Former Senator Sentenced To 36 Years For Statutory Rape

[sriracha john]

Former 1st Vice President of the Senate, former Deputy Permanent Secretary for Interior, former Secretary-General of the Accelerated Rural Development Office, former Chairman of the Board of the Provincial Electricity Authority, former Chairman of the Board of Rajabhat Institute Surat Thani, and now thrice convicted statutory rapist Chalerm Phromlert

Ex-senator gets 36 years for child sex charges

Former senator Chalerm Phromlert was taken to Pathum Thani Prison after the Supreme Court yesterday upheld his 36-year jail term for statutory rape.

At Thanyaburi Provincial Court, Judge Samart Ardnarong presided over the verdict in a case filed against Chalerm by five girls - three under 15 and two over 15.

The court said Chalerm was clearly guilty. He was a well-known person who knew his actions were illegal and his appeal did not carry sufficient weight to clear him.

In 2002 the Criminal Court found Chalerm guilty of four counts of statutory rape from November 2000 to January 2001 and sentenced him to four years in prison on each count. Chalerm posted Bt1 million in assets as bail.

The Appeals Court in 2005 added 20 years - five for each of four counts of molestation that the lower court had not factored into its punishment - to Chalerm's 16-year sentence.

He had been freed on Bt2.5 million bail pending his final appeal to the Supreme Court.

- The Nation

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

Previous article on the case: The Nation / January 20, 2005

Appeal yields 20 more years

Former senator Chalerm Phromlert got more than he bargained for when the Appeals Court yesterday not only upheld his statutory rape conviction, but also added 20 years to his 16-year sentence.

After hearing the verdict at Thanyaburi Provincial Court, Chalerm, 68, appeared calm and vowed to press his legal battle to the full extent of the judicial process.

Chalerm has yet to serve a day in jail. The court released him on Bt2.5 million bail pending his final appeal to the Supreme Court.

The parents of four underaged girls filed a series of police complaints against the senator in 2001.

The following year, the Criminal Court found him guilty of statutory rape in separate incidents from 2000 to 2001 and sentenced him to four years in prison for each of four counts.

The Appeals Court added on five years for each of four counts for molestation charges that the lower court had not factored into its punishment.

-----------------------------

*edit* Time for Chalerm has run out; after 6 years of freedom while he appealed his case, he was taken to prison yesterday and as he is 71 years old now, he'll be 107 when he sees freedom again.... if he serves his full sentence.

Edited November 13, 2007 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

Former Deputy Speaker of the Senate being led off to prison.

Thai Rath newspaper

Article (in Thai):

http://www.thairath.co.th/online.php?secti...p;content=68050

[kat]

*edit* Time for Chalerm has run out; after 6 years of freedom while he appealed his case, he was taken to prison yesterday and as he is 71 years old now, he'll be 107 when he sees freedom again.... if he serves his full sentence.

Doubt very seriously that he will.

[sriracha john]

Yes, you're probably right, but I think it's a step in the right direction... and at least his freedom has stopped for now...

btw, do you remember your post on him 2 years ago, kat?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...st&p=459189

[kat]

Yes, it is a step in the right direction, and it's good to let it play out.

Thanks for the memory lane, SJ.

*Actually on closer inspection, the guy in the old article was Charlong Konsue, an Abbot. I thought Charlerm above was a different matter.

Edited November 13, 2007 by kat

[TheDon]

36 years?

you would get 5 years for that in Australia, maybe 8 if you killed them too

[sriracha john]

Yes, it is a step in the right direction, and it's good to let it play out.

Thanks for the memory lane, SJ.

*Actually on closer inspection, the guy in the old article was Charlong Konsue, an Abbot. I thought Charlerm above was a different matter.

