Bail Controversy : Court Frees Tourists’ Killer

[taxexile]

If Thais choose to live and die by the sword and might makes right, it will be a long time before they emerge from a 3rd world status and enter the comminity of the modern world ..... no matter how many skytrains they build.

spot on.

despite appearances to the contrary , beneath the surface of thailands happy smiley demeanor lies a dark underbelly that could compete on equal terms with many of africas less appealing states for lawlessness and corruption.

a thai acquaintance of mine , from a well established kanchanaburi family , told me that he "wouldnt be at all surprised if this man is not convicted. thats how things work here , the policemen was made to lose face and he reacted. unjust as it may seem. for every falang victim of crime seeking justice , there are hundreds of thais also seeking justice , and without the support of the uk press or the british ambassador. the crime was only unusual in that foriegners were killed."

my friend failed to mention the second victim who was run over then shot.

when i reminded him of her his reply was vague but shoulders were shrugged and the words "love triange" and "jealousy" were heard.

[nogutsnoapplepie]

Is he not due in court on the 20th of December 2004?

[sriracha john]

The families press on:

TOURIST MURDERS: ‘It made no sense at all’

Published on Dec 17 , 2004

Relatives of slain couple seek justice, question why suspect was freed on bail

Tears rolling down her cheeks, 20-year-old Alyssa Arscott laid a wreath of remembrance to her elder sister by the River Kwai on Thursday and sought justice for the alleged killer.

Accompanied by her father Graham, Alyssa, a medic in the Royal Navy Reserve, laid two wreaths by the roadside in Kanchanaburi - 450 metres from the River Kwai bridge.

“I came safely back last year after being sent to Basra in Iraq, but Vanessa came to Thailand and this happened. It makes no sense, “ she said, leaving the wreath on the rubble surrounding an electricity pylon.

Seventy metres down the road Brian Lloyd and his son Chris laid similar wreaths on chairs outside a bicycle repair shop in memory of Adam Lloyd, Vanessa Arscott’s boyfriend.

A Buddhist monk blessed all the wreaths as a police “protective escort” stood by.

Thai and foreign onlookers crowded around the ceremonies.

The families travelled to Thailand to call for swift justice for Police Sergeant Somchai Wisetsingh, who has been charged with murder. Somchai has been released on bail, even though he was on the run for a month before finally surrendering to police.

“How can this man stay free?” shouted one Dutch bystander.

Adam, 24, and Vanessa, 23, were killed in September after visiting Somchai’s S & S restaurant. A fight started between Somchai and Adam. It has been alleged that Adam hit Somchai, who then went for his gun and shot him twice.

Vanessa went to hide behind Somchai’s car. He got in and ran her over, dragging her body down the road. He then got out and fired three times at her, hitting her in the head, neck and chest.

Addressing the crowd, Graham Arscott, who works for a pharmaceutical company, said: “I want to thank many Thais today. You have been kind and considerate and have shown a lot of warmth and sympathy. I know you are not the same as the person who committed these unspeakable acts on our children.”

The Arscotts and Lloyds have called on Justice Minister Pongthep Thepkanjana, Kanchanaburi police chief Maj-General Chaichan Kitichan, and prosecutors to deal with the case transparently.

They said they feared a miscarriage of justice because Somchai was given bail despite running away for more than a month and despite the fact that he allegedly killed Vanessa because she was a witness to the murder of Adam.

Somchai has admitted publicly to the murders, but he claims Adam hit and spat at him and Vanessa only died because she “got in the way” of the bullets.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

The families press on:

TOURIST MURDERS: ‘It made no sense at all’

Published on Dec 17 , 2004

Relatives of slain couple seek justice, question why suspect was freed on bail

Tears rolling down her cheeks, 20-year-old Alyssa Arscott laid a wreath of remembrance to her elder sister by the River Kwai on Thursday and sought justice for the alleged killer.

Accompanied by her father Graham, Alyssa, a medic in the Royal Navy Reserve, laid two wreaths by the roadside in Kanchanaburi - 450 metres from the River Kwai bridge.

