Suspect May Get Death Penalty

[Cheeky Farang]

CRIME / MURDER OF TWO BRITONS

Suspect may get death penalty

Kanchanaburi _ A policeman suspected of killing two British tourists could face the death penalty if found guilty, the local police chief said yesterday.

Pol Maj-Gen Chaicharn Kitichan, Kanchanaburi police chief, who was accompanied by officers from Muang Kanchanaburi police station, said Pol Sen Sgt-Maj Somchai had been charged with intentionally murdering Adam Lloyd, 25, and his girlfriend Vanessa Arscott, 24.

Additional charges were illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition, carrying them in public with no proper reason and without permission.

The most severe punishment if found guilty would be death, he said.

Police yesterday submitted to the prosecution their investigative report into the murder of the two British tourists early last month.

The murders took place near the suspect's restaurant in Muang district on Sept 9. The Britons had reportedly been his customers and joined him in drinking sessions for several days before being killed.

The police submitted a 232-page probe report, including accounts of 22 witnesses, to Manas Ubonthip, director-general of State Attorney Office Region 7, and Kanchanaburi chief prosecutor Pichet Kasetsin.

Mr Manas said he had received the report himself as the murders had been widely publicised in both Thailand and the UK given the suspect was a policeman and the dead were British citizens.

He promised careful and transparent consideration of the case and said the prosecution would make its conclusion within the suspect's 12-day detention period. Three senior prosecutors have been assigned to supervise the case.

[astral]

Intentionally murder........?

How you do it accidentally.

Murder is the "act of killing someone, with malice of forethought"

Suspects do not get sentenced to death, only convicted criminal.

Were are those English teachers that we so desperately need?

[Nam Kao]

Running down the girl and dragging her 150 feet pinned under his truck then putting a clip in her ---

sounds unintentional?

I'd hate to see him intentionally murder someone

[kat]

Running down the girl and dragging her 150 feet pinned under his truck then putting a clip in her ---

    sounds unintentional?

    I'd hate to see him intentionally murder someone 

I'm sure he's an old pro at intentional murder, given his line of work

..... Or should I say "unintentional"? hmmmmm

[Buster-Gonad]

I would say that it is highly likely that he will get the death penalty, does anyone remember the Canadian Girl murdered on Koh Samet a few years ago?

I recall the speed boat driver the caught was tried and executed within 2-3 months, thats swift justice

[cojones]

I would say that it is highly likely that he will get the death penalty, does anyone remember the Canadian Girl murdered on Koh Samet a few years ago?

I recall the speed boat driver the caught was tried and executed within 2-3 months, thats swift justice

maybe so but there are a large number of other murderers of UK/other farangs going back many years who didnt get executed.

ie the monk who killed the english girl and the guys on ko chang who killed 2 english girls ,,

[honeyen]

What's the reason(s) behind the murder? Has it been told by the murderer?

[Chutney]

What's the reason(s) behind the murder? Has it been told by the murderer?

In brief:

He says the couple were arguing and he went after them to try and help the girl. Her boyfriend spat in his face so he shot him. He then further assisted the girlfriend by running her over in his car and shooting her too.

He expressed sadness that his good intentions were abused in this way.

[honeyen]

Bizarre

[kat]

What's the reason(s) behind the murder? Has it been told by the murderer?

In brief:

He says the couple were arguing and he went after them to try and help the girl. Her boyfriend spat in his face so he shot him. He then further assisted the girlfriend by running her over in his car and shooting her too.

He expressed sadness that his good intentions were abused in this way.

Incredibly ludicrous. But you nailed this absurd view of things right on the head.

[chuchok]

BAIL CONTROVERSY : Court frees tourists’ killer

Published on November 10, 2004

Police officer who admitted shooting 2 Britons released in Kanchanaburi A policeman accused of gunning down two young British backpackers has been given bail in Kanchanaburi province, where witnesses are said to be living in fear.

Somchai Wisetsingh, 38, the police sergeant who admitted to killing Adam Lloyd and Vanessa Arscott in September, has been released from jail on bail of Bt1 million.

The bail was granted last Thursday by Judge Narong Suthamkoson in Kanchanaburi but went unreported at the time, the province’s chief public prosecutor Pichet Kasetsin said yesterday.

Pichet said public prosecutors opposed bail for fear that Somchai’s release might affect witnesses and evidence.

“But we have to accept the judgement,” Pichet said.

