Testimony Begins In Kanchanaburi Cop Killer Case

[ferd54]

From The Telegraph:

Thai police officer 'shot Britons after he took a bad beating'

By Andrew Chant in Kanchanaburi

(Filed: 14/01/2005)

The British backpacker Adam Lloyd was shot dead just moments after giving a Thai police officer a "severe beating" and the screams of his girlfriend were heard seconds before the unmistakable sound of her murder, witnesses told a court in Thailand yesterday.

Telegraph Mortgage Services

On the opening day of the policeman's trial in Kanchanaburi, 100 miles of west of the Thai capital, Bangkok, the court heard of the minutes leading up to the murder of Mr Lloyd, 25, from Torquay, and Vanessa Arscott, 24, from Ashburton, both Devon.

But as Master Sergeant Somchai Wisetsingh took a seat in a front pew in the court, none of the four prosecution witnesses was willing to name him as the man who carried out the killings by the River Kwai last September.

Nonglak Rattanachart, 38, spoke vividly of the beating the police sergeant received. "I saw a foreign man, whom I now know as Adam, chase Somchai around his car beating and kicking him," she said.

"He was shouting, 'F*** You!' repeatedly.

"Somchai put his hands up to give in but the foreigner was very angry. Somchai ran back to his car and locked himself in.

"The foreigner then went up to the car and kicked it so hard his shoe came off. He then walked off. Somchai followed in his car and Adam threw something at it. It may have been his shoe."

She later heard three gunshots, then, after another period, another three gunshots.

Her husband, Jansiri Rattanachart, 40, confirmed her story, saying he witnessed the beating from their house only 10 yards away. "At one point the girl came back and shouted, 'Stop it' and Somchai put his hands up in a form of submission," he said. "But the foreigner would not stop."

After Somchai got back in his car he followed them slowly, said Mr Jansiri.

"I went to the toilet and then when I came out I heard the shots. First I heard two or three shots, then a squeal of tyres, as if someone was trying to drive themselves out of a jam.

"Then I heard a woman's cries for help. They were much more urgent than when the girl was trying to get the men to stop fighting."

Asked how he knew that Somchai was in the fight, Mr Jansiri said he had known him since childhood.

The first witness to testify told the court that he hardly saw anything and had not seen Somchai on the night of the shootings at all.

He said he had seen "a foreign lady" come out of the S & S restaurant Somchai owned and walk towards him.

"She was upset and seemed a little drunk," he said. "She asked for a glass of water and I gave one to her. She then went back into the restaurant."

Later he heard raised voices coming from the restaurant. Two foreigners came out. The man tried to hold the woman's arm but she pulled it away. "They then walked off past me," said the witness.

Somchat Sukplawej, 34, a security guard who said he earned about £25 a month on night duty at a restaurant opposite the S & S, said he saw Somchai try to pull Miss Arscott into his car.

"But the lady did not get in. She was crying," he said.

Mr Somchat said he followed Somchai's car and saw the fight. Then he saw Somchai following the couple in his car. They went around a corner and he saw nothing after that but he heard shots and saw Miss Arscott's body by an electricity pylon and Mr Lloyd's body outside a motorcycle repair shop.

All witnesses said they had seen Somchai appear on Thai television and admit killing Mr Lloyd but said he had no choice because Mr Lloyd looked down on him, spat at him and beat him

All agreed that the incident was bad for the Thai tourist industry.

The case continues today. Thai police officer 'shot Britons after he took a bad beating'

By Andrew Chant in Kanchanaburi

(Filed: 14/01/2005)

/deleted double paste

Edited January 17, 2005 by Darknight

[ProfessorFart]

Hmmmmmmmm!!

Seems strange this is the first we're hearing of this 'fight'

[udon]

"IF" a proper autopsy was done on Adam Lloyd, he would have severe bruising and scapes on his knuckles and hands, "IF" he beat the <deleted> out the copper.

I can smell coverup & BS from here!

[Simbo]

I suspect a verdict of justifiable homicide, self defence is on it's way.

[taxexile]

they may be able to justify adams murder as a form of self defence but will they have the audacity to justify the running down with the car and the subsequent shooting of his girlfriend as in any way justifiable ?

[Erwin1011]

killing the girl was self defence to. She could have told the real story!

[igotworms]

Nah...there's no way this hothead will escape his fate...this pig's gonna fry.

