Sam Van Treek Accused Of Murder In Thailand

[Darknight]

News update:

regarding this thread: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...12402&st=45&hl=

Diving instructor found murdered in pattaya

Sam von treeck has jumped bail and has fled to belgium after his wife and baby were flown over Last week.

He has put himself to the Belgian courts on arrival. He made a radio interview today on belgian Radio and Television.

Please find more facts here:

VTM (flemish television)

broadband http://www.vtm.be/asx/vtmnieuws/vtmnieuws19uur_Za.asx

modem http://www.vtm.be/asx/vtmnieuws/vtmnieuws1..._Za_pc_smal.asx

Het belang van limburg (belgian newspaper)(dutch only)

Sam Van Treeck gevlucht naar België

Onze landgenoot Sam Van Treeck, die in Thailand wordt beschuldigd van moord op de Thaise Chompoonut Koyram, is naar België gevlucht. Hij vermoedt dat er corruptie in het spel was bij het onderzoek naar de feiten.

De Belgische reisleider wordt ervan verdacht zijn vroegere 23-jarige vriendin te hebben gedood. De feiten vonden plaats in zijn appartement, waar zij logeerde. De 24-jarige Belg ontkent. Hij was naar eigen zeggen gaan werken toen zij met verschillende messteken om het leven werd gebracht.

Van Treeck was tot aan zijn proces op borg vrij, maar mocht Thailand niet verlaten in afwachting van zijn proces. Hoe hij in België raakte, wilde hij niet kwijt.

Hij vermoedde dat er corruptie in het spel was. "We hebben gezien dat het politieonderzoek en het gerechtelijk onderzoek ginder in Thailand volledig fout liepen en volledig corrupt verlopen zijn", luidde het.

Van Treeck zei ook te hebben bekeken dat Thailand en België geen uitleveringsverdrag hebben. "Ik stel me wel ter beschikking van het Belgisch gerecht".

More updates later..

[Darknight]

update for dutch speakers:

Sam's story now unfiltered by thai police censorship.

Belg Sam van Treeck ontsnapt uit Thailand

Door: Sam van Treeck

9 Oktober 2004, 11:18

Reisleider Sam Van Treeck gevlucht naar België (9/10)

Reisleider Sam Van Treeck is uit Thailand gevlucht en vrijdag 8 oktober teruggekeerd in Belgie. Hij heeft zich aldaar gemeld bij de Belgische politie.

Van Treeck heeft aan Harmattan laten weten dat hij niet gelooft in een eerlijk proces en het niet eens is met de Thaise wetgeving. De 24-jarige Belg en zijn familie geven heden 9 oktober een persconferentie.

Van Treeck wordt verdacht van de moord op een 23-jarige Thaise vriendin. Zij werd eind juni met tientallen messteken en een doorgesneden keel levenloos aangetroffen in het appartement van de reisleider in Pattaya.

Zijn familie liet onlangs nog weten dat de datum voor de rechtszaak deze maand bekendgemaakt zou worden. De Belg zou in ieder geval tot het begin van het proces op vrije voeten blijven. De familie had een borgsom betaald. Van Treeck begeleidt reizen voor de Nederlandse reisorganisatie Fox Reizen. Hij had een reisgroep op de dag van de moord.

Van Treeck heeft een brief geschreven aan Harmattan en de Belgische pers die hieronder in zijn geheel wordt afgedrukt.

'Ik ben blij dat ik het eindelijk aan de wereld kan vertellen. Tot nu toe is alles wat in de pers door ons verteld werd, gefilterd. Er mocht geen kritiek komen op Thailand of hun manier van werken. Het zou enkel maar in mijn nadeel werken.

De werkelijkheid is helemaal anders, en dat is ook de reden dat ik nu hier ben, en niet kan geloven een eerlijk proces te krijgen in Thailand.

Ik ben onschuldig aan de moord op Jeab. Ze was een goede vriendin van me. Ik heb haar dood gevonden in mijn appartement en deed wat ik moest doen: de politie verwittigen. Dat bleek nadien de grootste fout van mijn leven te zijn.

Ik ga wat voorbeelden geven waarom ik niet geloof in een eerlijk onderzoek en proces.

