Bail Controversy : Court Frees Tourists’ Killer

[george]

BAIL CONTROVERSY : Court frees tourists’ killer

KANCHANABURI: -- 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 Nation 2004-11-10

[george]

Bail for Thai Policeman Accused of Killing Britons

BANGKOK: -- A Thai court has released on bail a policeman accused of gunning down a young British couple earlier this year, sparking fears that he might try to intimidate witnesses, a prosecuting lawyer said today.

Sergeant Somchai Visetsingha is accused of the September 9 killings of Vanessa Arscott, 24, and Adam Lloyd, 25. He was freed on November 2 on an unspecified amount of bail by a provincial court in the popular western tourist town of Kanchanaburi, said chief public prosecutor Pichet Kasetsin.

Somchai eluded a massive manhunt for nearly a month, but admitted to the killings after surrendering to police on October 7. Police had offered a 100,000 baht (2,000 euro) reward for help in his capture.

“The prosecution is concerned that the suspect, who faces a severe punishment if the court finds him guilty, might use his influence to harass the witnesses or make them change their statements,” Pichet said.

Details about the witnesses were unavailable, but The Nation newspaper reported that most of the 16 bystanders were reluctant to sign statements against Somchai.

“This is because the suspect is a policeman and they are afraid of retaliation because they all live nearby,” the newspaper quoted police Colonel Vej Somboon as saying.

It was unclear what prompted the court to release Somchai on bail.

Somchai’s trial had been delayed after he petitioned the court to change the charges against him to killing out of anger and self-defence, from pre-emptive murder and killing to cover up wrongdoing.

The initial charges carry a maximum penalty of death, but killing out of anger and self-defence would likely be punishable by a prison term, Pichet said.

Somchai has said he drew his pistol and shot Lloyd after the Briton spat in his face during an argument.

Somchai said he did not intend to kill Arscott, but he unknowingly ran into her with his car as she was trying to stop him from fleeing. After dragging her body for about 600 feet, he said he stopped his car and shot her in his panic to escape.

Kanchanaburi province is about 70 miles west of the capital, Bangkok.

The area attracts foreign tourists for its natural beauty and because it is the site of the infamous bridge over the River Kwai, where Japanese troops built a railway using prisoners of war during World War II.

--Scotsman.com 2004-11-10

[john b good]

Thailand never ceases to amaze me

Edited November 10, 2004 by george

[sprq]

I've been here a long time but this still amazes me. How blatant can you get?

[NedKelly]

A-A-A-A-A-A-Amazing Thailand !

[WhiteShiva]

Bail for Thai Policeman Accused of Killing Britons

It was unclear what prompted the court to release Somchai on bail.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"unclear" to someone not living in Thailand, perhaps......

Trond

[WISteve]

It does seem incredible that a double-murder suspect would be sprung so quickly...

Wonder how many of the 16 witnesses will become accident prone?

~WISteve

[astral]

Absolutely unbelievable.

This is after the guy has done a runner once already.

Now they give him a second chance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[slim]

Shouldn't be long before he's tried, found not guilty, released and praised for his public spiritedness

[BlackJack]

surely there is a Law Society here that can intervene and question what is going on

Even the PM and higher has the powers to stop this rot

Maybe we need Dirty Harry to administer some street justice

ps thanks for reminding me not to spit in the face of someone carrying a loaded gun

[Phil Conners]

Outrageous!!!

[BillyZ]

"and then running down Vanessa, 23, and finishing her off with bullets to her neck and chest in September."

It seems to me like this was a little more than a spontaneous shooting over being hit a few times by the guy. A case of cold-blooded murder, if ever there was one. Seems shocking and surprising, but remember Duang Chalerm (sp?) a few years ago and then his acquittal this year....TIT

[Maejo Man]

Words escape me

[Chaz]

Words escape me

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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?

[castelleone]

I can only shrug my shoulders!

[Highwayman]

When l was reading this in the paper this morning, my wife asked me why l had just said unbelievable for the tenth time in a row.