[ProfessorFart]

Lets hope he gets his just deserts!

[penzman]

Any pictures of Somchai taken after the incident and showing bruises?

Nope....

[WISteve]

"Any pictures of Somchai taken after the incident and showing bruises?"

Of course not, because he was fleeing prosecution to Burma!!! To a court in any other part of the world the acts of a suspect after the crimes would weigh heavily. But you can just smell a "fix" in the air...

They will cook-up an excuse for the poor lady as well. No matter how far-fetched.

Strange how this was never mentioned by the suspect when he admitted the killing before, huh???

The witnesses are wrong about one thing: it will be FAR WORSE for tourism when this guy walks.

~WISteve

[eljeque]

The Tsunami wioll not destroy Thailand's tourism year, nor its industry. But this incident, wuill not only keep Brits away, but the Brits will let all of the rest of Europe know as well, and this will cost the Thai tourism industry a lot more than they know.

[Golf]

Save face, save face, and save face.

Man 1: "He killed 2 Brites?"

Man 2 : "Yeah, but we will have to save him."

Man 1: "Why?"

Man 2: "He is Thai so we need to save him."

Man 1: "But he's a killer! He already confessed it."

Man 2: "Never mind. We can cook a new story."

Man 1: "How?"

Man 2: "Well, let say he was insulted and beaten up by them and he needed to save his dignity. How's that?"

Man 1: "Yeah! That sounds great. But what about the girl?"

Man 2: "Ok, say she was trying to get a gun from him. During the fight, the bullets accidently hit her. All three of them."

Man 1: "This even better!"

Man 2: "We also paid the judges and witnesses a handsome money. They will help him."

Man 1: "You're a genious!"

[Artisi]

I think every Brit who reads this thread should / must email the British consulate and point out most strongly that only a rule of law decision is acceptable. No bullshit, no cover up's, no 3rd rate comedy excuses.

[Backpack_thailand]

Nah...there's no way this hothead will escape his fate...this pig's gonna fry.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Let's hope so!

[udon]

Has the case been adjourned?

Have heard nothing about it for a few days!

BP, what's happening, you live there.....

[Richard W]

<Snip>

Man 1:  "Yeah!  That sounds great.  But what about the girl?"

Man 2:  "Ok, say she was trying to get a gun from him.  During the fight, the bullets accidently hit her.  All three of them."

Man 1:  "This even better!"

Man 2:  "We also paid the judges and witnesses a handsome money.  They will help him."

Man 1:  "You're a genious!"

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They've got a better one for this. Hit and run accident! It's already been claimed that she was already dead when she was shot. Possibly it wasn't even 'and run'. He did stop and make sure there was nothing that could be done for her before he ran.

[Backpack_thailand]

Has the case been adjourned?

Have heard nothing about it for a few days!

BP, what's happening, you live there.....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Greets All,

There's a bizarre situation going on here. No foreigners are being allowed in to the courtroom for the testimonies of Thai witnesses...! Only a VERY select few!

We know that something's up because even a healthy backhander couldn't help presuade those those that are "guarding" the doors. When trying to speak with policemen, immigration officials, local government people about this, they can't change the subject quickly enough!

As you've all read, so far it's a case of all Thai witnesses stating that "I didn't really see anything", all except the barman who didn't see ANYTHING!

Me and a friend are going down there again on Monday with a Thai guy, a respected local figure so hopefully we'll have a bit more joy. A friend of mine is due here this weekend and he's a freelance journo currently covering this for The Sun newspaper, he certainly doesn't care what needs to be done to get the story!

The prosecutor seems to be not that bothered if he wins this case. He didn't even cross examine a couple of these witnesses! Most of us presume he knows the defendent as they're both local men and he's frightened for his life!

The feeling locally however is that the absolute worse case scenario will be that he gets done for manslaughter on account of self-defence...!

The Brit ambassador is here next week as well, so maybe things will take a more "professional" turn....

This geezer HAS to fry! If not, it's open house for Thais to start shooting foreigners knowing that they'll get away with it.

Thai justice at it's best!

[Golf]

Good to know that you are stick with this case, Backpack_thailand. Thanks for being so informative and supportive. Thai legal system, no, I think a whole Thai society is at it's VERY best. I really hope that this absolute scumbag will receive life in prison. Death sentence is too easy and too kind for this guy.

Best of luck when you're there doing the right thing and please be safe!