“I came safely back last year after being sent to Basra in Iraq, but Vanessa came to Thailand and this happened. It makes no sense, “ she said, leaving the wreath on the rubble surrounding an electricity pylon.

Seventy metres down the road Brian Lloyd and his son Chris laid similar wreaths on chairs outside a bicycle repair shop in memory of Adam Lloyd, Vanessa Arscott’s boyfriend.

A Buddhist monk blessed all the wreaths as a police “protective escort” stood by.

Thai and foreign onlookers crowded around the ceremonies.

The families travelled to Thailand to call for swift justice for Police Sergeant Somchai Wisetsingh, who has been charged with murder. Somchai has been released on bail, even though he was on the run for a month before finally surrendering to police.

“How can this man stay free?” shouted one Dutch bystander.

Adam, 24, and Vanessa, 23, were killed in September after visiting Somchai’s S & S restaurant. A fight started between Somchai and Adam. It has been alleged that Adam hit Somchai, who then went for his gun and shot him twice.

Vanessa went to hide behind Somchai’s car. He got in and ran her over, dragging her body down the road. He then got out and fired three times at her, hitting her in the head, neck and chest.

Addressing the crowd, Graham Arscott, who works for a pharmaceutical company, said: “I want to thank many Thais today. You have been kind and considerate and have shown a lot of warmth and sympathy. I know you are not the same as the person who committed these unspeakable acts on our children.”

The Arscotts and Lloyds have called on Justice Minister Pongthep Thepkanjana, Kanchanaburi police chief Maj-General Chaichan Kitichan, and prosecutors to deal with the case transparently.

They said they feared a miscarriage of justice because Somchai was given bail despite running away for more than a month and despite the fact that he allegedly killed Vanessa because she was a witness to the murder of Adam.

Somchai has admitted publicly to the murders, but he claims Adam hit and spat at him and Vanessa only died because she “got in the way” of the bullets.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Spread the story that Somchai is a serious drug dealer and he'll be taken out by Toxin's vigilante's.

[Backpack_thailand]

I think most of us fear that after his court date on the 20th, the case will eventually come to trila around 2006/2007, by which time all the publicity will have died and he'll walk...!!!

Kan is a very tense place at present...

[Erwin1011]

Any updates on this?

Could not go to Kan for the hearing today.

[apetley]

Has been on Radio 4 & 5 news every hour here in the UK plus a more lengthy piece early this morning. Hopefully with a trial date set for next month this will keep it high profile and in the news.

[udon]

Hi BP , what happened yesterday?

[udon]

This is all that I could find........

Thai murder victim's father comes face-to-face with accused

20/12/2004 - 09:56:34

The grieving father of a British tourist gunned down in Thailand looked for remorse in the accused killer’s eyes today and said: “I saw none. I saw the cold heart of an executioner.”

Graham Arscott has flown from his home in Devon to the tourist town of Kanchanaburi for a court appearance by police sergeant Somchai Visetsingha who is accused of murdering his daughter Vanessa, 24, and her boyfriend Adam Lloyd, 25, in September.

Judges ignored Mr Arscott’s plea that Somchai be held in custody and allowed him to remain free on bail until his trial opens next month.

Somchai is accused of shooting the couple in River Kwai town of Kanchanaburi, 70 miles west of the capital, Bangkok.

He eluded a massive manhunt for nearly a month, but surrendered to police on October 7.

He was freed on bail in November after pleading innocent to murder and weapons charges, which carry a maximum penalty of death.

His trial will open on January 13.

Judges Suchart Inprasit and Chokechai Rattanakijanakorn said today that Somchai will not be taken into custody. But Suchart encouraged the suspect to reconsider his plea, saying he didn’t have much of a defence.

Somchai had admitted to killing the two tourists immediately after his arrest.

He said he drew his pistol and shot Mr Lloyd, from Torquay, in a fit of fury after the Briton spat in his face during an argument.

Somchai also claimed that he had not intended to kill Vanessa, from Ashburton, whom he unknowingly ran into with his car as she tried to stop him from fleeing.