Bij de vaststelling door de politie werd tegelijk de Thaise pers massaal uitgenodigd in het appartement, zodat al het bewijsmateriaal gecontamineerd werd of verdween.

Het vermoedelijke moordwapen lag toen nog op de grond. De politie had er ondanks mijn aandringen geen interesse in. De pintjes in mijn koelkast: dat was wat ze wilden.

Veel hoop was gesteld op het DNA-onderzoek. Er waren immers sporen van een gevecht tussen Jeab en de dader, waardoor er plukken haar in de handen van het slachtoffer zaten. Die waren niet de mijne.

Het DNA-resultaat liet lang op zich wachten en uiteindelijk moesten we van de ambassade vernemen dat het onderzoek mislukt was (en dus onbruikbaar als bewijs). Toen wist ik het zeker: dit gaat fout !

De crime-scene werd niet verzegeld. Iedereen kon naar binnen en koos uit wat hij of zij kon gebruiken.

In de gevangenis betrapte ik zelfs een agent met mijn zilveren pen! Het appartement werd leeggeroofd.

In de Nong Palai gevangenis werd ik op secreet geplaatst, een isoleercel. De officiele versie aan mij verstrekt door de ambassade luidt: om mijn veiligheid te garanderen. In werkelijkheid kreeg ik een rode band om mijn arm, wat betekent: moordenaar, zodat iedereen goed kon zien waarom ik hier was. Twee volle dagen is er op me ingepraat om me duidelijk te maken wie er smeergeld moest krijgen om me hieruit te krijgen. Hier werd ik ook met de dood bedreigd! Kort daarna in deze gevangenis heb ik iemand voor mijn ogen zien neersteken. Ik werd bang, heel bang.

Enkele weken geleden werd het autopsierapport bekendgemaakt. Ook hiervan had ik veel verwacht.

Aan de hand van dit verslag kunnen experts een vrij gedetailleerd profiel opstellen van de moordenaar. De hoek van de messteken bepalen bijvoorbeeld de grootte van de agressor. De diepte van de wonden bepalen de kracht waarmee gestoken is. Een vrouw steekt anders dan een man. Zijn deze testen gebeurd? Ik betwijfel het!

Ook het uur van het overlijden zou me kunnen helpen. Ik heb de politie perfect verteld waar en wanneer ik was, en dit was controleerbaar. De klanten van de touroperator waarmee ik praatte tijdens mijn werk, werden niet gehoord. Ik betwijfel of de politie weet of de airco in mijn appartement al dan niet aanstond; een gegeven dat voor het bepalen van het tijdstip van overlijden toch wel cruciaal is !

En hoe zit het met de videobeelden? Bestaan ze nog? Welke kledij droeg ik? Welke personen staan er nog op?

De conclusie die de politie uit het autopsierapport trok, is dat het een erg gewelddadige moord geweest was (dat wisten we de eerste dag ook al!). Het gevolg hiervan was echter dat de aanklacht tegen mij op 21 september verhoogd werd van moord naar moord met extreem geweld.

Hierdoor ging dan ook de eventuele strafmaat omhoog. De minimumstraf werd : DE DOODSTRAF !

In Thailand kan je bij een proces kiezen of je schuldig of onschuldig pleit. Indien je onschuldig pleit (en dat zou ik natuurlijk doen !) en je wordt nadien schuldig bevonden, is er geen strafvermindering meer mogelijk. Wat een dilemma!

Dit ging me te ver. Ik wil best me verdedigen en aantonen dat ik onschuldig ben, maar dan op een eerlijke manier. Daarom meld ik me nu bij de Belgische politie. Dit niet om me te onttrekken aan het onderzoek, maar wel om kans te hebben op een eerlijk een objectief onderzoek.

Ik kijk de wereld recht in de ogen: ik heb deze moord niet gepleegd! Ik wens nu mijn naam te zuiveren, want de manier waarop de Thaise pers over me schreef is hallucinant. Ik heb nu niets meer: geen werk, geen bezittingen, geen inkomen en geen papieren. Enkel mijn gezin, en daarvoor gaan we terug aan de slag.

Ik leef enorm mee met de familie van het slachtoffer Jeab, en steun Noah Meyer (haar vriend) in zijn zoektocht naar gerechtigheid. Geef niet op, want er loopt daar nog steeds een moordenaar rond!