In this method of using the search engine, the senator's name in your post is highlighted for easier finding. It's down in the post a bit:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?ac...ite=%2Bpromlert

[sriracha john]

Chalerm's jail term upheld for sex with underage girls

The Supreme Court yesterday upheld a 36-year jail term given to former Deputy Senate Speaker Chalerm Promlert, five years after he was accused of having sex with underage girls. The court found Chalerm, 71, guilty of sexually abusing four girls under the age of 15 between Nov 23, 2000 and Jan 3, 2001. It upheld the Appeal Court's decision in January 2005, which added 20 years to the 16-year sentence the lower court gave Chalerm. The court said he should be punished more severely because he broke the law while he was a senator. ''The defendant was well aware that what he did was a serious crime,'' the court said. The former Deputy Governor of Surat Thani, who had been free on bail of 2.5 million baht pending his final appeal to the Supreme Court, acknowledged the verdict with a pale face. Police then escorted him to Pathum Thani jail. Many of Chalerm's relatives, but not his wife, showed up to hear the verdict at the Thanyaburi provincial court. The mother of one of the victims, whose names were withheld, said she was glad Chalerm did not walk free and thanked all the parties for their support.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/14Nov2007_news03.php

[PadThaiGuy]

It took 6 years but good to hear they finally put him away.

Will he be cutting a deal with the Warden I wonder?

[Scott]

It's good to hear that the courts are taking this seriously--this may shake up a few 'untouchable' folks a little. I am curious as to why they don't use the word pedophile when it comes to people like him. Sex with an underage girl, sounds quite sanitary in comparison to the 'p' word.

[Ski_Goong]

It's good to hear that the courts are taking this seriously--this may shake up a few 'untouchable' folks a little. I am curious as to why they don't use the word pedophile when it comes to people like him. Sex with an underage girl, sounds quite sanitary in comparison to the 'p' word.

Because he is one of the "Elites". The "P" word is reserved for "Lo-So's" and foreigner. Do you think that the common man would be "free" for 6 years pending the verdict?

Ski.....

[kat]

It could be because of the age of the girls. They are underage but not prepubescent.

[tgeezer]

It's good to hear that the courts are taking this seriously--this may shake up a few 'untouchable' folks a little. I am curious as to why they don't use the word pedophile when it comes to people like him. Sex with an underage girl, sounds quite sanitary in comparison to the 'p' word.

Because he is one of the "Elites". The "P" word is reserved for "Lo-So's" and foreigner. Do you think that the common man would be "free" for 6 years pending the verdict?

Ski.....

They didn't use the 'p' word because he is not one, this was 'statuatory rape' not 'rape' they were old enough to bleed, and they presumably consented and were probably given gifts, not enough perhaps. He was a little too high but obviously fallen from political grace or he would not find himself in this awful predicament. I feel sorry for the man, the goal posts definaltely moved for him.

[kat]

My point is that since the term is used in an extremely derogatory and perjerative manner, I find it interesting when and to whom the press decide to apply it.

Yes, agree.

It's good to hear that the courts are taking this seriously--this may shake up a few 'untouchable' folks a little. I am curious as to why they don't use the word pedophile when it comes to people like him. Sex with an underage girl, sounds quite sanitary in comparison to the 'p' word.

Because he is one of the "Elites". The "P" word is reserved for "Lo-So's" and foreigner. Do you think that the common man would be "free" for 6 years pending the verdict?

Ski.....

They didn't use the 'p' word because he is not one, this was 'statuatory rape' not 'rape' they were old enough to bleed, and they presumably consented and were probably given gifts, not enough perhaps. He was a little too high but obviously fallen from political grace or he would not find himself in this awful predicament. I feel sorry for the man, the goal posts definaltely moved for him.

I definitely agree that he probably fell from grace, but just because females bleed does not make it acceptable. Some girls are bleeding as young as 9. I don't feel sorry for him, but I feel sorry for this society that it is not viewed as a crime except as a bargaining chip.

[LaoPo]

Yes, you're probably right, but I think it's a step in the right direction... and at least his freedom has stopped for now...

I agree it's a step in the right direction and I wonder if the 'Legal System' in Thailand, even if the Supreme Court has spoken, is able to neglect the Supreme Court...?

LaoPo

[lazeeboy]

who said only the poor go to jail ,may make other big wigs sit up and realise they arn't above the law ........

[cm-happy]

Wonder what country he will flee to

[sriracha john]

Wonder what country he will flee to

Not sure, but I'd be willing to help him get back to Surat Thani when he gets out in 2043. He'll probably be in need of some physical assistance by that age.

[sbk]

This is not going to be a discussion about whether or not sex with an underage girl is acceptable. Posts have been deleted and further such posts will also be deleted and the poster warned.