After dragging her body for about 200 yards, he said he stopped his car and shot her in his panic to escape.

Also in court today were Mr Lloyd’s father Brian and his brother Chris who travelled to Thailand a few days ago with Vanessa’s father, and her sister Alyssa.

They have laid a wreath at the site of the shooting, and have met the British ambassador, as well as state prosecutors and police representatives.

Bail granted... again, hard to believe!

Edited December 21, 2004 by RDN

[taxexile]

from the uk daily telegraph , today.

No regret, no remorse, no compassion

By Sebastien Berger in Kanchanaburi

(Filed: 21/12/2004)

The families of two Britons shot dead in Thailand confronted in court yesterday for the first time the man who has admitted the killings.

They stared intently at Somchai Visetsingha, 39, a policeman charged with murdering Adam Lloyd and Vanessa Arscott in Kanchanaburi, site of the Bridge on the River Kwai.

 

Somchai looked down at his hands for several minutes, stealing only an occasional glance at the group of four seated 10 feet away on a wooden bench.

Miss Arscott's father Graham remained outwardly calm but stared fixedly at Visetsingha throughout the hearing and spoke later of his determination to see his daughter's killer brought to justice. He asked if it was rude to stare and, told that it was, carried on.

"Today in this courtroom I looked into the eyes of Somchai Visetsingha," he said afterwards. "I looked for a sign of remorse, a sign of regret, a sign of compassion.

"There was none. I saw the cold heart of an executioner."

 

With his daughter Alyssa, 27, standing next to him holding a framed photograph of her sister, he said: "This is our daughter Vanessa at 23.

"She would have been now 24 years of age. Her future has been taken away by this man, Somchai Visetsingha, as has Adam's.

"She has been denied the opportunity to have children. We have been denied the opportunity to have grandchildren, and that really hurts very deeply, in any culture.

"He thinks that his influence will protect him from justice. I do not believe that will be the case. The people here cry out for justice."

 

Somchai Visetsingha outside court yesterday

Somchai, a former sergeant who has been sacked since the killings in September, is charged with murdering Mr Lloyd, 25, and murdering Miss Arscott in an attempt to conceal the first crime – an offence for which the death penalty, carried out by lethal injection in Thailand, is available.

At a re-enactment of the shootings he said he shot Mr Lloyd because they had had a fight and the Briton had spat in his face, and claimed that he had hit Miss Arscott by accident. Witnesses say that Somchai ran down Miss Arscott in his car as she fled, then shot her three times.

Mr Arscott, 57, who lives in Ashburton, Devon, and works in pharmaceutical sales, said the eyes of the world were on the case.

"If this executioner escapes true justice for his cold-blooded act then I think parents around the world will not consider Thailand a safe or just haven to entrust with their most precious possessions, their children."

Mr Lloyd's father Brian, also 57, a hotel owner in Torquay, said: "We are confident the Thai legal system will see justice done."

As the hearing ended all four family members stood up and again stared at the accused. He looked back at them and brought his hands together in front of his chest, bowing his head in a wai, a Thai gesture of respect and, in some cases, apology.

In court he had spoken only to confirm his not guilty plea, and he did not address the families.

Afterwards he said privately: "I feel sorry. I want to apologise to them."

Mr Arscott said: "I wanted to look him in the eye. I didn't acknowledge him. I just looked straight back at him.

"It's the beginning of the process of justice and it's what we are looking for."

Chris Lloyd, 29, a chartered surveyor and Adam's brother, added: "How can you feel when you know somebody has murdered your brother. What can you say, really?" Following the hearing the group placed wreaths at the spots where the two Britons, both from Devon, died.

Somchai denies murder, but one of the judges warned his lawyer that the defence was not very strong, and that he should carefully consider his plea because, if he was convicted after maintaining his innocence throughout, he would not be eligible for a lighter punishment.

Somchai has been granted bail despite having gone on the run for a month after the killings, and also despite there being fears that witnesses may be intimidated.

The court denied an application by the British families for bail to be revoked.

A date was set next month for the trial to start.

© Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2004. Terms & Conditions of reading.