Ik geef iedereen de raad als je naar Thailand op vakantie gaat: wees voorzichtig!

Ik mag zeker niet vergeten iedereen te bedanken die me in deze zeer moeilijke periode geholpen heeft en meegeleefd heeft.

In de eerste plaats familie en vrienden, zowel hier in Europa als in Azië, maar ook de diensten van Buitenlandse Zaken en ambassade in Bangkok. Verder de advocaten, de juristen, de Expats Helpline, de sponsors, bedrijven, de spaggetti-eters, muzikanten, kaarsjesbranders en zeker ook iedereen die me in de hel van Pattaya steunberichtjes gezonden heeft via de website.

Zonder jullie hulp was het niet gelukt!

Allemaal bedankt!'

[Darknight]

Translation into english by babelfish:

The bulletin mentioned below is originating from Sam van Treeck themselves, in which he are personal tale does.

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

9 October 2004 - Belgium | I am glad that I can tell it at last to the world. So far is everything what in the press by us told it was filtered. There no criticism could come on thailand or their manner of work. It would work only but in my disadvantage.

Reality is entirely differently, and that is also the reason that I am now here, and cannot believe a honest process get in thailand.

I are innocent to the assassination on Jeab, them a good girlfriend of me was, I have found them in my apartment and killed what I had do: The police force to inform. That afterwards the largest error of my life proved be.

I go what examples for which I do not believe a honest research and process:, give

At the observation by the police force, the Thai press was at the same time invited massively in the apartment so that all proof material gecontamineerd became, or disappeared. The suspected assassination weapon then still lay on the ground. The police force there no interest had in in spite of my insists. The pintjes in my frigidaire, which was what they wanted.

Much hope had been put on the DNA research. There were tracks of a fighting between Jeab and the dader as a result of which plukken her sat there in the hands of the victim. That was not mijne. THE DNA to result let wait long in itself, and eventually had we of the embassy learn that research had failed! (and therefore unusable as proof) then I it knew certainly, this goes wrongly!

The crime-scenecrime-scene crime-scene was not sealed. Everyone could and chose from what he or she could use. In the prison I even caught an agent with my zilveren pen! The apartment was ransacked.

In the Nong Palai prison I was placed on secreet. A isoleercel. The officiele version supply me by the embassy sound: to guarantee my security. In reality I got a red link round my arm, what assassin means so that everyone could see well why I was here. Two full days it on me has been talked into make me clear who had get smeergeld there to get me. Here I was also threatened with death! Briefly afterwards have I in this prison have I someone for my eyes see stabbing. I became frightened, very frightened.

Some weeks suffered autopsy report was confessed. Also of this I had expected much.

By means of this report experts can establish a rather detailed profile of the assassin. The angle of the knife twinges stipulates for example the size of the agressor. The depth of the wounds stipulates strength with which is put. A woman puts differently than a man. Its these tests happened? I doubt it!

Also the hour of dying me is able help.

I have told the police force perfectly where and when I was, and this was controllable. The customers of the touroperator with which I talked during my work, were not heard. I doubt if the police force weet or the airco in my apartment stood up yes or no. Data that for stipulating the time of death nevertheless vital is!

And how does it sit with the video pictures? Do they exist still? Which attire did I carry? Which persons stand still?

The conclusion which drew police force from the autopsy report is that it a very violent assassination was is (that knew we the first day also already!). The consequence of this was however that the charge against me was raised on 21 September of assassination to assassination with extreem violence. Because of this thus the possible penalty went omhoog. The minimum sentence became: THE SENTENCE!

In thailand you at a process or you can choose guilty or innocent lawsuit. If you plead innocent (and that I of course would do!) and you become afterwards guilty are been there no more sentence reduction possible. What a dilemma!

This went me too far. I want defend best me and show that I am innocent, but then in a honest manner. For this reason I now communicate myself at the Belgian police force, this not me to withdraw to the research, but to have chance on honestly an objective research.

I look at the world right in the eyes: I have not committed this assassination! I wish name now my, purify because the way the Thai press concerning me is hallucinating. I have more, no work now nothing, no property, no income, no papers. Only my family, and for that we return to the battle.