This is an extremely important story and front page news in every Thai paper. That someone with his status has been made to pay - and now had his sentence increased rather than suspended is a major blow to those using their positions for personal reasons of all kinds.

///MOVED/// to News Clippings

[John K]

Perhaps this will make other politicians think again about being untouchable. I can’t help but wonder if this would have happened if Thaksin was still in office.

[younghusband]

Perhaps this will make other politicians think again about being untouchable. I can’t help but wonder if this would have happened if Thaksin was still in office.

<removal of personal remark> it's probably worth pointing out that well before Thaksin's ouster Chalerm was convicted and sentenced by the criminal court and subsequently the appeals court.This latest judgement represented the Supreme Court's endorsement of earlier verdicts, and reflects well on the Thai legal system.It has nothing to do with Thaksin or the current government.

<second edit to remove remark about another poster>

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

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regards

Crow Boy

Moderating Team

Thai Visa

Edited November 14, 2007 by Crow Boy

[seri thai]

who said only the poor go to jail ,may make other big wigs sit up and realise they arn't above the law ........

..and this from the BKK Post:

"The Senate voted 87 to 54 to grant him immunity, splitting it into two camps and upsetting civic groups."

Can we have the 87 names? I wonder what they have to hide? Self-serving, the same the world over, I'm afraid, Why do we buy into this democracy thing? The corrupt took it over 3000 years ago!

Still 54 good men and true is reassuring. Stand up and take a bow ladies and gentlemen!

[seri thai]

who said only the poor go to jail ,may make other big wigs sit up and realise they arn't above the law ........

Or did he just upset someone closer to the food trough?

[Shah Jahan]

Living in the north and with many hill tribe and burmese people, I see the end results of child sex quite often. usually it is a 15 year old girl that gets taken to Bangkok or Chonburi by an older sister or auntie that already works in the Ratchada massage parlours and gets paid the standard rate of 30,000 baht to have her 'innocence opened'

from my reports, the customer is almost always an older well to do thai man, sometimes in uniform. it seems like this sort of thing is more or less acceptable in thai society and this guy that got arrested either took it too far or perhaps made some other political mistakes.

incidentally, after they are 'opened' most of these 15 year old girls goto work in massage parlours in the Chonburi area where it seems to be ok that 15 year old girls are put alone in rooms with older men. later when they are 18, they are allowed to move to the Ratchada sex parlours because there, the ID law is somewhat enforced.

I asked a well to do thai business acquittance about this once and he said that it is quite normal and that these are poor girls from the north and the only way they have to help their families. Unfortunately, most of the money never filters down to the family and rather gets spent on cell phones, makeup, clothes etc......

[John K]

who said only the poor go to jail ,may make other big wigs sit up and realise they arn't above the law ........

Or did he just upset someone closer to the food trough?

Like I said in post #20 I wonder if this would have happened if Thaksin was still in office. Perhaps the is the start of a fundamental change in Thailand because of accumulated bad press that translates into loss of face for Thailand.

[sriracha john]

Thank you to the mods who have moved this topic and deleted and/or modified inappropriate/inflammatory posts. Much appreciative of your mopping up operations.

Chalerm Phromlert (right), who was Phuket Governor from 1987 to 1991, is escorted from the court after losing his appeal against a 36-year jail term.

Former Phuket Governor jailed for 36 years on child-sex charges

BANGKOK: Chalerm Phromlert, who was Phuket Governor from 1987 to 1991, was sent to Pathum Thani Prison yesterday after the Supreme Court upheld his 36-year jail sentence for multiple counts of statutory rape.

Judge Samart Ardnarong handed down the verdict against Chalerm, who was accused of having sex with four schoolgirls aged between 13 and 16 at a motel in a Bangkok suburb from November 2000 to January 2001.

One of the girls testified that she and the other girls willingly engaged in sex with “Pa Chalerm” for 5,000 baht each.

The girls went to him in succession, each spending two or three minutes with him, the court heard.

Chalerm’s case came to light after one of the girls, aged 14, failed to return home for two days because she was afraid of what her parents’ reaction would be if they learned she had turned to prostitution.

Chalerm’s arrest came while he was serving as Deputy Speaker of the Senate, representing Surat Thani province.