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this case is getting wide coverage in the uk media and i urge anybody who would like to see justice done in this case to write , phone or e-mail the british embassy asking them to keep making their presence felt and applying suitable pressure to secure a fair result for the victims families.

if this man is freed or shown leniency after admitting gunning down those two tourists then it would only serve to reinforce the growing belief that those who run this country and those with influence here are dragging this country and its mostly wonderful people down into a moral vacuum of corruption and injustice.

i would even start to question whether it would be right for me to remain here.

i dont know why i feel so strongly about this case , but i do.

i think it highlights many of the things that are so downright nasty about thailand , things that the thais are well aware of , but in their blinkered way , just refuse to acknowledge and attempt to put right.

they will do anything for an easy life , avoid confronting the problem so that the problem ,although still there, just ceases to exist.

maybe they do have the government they deserve.

[Bluffer]

Judges Suchart Inprasit and Chokechai Rattanakijanakorn said today that Somchai will not be taken into custody. But Suchart encouraged the suspect to reconsider his plea, saying he didn’t have much of a defence.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

??????? only here surely

judge - listen mate, you havent got a defence, plead guilty

defendant - no

judge - ok, you've got bail again

[thaibebop]

this case is getting wide coverage in the uk media and i urge anybody who would like to see justice done in this case to write , phone or e-mail the british embassy asking them to keep making their presence felt and applying suitable pressure to secure a fair result for the victims families.

if this man is freed or shown leniency after admitting gunning down those two tourists then it would only serve to reinforce the growing belief that those who run this  country and those with influence here  are dragging this country and its mostly wonderful people down into a moral vacuum of corruption and injustice.

i would even start to question whether it would be right for me to remain  here.

i dont know why i feel so strongly about this case , but i do.

i think it highlights many of the things that are so downright nasty about thailand , things that the thais are well aware of , but in their blinkered way , just refuse to acknowledge and attempt to put right.

they will do anything for an easy life , avoid confronting the problem so that the problem ,although still there, just ceases to exist.

maybe they do have the government they deserve.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Do you have the e-mail address for the British Embassy? I would like to add my voice.

[nogutsnoapplepie]

Do you have the e-mail address for the British Embassy? I would like to add my voice.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[email protected]

[nogutsnoapplepie]

Judges allow bail

Pol Sgt Somchai: Still free on bail

KANCHANABURI: Judges ruled yesterday that a policeman accused of killing two young British tourists will remain free on bail, despite requests made by the victims' relatives that he be detained.

Sgt Somchai Visetsingha is accused of killing Adam Lloyd, 25, and Vanessa Arscott, 24, on Sept 9 in the popular tourist town of Kanchanaburi.

Sgt Somchai eluded a massive manhunt for nearly a month, but surrendered to police on Oct 7, and was freed on bail last month after pleading innocent to murder and weapons charges, which carry a maximum penalty of death.

Judges Suchart Inprasit and Chokechai Rattanakijanakorn said yesterday that Sgt Somchai won't be taken into custody. But Mr Suchart encouraged the suspect to reconsider his plea, saying he didn't have much of a defence and that he could get a lesser sentence if he pleaded guilty. Defence lawyer Sukawi Saengpao said he didn't know if his client would change his plea. Trial begins on Jan 13. AP

[Phil Conners]

So if a Thai spits in my face I can shoot him and get away with it?

Or is this the usual racistic way of the Thai legal system: "It's always the foreigners fault: If he had not been here it would not have happened".

SHEESH!

[Erwin1011]

Judges Suchart Inprasit and Chokechai Rattanakijanakorn said today that Somchai will not be taken into custody. But Suchart encouraged the suspect to reconsider his plea, saying he didn’t have much of a defence.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

??????? only here surely

judge - listen mate, you havent got a defence, plead guilty

defendant - no

judge - ok, you've got bail again

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Fail to see the judges logic. Buth then again fail to see it most of the time in LOS

[kat]

Judges Suchart Inprasit and Chokechai Rattanakijanakorn said today that Somchai will not be taken into custody. But Suchart encouraged the suspect to reconsider his plea, saying he didn’t have much of a defence.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

??????? only here surely

judge - listen mate, you havent got a defence, plead guilty

defendant - no

judge - ok, you've got bail again

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, but you left out one important word: "you've got bail again" - RUN.