I sympathise enormously with the family of the victim Jeab, and support Noah Meyer (her friend) in his search for justice. Do not give up because there there still an assassin walks around!

I give the everyone Council if you go to thailand on holiday. Indicated carefully!

I cannot forget everyone who me has sympathised in this very difficult period helped, and thank certainly.

In the first place family and friends, both here in Europe and in Azi?aar also the services of foreign affairs, and embassy in Bangkok. Furthermore the advokaten, the lawyers, the Expats Helpline, the sponsor's, companies, spaggetti-eters, muzikanten, kaarsjesbranders and certainly who also everyone has steunberichtjes sent me in the hel of Pattaya by means of the Internet site.

Without your aid it had not succeeded!

All thanks!

[pluto_manibo]

That is a translation? Its' horrible...dreadful!

[Ice Treasure]

A lot better than the one you provided, wouoldn't you say.. and more than a little understandable.

[12call]

http://www.thairath.co.th/thairath1/2547/p...oct/11/p2_1.php

Click here for a pic.

[Darknight]

That is a translation? Its' horrible...dreadful!

smartass....

if breaking news happens in Dutch i can only translate it online through some tools.

The reason because it's not in english or thai yet is because nobody in thailand has a clue yet!!

i'll see if i can run it through my word spelling checker, maybe some of you englisch teachers can edit out the remaining faults

Or you should just learn to read dutch in a few days

[Darknight]

Cleaned up version in english for picky readers

Translation into English by Babel fish:

The bulletin mentioned below has originated from Sam van Treeck him self, in which he does his personal tale .

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

9 October 2004 - Belgium |

I am glad that I can tell it at last to the world. So far everything what has been told in the press by us was filtered. There should be no criticism on Thailand or their manner of work. It would work only in my disadvantage they told me.

Reality is entirely differently, and that is also the reason that I am now here, and cannot believe that I will get an honest process in Thailand.

I’m innocent to the assassination of Jeab, who has been a good girlfriend of me. I have found her killed in my apartment and I did what I had do: I informed the police.

That proved to be the largest error of my life afterwards.

I’ve seen plenty of examples that made me believe I would not receive a honest trial and fair research.

When the police came, the Thai press was invited massively at the same time in the apartment so that all the proof material was contaminated or has disappeared. The suspected assassination weapon then still lay on the ground. The police force there had no interest had in spite of me urging them to investigate.

The beers in my fridge, that was what they wanted.

Much hope had been put on the DNA research. There were tracks of a fighting between Jeab and the assasin as a result of which strands of hair sat there in the hands of the victim. That hair was not mine.

THE DNA results took very long, and eventually had to learn from of the embassy that research had failed! (and therefore unusable as proof) then I it knew certainly, this is going wrong!

The crime scène was not sealed. Everyone could and chose from what he or she could use. In the prison I even caught an agent with my silver pen! The apartment was ransacked.

In the Nong Palai prison I was placed on secrete. An isolation cell. The official version supplied to me by the embassy sounded: it was to guarantee my security. In reality I got a red band round my arm, which means assassin so that everyone could see well why I was here.

Two full days people talked into me to make me clear who had to get bribed there to get me out. I was also threatened with death! Briefly afterwards I saw somebody stabbed before my eyes. I became frightened, very frightened.

Some weeks later the autopsy report was released. I had expected much from this.

By means of this report experts can establish a rather detailed profile of the assassin. The angle of the knife twinges stipulates for example the size of the aggressor. The depth of the wounds stipulates strength with which it is used, for example a

woman uses it differently than a man. did these tests happen? I seriously doubt it!

Also the hour of death would be able to help.

I have told the police force perfectly where and when I was, and this was controllable. The customers of the tour operator with which I talked during my work, were not heard. I doubt if the police force knows if the airco in my apartment was on or not. Data like that can be vital for stipulating the time of death!

The conclusion which the police force drew from the autopsy report is that it was a very violent assassination (that’s something we knew the first day also already!). The consequence of this was however, that the charge against me were raised on 21 September from assassination to assassination with extreme violence. Because of this the possible penalty went up. The minimum sentence became: THE Death penalty!