He said public prosecutors had finished assembling the case against Somchai, who has petitioned public prosecutors for special consideration in the case. In the petition Somchai claims Lloyd attacked him first, he added.

He said Somchai’s petition would be submitted to the director of the State Attorney’s Regional Office 7 for consideration today along with the case against him.

“As soon as the director of the regional office makes a decision on the case, we will charge Somchai in court,” Pichet said.

Public prosecutors would then ask the court again to order Somchai detained in custody to stop him interfering with witnesses and material evidence, he said.

A source in the Kanchanaburi public prosecutor’s office said Somchai reasoned in his request for bail that he had never previously committed a crime and promised not to run away.

The source said the judge instructed him to refrain from intimidating witnesses.

Case officer Lt Colonel Chavalit Biakaew said: “That is Thai law. It is out of the hands of the police. Anybody in Thailand is entitled to bail. It’s a matter for the courts to decide.”

He said that witnesses had nothing to be afraid of.

Although there are some 16 witnesses to the killings almost all were reluctant to sign statements against Sergeant Somchai.

During the investigation Police Colonel Vej Somboon admitted witnesses would not come forward and sign statements saying: “This is because the suspect is a policeman and they are afraid of retaliation because they all live nearby.”

Yesterday, one of the witnesses, who asked for anonymity, said: “This is exactly what we were all afraid of. Now we are all scared. He must know who we all are. We don’t trust the police or the court here.”

Somchai is accused of gunning down with his .38 first Adam Lloyd, 24, and then running down Vanessa, 23, and finishing her off with bullets to her neck and chest in September.

Somchai admitted the killings after he was captured following several weeks on the run.

Although he has apologised indirectly to the family of Vanessa Arscott, he has not apologised for the killing of Adam Lloyd, who he claimed hit him several times, causing him to lose face.

The sergeant’s release on bail is contentious, given he fled from the scene and remained at large for over a month.

After the killings he was allowed to go home, pack his bags, go for treatment to a hospital for facial injuries, visit his sister, and call his colleagues to demand terms for his surrender.

He was later given shelter by “influential people” near the Burmese border and surrendered by prior agreement, but only after protests by British Embassy officials.

The news comes as British Embassy officials travelled to Chiang Mai to press ahead with their investigations into the killer of Welsh backpacker Kirsty Jones, 23, raped and murdered in the Aree Guest House there four years ago.

The guest-house manager, Briton Andy Gill, was originally charged with the murder but had to be released after DNA evidence from the rapist’s sperm was found to match not a European but an Asian profile.

In the Kirsty Jones case there were also reports of a philandering local tourist policeman being spotted in the grounds of the Aree Guest House before the murder.

Thai police insist that the sperm must have been introduced to the scene after being bought from a prostitute or a male Thai who was willing to sell it.

UK police have dismissed the allegation, insisting that the sperm belongs to the killer, after consulting experts in DNA transference in Britain.

[BoomBoom]

so much for a fair trial, the Kanchanaburi courts will be hosting the murder case?

[Nam Kao]

Why is this guy out !!!

[Chaz]

Yet another example of Thai contempt for the civilised world. Yet another example of the morally and financially corrupt Thai justice system and society. Yet another example of the Thais flipping the bird at the foreign community. And yet another example of Thais losing face. How much longer can/will the Western community tolerate this outrageous Thai behaviour before our governments begin issuing serious warnings for people to avoid this sodom and gomorrah of the modern world?

Thailand lost face many, many years ago and is now nothing more than a thiefdom run by Chinese gangsters/businessmen, with Thaksin Shinawatra the chief snakehead to his Chinese brethren.

When is the world going to wake up to this?

[samran]

Yet another example of Thai contempt for the civilised world. Yet another example of the morally and financially corrupt Thai justice system and society. Yet another example of the Thais flipping the bird at the foreign community. And yet another example of Thais losing face.  How much longer can/will the Western community tolerate this outrageous Thai behaviour before our governments begin issuing serious warnings for people to avoid this sodom and gomorrah of the modern world?

Thailand lost face many, many years ago and is now nothing more than a thiefdom run by Chinese gangsters/businessmen, with Thaksin Shinawatra the chief snakehead to his Chinese brethren.

When is the world going to wake up to this?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think everyone is awake to it, it is a question of what people are able to do about about it.

[wrksysact]

"Although there are some 16 witnesses to the killings almost all were reluctant to sign statements against Sergeant Somchai."

He's a free man. Too many contacts and money for this one to suffer.

Little Bobby Backpacker and his two spliffs should watch out for the might of Thai law though!