In handing down its ruling, the court said Chalerm was clearly guilty; as a prominent person who knew his actions were illegal, his appeal did not carry sufficient weight to clear him.

In 2001, the Criminal Court found Chalerm guilty of four counts of statutory rape.

After being sentenced to four years in prison for each count, Chalerm posted 1 million baht in assets as bail.

Rather than overturn the decision or reduce the sentence, the Appeals Court in 2005 added 20 years to Chalerm’s 16-year sentence – an extra five years for each of the four counts of molestation that the Criminal Court had not factored into its punishment.

Chalerm entered the court yesterday a free man, having been released on 2.5-million-baht bail pending his appeal to the Supreme Court.

Already in his early 70s, Chalerm now faces spending the rest of his life behind bars.

- Phuket Gazette

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

Whether the girls were willing or not, whether for money or not, Chalerm was guilty of statutory rape.

[sbk]

My husband recalls a story about the head of the traffic division being arrested for assault and rape on underage girls many years ago. The sex was not consensual as he used his position to force them to have sex. He and another policeman were both involved. He was the highest ranking one involved however.

My husband recalls he received a life sentence.

[LaoPo]

Thank you to the mods who have moved this topic and deleted and/or modified inappropriate/inflammatory posts. Much appreciative of your mopping up operations.

Chalerm Phromlert (right), who was Phuket Governor from 1987 to 1991, is escorted from the court after losing his appeal against a 36-year jail term.

Former Phuket Governor jailed for 36 years on child-sex charges

BANGKOK: Chalerm Phromlert, who was Phuket Governor from 1987 to 1991, was sent to Pathum Thani Prison yesterday after the Supreme Court upheld his 36-year jail sentence for multiple counts of statutory rape.

Judge Samart Ardnarong handed down the verdict against Chalerm, who was accused of having sex with four schoolgirls aged between 13 and 16 at a motel in a Bangkok suburb from November 2000 to January 2001.

One of the girls testified that she and the other girls willingly engaged in sex with “Pa Chalerm” for 5,000 baht each.

The girls went to him in succession, each spending two or three minutes with him, the court heard.

Chalerm’s case came to light after one of the girls, aged 14, failed to return home for two days because she was afraid of what her parents’ reaction would be if they learned she had turned to prostitution.

Chalerm’s arrest came while he was serving as Deputy Speaker of the Senate, representing Surat Thani province.

In handing down its ruling, the court said Chalerm was clearly guilty; as a prominent person who knew his actions were illegal, his appeal did not carry sufficient weight to clear him.

In 2001, the Criminal Court found Chalerm guilty of four counts of statutory rape.

After being sentenced to four years in prison for each count, Chalerm posted 1 million baht in assets as bail.

Rather than overturn the decision or reduce the sentence, the Appeals Court in 2005 added 20 years to Chalerm’s 16-year sentence – an extra five years for each of the four counts of molestation that the Criminal Court had not factored into its punishment.

Chalerm entered the court yesterday a free man, having been released on 2.5-million-baht bail pending his appeal to the Supreme Court.

Already in his early 70s, Chalerm now faces spending the rest of his life behind bars.

- Phuket Gazette

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

Whether the girls were willing or not, whether for money or not, Chalerm was guilty of statutory rape.

I suppose the article above is old news since the Supreme Court has actually 'spoken' now and sentenced him ? Or is he free on Bail again ?

LaoPo

[sriracha john]

Thank you to the mods who have moved this topic and deleted and/or modified inappropriate/inflammatory posts. Much appreciative of your mopping up operations.

Chalerm entered the court yesterday a free man, having been released on 2.5-million-baht bail pending his appeal to the Supreme Court.

Already in his early 70s, Chalerm now faces spending the rest of his life behind bars.

- Phuket Gazette

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

Whether the girls were willing or not, whether for money or not, Chalerm was guilty of statutory rape.

I suppose the article above is old news since the Supreme Court has actually 'spoken' now and sentenced him ? Or is he free on Bail again ?

LaoPo

No, not old news... just worded a bit different. They were saying he entered the courtroom a free man.... (as he had previously been out on bail for six years), but that when he left the courtroom, he left to go straight to prison.

Sometimes, people writing English like to word things strangely or unusually.

[TonyLeung]

this guy must have pissed off some other powerful people to have seen a day in court.