In Thailand you can plead guilty or innocent in court. If you plead innocent (and that I of course would do!) and you are found guilty are been there is no more sentence reduction possible. What a dilemma!

This went too far for me. I want to defend myself and show that I am innocent, but in an honest manner. For this reason I now entrusted myself to the Belgian police force, this is not to withdraw from the research, but to have chance on an honest and objective trial.

I look the world right in the eyes: I have not committed this assassination! I wish that my name will be cleaned, because the way the Thai press is picturing me is hallucinating. I have nothing any more, no work, no property, no income, no papers. Only my family, and for that we return to the battle.

I sympathize enormously with the family of the victim Jeab, and support Noah Meyer (her friend) in his search for justice. Do not give up because there still an assassin walking around!

I give to everyone the advice: if you go to Thailand on holiday. Be careful!

Sam van Treeck

[pluto_manibo]

Bedankt! Nu het is heel goed!

[Darknight]

grapjas dan ....

[Liverish]

Is this the guy who was accused of stabbing his girl 38 times ?

in Pattaya ..

[Darknight]

Is this the guy who was accused of stabbing his girl 38 times ?

in Pattaya ..

yes see link to thread on top

[igotworms]

http://www.thairath.co.th/thairath1/2547/p...oct/11/p2_1.php

Click here for a pic.

That's a ghastly pic. Some things are not meant to be seen. This trait of the Thai press (publishing pictures of death) is sub-human and down-right wrong.

This Belgium dude is very smart. Now what happens? Does the case get tried in Belgium?

[Dickie]

This trait of the Thai press (publishing pictures of death) is sub-human and down-right wrong.

Not just the Thai press, remember the Omaha bombing and the pic of the fireman carrying the dead baby?

[Phil Conners]

Very interesting situation. I wonder how the situation between the Thai and Belgian government will work out.

[Darknight]

Very interesting situation. I wonder how the situation between the Thai and Belgian government will work out.

Belgian has no extradition treaties with thailand so for now he's safe. of course thailand can issue an international warrant on him which means he could be extradited when he arrives in another country that has a treaty with thailand.

He has submitted himself to the belgian authorities and says he will cooperate in a belgian investigation.

We have two possebilities here.

He is innocent so faced with the choice of pleading guilty to something you not have done , or pleading innocent in a corrupt and hopeless investigation with the death penalty looming i find his choice pretty understandable

He guilty and should be tried of course.

Everybody knows how "Justice" works in thailand. so i think this is a "saving face solution for everybody.

my personal opinion is,

They let him go on bail so he was able to run. Probably because the judge found the investigation crooked.

The judge or police get the million bath bail money

The thai police doesn't lose face

Sam get's to live

The maffia or assasin get's left in peace.

Fine solution for everyone. What i find strange though is that his Laos wife and baby suddenly left pattaya and received a visa to come to belgium. He arrived one week later.

Maybe the embassy helped to get the famillie out and then "hinted" now the rest is up to you.

This is really a warning to all expat's that says a lot about your life there and the legal implications if something goes wrong. something to think about.

I'm sure we will here more from this story. If thailand doesn't react i presume it will be the save face option described above

[igotworms]

I never thought of that scenario. DK, I agree with your logic.

Obviously, the unfortunate thing about this whole mess is the awful fate of the victim, Jeab. She was a gorgeous girl, and well loved by the Phuket community. What a horrible death...I couldn't imagine being one of her friends and family members at this time, especially when coming across photos of the crime scene and her lifeless, naked body. And the fact, that they'll likely get no closure to this tragic event. Either a killer is still lurking around Pattaya, or he's living a normal life in his home country. What a shitty world this is.

[Darknight]

I never thought of that scenario. DK, I agree with your logic.

Obviously, the unfortunate thing about this whole mess is the awful fate of the victim, Jeab. She was a gorgeous girl, and well loved by the Phuket community. What a horrible death...I couldn't imagine being one of her friends and family members at this time, especially when coming across photos of the crime scene and her lifeless, naked body. And the fact, that they'll likely get no closure to this tragic event. Either a killer is still lurking around Pattaya, or he's living a normal life in his home country. What a shitty world this is.

it is indeed very sad that these things happen in our "civilized" world.