In most countries an accused double murderer who had previously been on the run would not be granted bail of even one billion baht, even if his his wife was about to give birth to quintuplets, his mothers funeral was tomorrow, his father was dying of cancer, his brother was being held hostage in Iraq and his sister was about to get married.

However this is obviously a special case as he has promised not to run away or interfere with witnesses.

You live here a while and you think you have heard just about every Amazing Thailand story there is and then along comes this.

Is this guy even in the country anymore? Bailed last Thursday and it only makes the news today.

Next thing you'll hear is that he will be getting that award for service to the community that they put on hold a few weeks back.

[bmw]

Why does this not surprise anyone?

[mfindlay]

Come on guy's this is not very public spirited of you. The poor sergeant not only had his face hurt but also his feelings, what more can a man do but what he did to prove he is a man! Now he has a chance to prove he is inocent by talking to the witnesses to show them the error of their ways!

Oh! He forgot that he admitted the crime or did the courts?

Everyone needs to write a personal letter to Toxin and thank him for him stamping out corruption in Thailand and giving the Police a second chance!!!!!!

[Patong Bob]

C'mon Chaz, don't hold back....

tell us what you really think.

[A. BOOZER]

Seeing as how good British Prime Minister Tony Blair is at sticking his nose in other countries affairs, I have no doubt that he, or Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw will be in direct contact with Thaksin requesting that Somchai be re-incarcerated immediately.

[frogmo1]

Is this just a reflection of the judge's disdain for farangs or representative of Thai judicial procedure generally?

[capt_canada42]

Gee you guys are slow this has been happening for years here! SO what else is new.

[wolf5370]

A public comment is needed from the British Embassy.

The Western press needs to pick up with it; front page for the British press.

The press should take apart the judge's finances. They will, of course find something. They need to show that Judges that do such things will be exposed for this and past graft.

Nowhere in the modern world would a person accused of double homicide, who had been subject of a national manhunt, who has foreign contacts who were willing to hide him before and has direct connections to the police force be allowed bail.

Thaksin ordered the manhunt, he should order the courts to assess bail; and launch a proble into the Judge who is either incompetant, on the take or both!

Did they give him his gun back?

[Zoltan]

It sounds like there were some payoffs some where other than bail for this guy to be released. If Thialand really wants to be part of the free world they better start to shape up a little more.

[NedKelly]

Yeah I believe there could be a few 'suicides' in the Kanch area soon..........the job of 'witness' to the crime would be a dangerous profession at the moment !

What a great message to send to all police criminals out there.

[RDN]

Currently 107 users are reading this thread. I urge you all to email or write to your local papers and tourism authorities about this shameful event.

[thaigene2]

Shouldn't be long before he's tried, found not guilty, released and praised for his public spiritedness

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

....And then goes on to set up a new political party called Thai 1155 (the number for the Tourist Police), which draws its support base from the police establishment. Two years later, the party will merge with TRT and he will be given the post of Interior Minister. His first task will be to impose tougher visa restrictions on British tourists and impose hefty fines on all tourists who spit, especially near police officers (he claims the Brit spat at him and he was dishonored). During this period he will also amass amazing wealth, of course..

[chuchok]

Currently 107 users are reading this thread. I urge you all to email or write to your local papers and tourism authorities about this shameful event.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

this is disgusting. Please e-mail as many papers as possible.

[bkk_mike]

Seeing as how good British Prime Minister Tony Blair is at sticking his nose in other countries affairs, I have no doubt that he, or Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw will be in direct contact with Thaksin requesting that Somchai be re-incarcerated immediately.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A public comment is needed from the British Embassy.

The Western press needs to pick up with it; front page for the British press.

The press should take apart the judge's finances. They will, of course find something. They need to show that Judges that do such things will be exposed for this and past graft.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I sort of agree here. All it would take is a few nasty words at the next G8 summit about how a double murderer who has already been the subject of one national manhunt can be released on bail and he would be back in prison again.

Admittedly, the fastest way for that to happen is probably for it to make the front page of the Sun.

[hansco]

He posted 1 million baht bail!

The Restaurant and police must pay well!

I agree with you all "Unbelievable"