not.....

He doesn't look like him but do I see a similarity with a chap from the US, called Hugh Hefner ?

I don't like both of them !

LaoPo

[highdiver]

Only in Thailand

no it not.... you seem to forget Clintons famous"i did not have sex with that woman"

[Phil Conners]

Clinton wasn't acquitted...

[chownah]

I like the guy....one of the PM's who was out to get him for some infraction or another (can't remember the exact circumstance) actually got thrown in jail and Chuwit showed up at the jail with bag full of food to give him to make sure that he had something good to eat!!! He's funny and seem pretty smart too.

[DirkGently]

In Thailand it seems that the buck stops nowhere.

I guess his his defence was "I'm rich! So how do you like that?"

I once heard said "in Thailand there are three things one can claim in court. Guilty. Not guilty. Rich (which equals not guilty)"

[LaoPo]

I like the guy....one of the PM's who was out to get him for some infraction or another (can't remember the exact circumstance) actually got thrown in jail and Chuwit showed up at the jail with bag full of food to give him to make sure that he had something good to eat!!! He's funny and seem pretty smart too.

Of course he's smart...very smart.
That he's cleared is so obvious. The guy knows too much...
These palaces are frequented by the 'rich and famous' Thai. I had the pleasure of visiting two of those palaces (don't worry, I was with my non-Thai wife) accompanied/showed to us by one of the mentioned rich and famous.

The expensive cars-with-waiting-drivers said enough. Security all over the area too.

I have to admit, quite pleasant and luxurious palaces for men in need and excellent food as well....

LaoPo

[meom]

Is Chuwit the same guy that has a park named after him on Suk, after clearing out the local vendors?

[TIPSYBOB]

Is Chuwit the same guy that has a park named after him on Suk, after clearing out the local vendors?

Right on.

[ThaiGoon]

Is Chuwit the same guy that has a park named after him on Suk, after clearing out the local vendors?

If I am not mistaken, he's donated the land that the park is currently on.

[A_Traveller]

Is Chuwit the same guy that has a park named after him on Suk, after clearing out the local vendors?

If I am not mistaken, he's donated the land that the park is currently on.

It's all a bit strange, the day after the event which Khun Chuwit was also finally found not guilty of instigating, Thaksin turned up saying how the clearance was unacceptable mafia style tactics. Eventually I think one or maybe two people were found guilty of minor infractions, and since 'it was dark' {@4 in the morning} no member of the 'demolition team' was identified. The land still belongs to Chuwit and whilst it is now a park, I don't believe {though I may be in error} that the land has been donated as a park in perpetuity to the BMA.

Regards

[sunshine13]

Yes, this is so much different then America where the rich go to jail

[LaoPo]

Yes, this is so much different then America where the rich go to jail

Some rich do go to jail....for a very long time.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=81124

LaoPo

[farang prince]

'Unforgettable Thailand' is the new tourism slogan for 2007

The Thai tourism industry will have a new ad campaign tagline, 'Unforgettable Thailand', that will "focus on delivering an unforgettable experience to visitors," said TAT Governor Siriwan.

My I suggest TAT for their "Unfogettable Thailand 2007" they promote a day in a Thai court or a night at Honolulu Massage Parlour.

My suggestion is that you just go to the massage parlours. You will meet plenty of justices there.

[sriracha john]

Still you gotta hand it to the guy who expertly he shafts Paveena in the last line. (Paveena is also a couple cherries short of a pie)

Isn't "Paveena" the attention-seeking ex-beauty queen MP who "couldn't see any prostitutes" on some high-profile tour of Pattaya?

Wonder if they sat her on the beach and had her turn back the tide?

I love this place.

Far be it for me to suggest revenge or an old grudge or just a personal dislike or dirty politics.... BUT

One of her Bangkok Governor campaign posters during her failed attempt.

(www.2Bangkok.com)

In a clear snub to the domination of national politics by Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party, voters elected the opposition Democrat candidate Apriak Kosayodhin as the new governor. He pulled in over 911,400 votes, way ahead of the 619,000 for Paveena Hongsakul, an independent candidate widely seen as wholly backed by the ruling TRT.

- InterPress Service News Agency

===============

Who else ran in that election???

The man she tried to get prosecuted in this thread....

Chuwit's campaign poster

(www.2Bangkok.com)

Edited April 20, 2007 by sriracha john

[chownah]

He's a high level criminal. No less, no more.