Also the thai "insensitivety" to publishing that type of pictures if for our taste much to gross. Although i must say that most parents get confronted with them anyhow when they are in court, as they are produced as evidence.

I don't know Sam van treeck personally but my dispatcher at my new job has been a friend of the family for over 5 years. Everybody i heard who know this man say that he's incapable of such atrosities. What is also missing is the motive. Why would he kill her when they have nothing to do with each other anymore, he had a new wife and baby, she had a new boyfriend, they didn't see each other for some time already, etc..

Further more a farang killing somebody in his appartement would at least try to get rid of the body and then keep quiet. He wouldn't call the police to tell them about it a few hours later. besides he would have dissappeared well knowing the justice system in thailand.

I presume she was killed by a thai boyfriend, husband who was angry she ran away to pattaya from phuket and stayed with another man. or maybe the mob was involved.

I don't think sam is looking to get out of justice , otherwise he wouldn't have returned to belgium and immediatly informed the police and the press.

As a buddhist i see this as just a karmic play between some people and can take some distance of the wright/wrong discussion. But in a social setting this is of course a drama for all concerned.

[Darknight]

Het laatste nieuws (belgian newspaper in dutch)

Thaise justitie liet nog niet van zich horen over Sam Van Treeck

Sam Van Treeck zal in geen geval uitgeleverd worden aan Thailand.Ons land heeft voorlopig niks gehoord van de Thaise gerechtelijke autoriteiten in verband met Sam Van Treeck. Dat is vandaag vernomen van de woordvoerder van het ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken. Zolang Thailand geen klacht neerlegt in België tegen de reisleider, kan het Belgische gerecht geen stappen ondernemen. Dat zegt de woordvoerster van justitieminister Laurette Onkelinx.

Onze 24-jarige landgenoot wordt in Thailand beschuldigd van moord op zijn 23-jarige Thaise vriendin, maar omdat Van Treeck vermoedt dat er corruptie in het spel is en niet in een eerlijk proces gelooft, vluchtte hij naar België. Hij kwam vrijdagavond aan in ons land, en meldde zich zaterdag zelf bij de politie van Heist-op-den-Berg, waar hij een verklaring aflegde.

Rudy Huygelen, woordvoerder van Buitenlandse Zaken, zegt dat de Thaise gerechtelijke autoriteiten nog niets van zich hebben laten horen. Het is dus afwachten, maar zolang het Thaise gerecht geen klacht neerlegt bij het Belgische federale parket of bij het parket van Turnhout (waar Heist-op-den-Berg deel van uitmaakt), kan en zal het Belgische gerecht geen onderzoek openen tegen Van Treeck. Dat stelt Saar Vanderplaetsen, woordvoerster van minister van Justitie Laurette Onkelinx.

Legt het Thaise gerecht in ons land een klacht neer, dan zal het ook het gerechtelijk dossier tegen Van Treeck moeten overmaken aan het Belgische gerecht. Het onderzoek tegen de reisleider zal dan hier worden voortgezet op basis van het dossier dat in Thailand tegen hem bestaat, aldus Vanderplaetsen. Het Belgische gerecht zal dan moeten beslissen om te vervolgen of niet.

Maar zover is het dus nog niet. De woordvoerster van Justitie wil over één zaak duidelijk zijn: Van Treeck wordt in geen geval uitgeleverd. "België levert nooit onderdanen uit. Dat is zo bepaald in de Belgische rechtspraak", aldus Vanderplaetsen. (VRW/LOD, belga)

[spike]

I would be interested in knowing the route he took on his escape. Did he just saunter through immigration at Bkk international? Travel across the border into Cambodia?

Dk's assessment sounds about right. Flawed investigation and the authorities turned there backs with the purpose of letting him escape.

[Darknight]

I would be interested in knowing the route he took on his escape. Did he just saunter through immigration at Bkk international? Travel across the border into Cambodia?

Dk's assessment sounds about right. Flawed investigation and the authorities turned there backs with the purpose of letting him escape.

he said on the radio he doesn't want to reveal it as it was illegal of course

[Ice Treasure]

Just for the uninitiated, and Sam for that matter, the Red Arm Band, doesn't signify a murderer at all. It means the police expect the death penalty.