[mandl]

i dont know why i feel so strongly about this case , but i do.

Perhaps for a couple of reasons:

1 - Most westerners feel that police are hired to serve and protect us, not murder us. and,

2) Next time it might be you (or me, or another TV member) we're dicussing under these same circumstances.

[Backpack_thailand]

Hi BP , what happened yesterday?

Greetings Everyone!

Well the latest news from Kan is the fact that this WONKER of a bloke is back in his restaurant, where all this took place, sitting there with his mates drinking beer/whiskey and laughing his tits off that he's still a free man. All this despite the judge telling him and his lawyer that they had NO DEFENCE!

I can assure you that the ex-pat community here is absolutely fuming at this. A policeman who lives in my Mooban even told me that they are considering some kind of PR exercise aimed at the local expats to try to calm us all down, fearing some kind of attack.

He did also state however that the local police have dis-owned him and are sure he will get what's coming to him. This is a very chilled place for tourists, not like the beach areas of the country and the police have never had to deal with such publicity involving foreigners.

We had a large number of visitors from BKK and surroundings yesterday, just coming to check out the local legal system. As I'm sure most of you can appreciate, although the province of Kan is huge, the Muang district is a small community and all of the authorities know each other, chances are Somchai knows the judge personally.

They weren't letting expats into the courthouse either!

But the trial being set for next month was a shock, in a good way! Most people had predicted it would be at least 9-12 months so maybe they are taking this one seriously....we shall see.

One final point, as one of the biggest critics of the British Embassy here, I have to give credit where it's due. Whenever any kind of action has happened in relation to these events, the Brit Ambassador has been here every time. It would have been easy to send one of his subordinates but he has insisted on coming himself.

The two families are also in town for the hearings. I extend my sympathies to them and hope that they get the justice that they, and all of us, deserve.

All this scares me to death! If this guy walks, it's "open house" for police to start shooting foreigners!

I'll keep my ear to the ground....

[Simbo]

Funny, I haven't heard much response from the " If you don't like this wonderful country, sod off back where you came from" brigade on this subject.

must be all lying low.

[nogutsnoapplepie]

[dr_Pat_Pong]

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Mightn't this be a bit beyond that ? The " sod off " brigade are usually directing comment at the flotsam and jetsam of the expat community. AKA the poverty packers.

[Backpack_thailand]

Funny, I haven't heard much response from the " If you don't like this wonderful country, sod off back where you came from" brigade on this subject.

must be all lying low.

We all know the ups and downs of Thai society and for the most part can live with them. However, this is VERY different. This a question of justice, right and wrong, doesn't matter where it took place!

If the roles were reversed and it was a European who shot tourists in UK, France, Germany ...wherever, I would be just as outraged!

If it was in my home country, I would be incredibly embarrassed!

[thaibebop]

Do you have the e-mail address for the British Embassy? I would like to add my voice.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[email protected]

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

thank you.

[Lioneric]

We must understand the reson behind this story, The killer is trying to protect his country from spying, that is why this whole system look a bit funny.Where can have a police man have 1 million Bt to pay his bail and get special treament?.

[nogutsnoapplepie]

We must understand the reson behind this story, The killer is trying to protect his country from spying, that is why this whole system look a bit funny.Where can have a police man have 1 million Bt  to pay his bail and get special treament?.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Have you been smoking your socks?

[stumonster]

Have you been smoking your socks?

Does that work??

Do you need to remove your feet first?

[_Echinochloa_]

Anymore news about this case?

[Gazza]

Anymore news about this case?

They're just waiting for the witnesses memories to become a little foggier.

[Shrednyneas]

Anymore news about this case?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They're just waiting for the witnesses memories to become a little foggier.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

He is happy with the tsunami. He thinks everybody forgot about him. Forget it.

Shrednyneas