He is a member of the human race....he is a product of his environment and he has learned to function at a high level within that environment. He is much more than just a "high level criminal". Bribes to the police....of course!!!...this is standard operationg procedure here in Thailand. What I like about him is that he doesn't try to hide the bribery....when he was first charged with running an illegal business the first thing he did was to publicly say that there was something really wrong happening because he has always paid his monthly biribes to the police just like they wanted so where are they coming form charging him with stuff he has already bribed them for.......refreshing honesty and hilarious to boot!!!!!

Edited April 20, 2007 by chownah

[sriracha john]

I like the guy....one of the PM's who was out to get him for some infraction or another (can't remember the exact circumstance) actually got thrown in jail and Chuwit showed up at the jail with bag full of food to give him to make sure that he had something good to eat!!! He's funny and seem pretty smart too.

... it was the Election Commissioners that went to jail last July.... he's so thoughtful...

From the EC Guilty! thread:

Chart Thai Party deputy leader Chuwit Kamol visit brought fried rice and iced coffee to the three commissioners, who spent last night in jail after the Appeals Court refused them bail. What a great character he is. :D

Prison welcomes EC three

The Bangkok Special Prison yesterday dusted off its welcome mat for the three election commissioners convicted by the Criminal Court for malfeasance in the organising of re-elections on April 23. A prison official said Election Commission chairman Pol Gen Wasana Permlap, and the other two commissioners _ Prinya Nakchudtree and Veerachai Naewboonnien _ would be held in the 11th cell of the first zone.

The commissioners were sent to spend last night behind bars after the Appeals Court refused to grant them bail.

They had appealed to the Supreme Court for bail, and the court is expected to give its ruling today.

They were given clothing and other items for personal use, as well as copies of an inmate's handbook. They were not allowed to take in any other item supplied by their families except T-shirts and shorts.

The jail official said the trio must get up at 6am this morning to exercise and answer roll call just like all other inmates. Their families were allowed to bring them meals for their first breakfast in jail. To aid in helping them to get used to prison life quickly, their families brought them smelly fish-heads and 3 day-old rice for their breakfast. If they were not released on bail within seven days, the prison may consider sending them separately to different jail zones.

Corrections Department chief Natthee Chitsawang ordered a strict surveillance on all their visitors to guarantee safety for the trio.

A source said they were treated to dinner yesterday prepared by Chuan Chom, a restaurant run by the department.

Earlier, deputy Chart Thai party leader Chuwit Kamolvisit paid the trio a visit at the Criminal Court, bringing along fried rice and iced coffee for them.

Mr Chuwit, who was greeted with loud boos from the trio's sympathisers, said he wanted to give the trio his moral support although some of their supporters felt he came just to ''rub it in''.

- Bangkok Post

[sriracha john]

Chuwit after his court victory

Court confirms dropping of sex charge

The Appeals Court yesterday upheld a lower court's decision to drop sex-service charges against massage-parlour-tycoon-turned politician Chuwit Kamolvisit. Public prosecutors took legal action against Chuwit and his massage business over charges that he procured girls under 18 years of age for commercial sex services.

The prosecution was based on a complaint filed by three girls in December 2002. They were older than 15 years old, but less than 18. The complaint was directed at another man whom the girls said provided them with false identification cards so that they could work in massage parlours.

On his instruction, the girls worked for the Juliana massage parlour for six or seven months, before they moved to work for the Chuwit-owned Honolulu massage parlour. After working at the Honolulu for a few weeks, the girls fled and later complained that the man forced them to work - even when they had their periods.

The man sent his henchmen after the girls, who then sought help from the Pavena Hongsakul Foundation for Children and Women. According to the girls, they never received money directly from the massage parlours, which usually offered to pay them Bt1,000 per two hours of service, because the middle man called Somchai would get the money. He claimed the girls owed him money for the fake ID cards he provided them.

The Appeals Court agreed with the lower court's decision to drop charges against Chuwit and his massage parlour.

According to the court, there was no evidence to prove that the defendants knew the girls were carrying false ID cards, which "made them old enough" for such work.

Also, there was no evidence the defendants were involved in sex work, because the girls unanimously said the Honolulu parlour had imposed a ban on sex services.

The court also doubted why the girls had not lodged a complaint against the Juliana, but only brought charges against the Honolulu massage parlour.

Chuwit was elected as an MP in February 2005, but later disqualified on technical grounds. A top court ruled in January last year that he was not a member of the Chat Thai Party for 90 days prior to running in the 2005 general election.

- The Nation