Golf

[chuchok]

Good work BP.The way that this is going,I certainly hope that the foreign media get stuck in.

[Backpack_thailand]

Back Again...

Been down to the courthouse today for a nose around and to see if we can get in. I was told by a copper down there who I know quite well tha t it would be in my "best interest" to stay away from this trial! He pointed out that I have a young family to think about!

If that doesn't enhance the fact that something fishy is going on I don't what does! This copper knows that I can speak very good Thai and would be able to tell people the "real truth" about proceedings. No "normal" foreigners are allowed in, just press people.

Curiouser and curiouser....

[taxexile]

i trust you are passing on your experiences to your friends in the uk press.??

and ... who does the translation for the foriegn press ?

Edited January 25, 2005 by taxexile

[JemJem]

My guess is he will be sentenced to jail but possibly the lowest possible sentence.....and the sentencing will only happen because the people murdered were British citizens and as we all know, unfortunately in this world, the 'worth' of a human being is often determined by nationality/race. There has been a lot of outcry from the British and other 'Western' media so it will be very hard for this guy to get away with it completely.

Imagine if the murdered people were not British but were from a 'Third World Country', say for instance from Belarus, Nepal or Guatemala. The case would have been thrown out by now already.

Just wanted to put a different side to the discussion.

Sad and unfair world we live in !

Regards,

Jem

Edited January 25, 2005 by JemJem

[The_Eye_Of_Sauron]

Kanchanaburi needs tourists more than ever now.

The riverbanks are empty, and now is a better time than ever to come.

(Bring a flak jacket and kevlar hemlet)

[kat]

My guess is he will be sentenced to jail but possibly the lowest possible sentence.....and the sentencing will only happen because the people murdered were British citizens and as we all know, unfortunately in this world, the 'worth' of a human being is often determined by nationality/race. There has been a lot of outcry from the British and other 'Western' media so it will be very hard for this guy to get away with it completely.

Imagine if the murdered people were not British but were from a 'Third World Country', say for instance from Belarus, Nepal or Guatemala. The case would have been thrown out by now already.

Just wanted to put a different side to the discussion.

Sad and unfair world we live in !

Regards,

Jem

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, or if they were other Thais with no money. It is indeed a sad world, but TIT.

[Nam Kao]

The Tsunami wioll not destroy Thailand's tourism year, nor its industry.  But this incident, wuill not only keep Brits away, but the Brits will let all of the rest of Europe know as well, and this will cost the Thai tourism industry a lot more than they know.

Count us Yanks in too

This is BS

[penzman]

Back Again...

Been down to the courthouse today for a nose around and to see if we can get in. I was told by a copper down there who I know quite well tha t it would be in my "best interest" to stay away from this trial! He pointed out that I have a young family to think about!

If that doesn't enhance the fact that something fishy is going on I don't what does! This copper knows that I can speak very good Thai and would be able to tell people the "real truth" about proceedings. No "normal" foreigners are allowed in, just press people.

Curiouser and curiouser....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What a treat it would be if you could show up on the front steps with a leading U.K journalist and a camera crew and the whole media circus and have them say something like that to you, make the Thai justice system sh!t it's pants...

It's unbelievable that something like this can happen and that the same government begs for tourists to visit LOS after the tragic events down South. There is clearly not enough information getting through the rest of the world from here.

[udon]

BP , thanks for the update.

How many farang journos are allowed in and who does the translating for them?

Any reports in UK press this week?

"Boycott Kanchanaburi"

[eljeque]

Mr. Udon:

Besides your having the best little cat picture - which incientally I have added to my screen saver, I agree with your idea of simply boycotting Kanchanburi as it is dangerous as long as this guy is wandering around, and it is being shown that the Kanchanaburi government is not going to seriously punish this guy for his actions.

[The_Eye_Of_Sauron]

The message should be "DO NOT COME TO THAILAND"

This is not a civilized tourist destination. Go to the Caribbean instead.

I sincerely wish it was a place for tourists, but it is not anymore. Thailand has had the chance and screwed it up.

I was born close to Ashburton and Torquay (home of the travellers) and know these towns very well.

This policeman and the magistrate are probably banging out a deal where he goes inside for 30 years, and then is quietly let out after 3 months.

They won't be so silly as to give the impression of full exoneration.

If he'd shot a Thai person in cold blood (especially one who he could label as a 'Drug Dealer') he'd be getting a medal pinned to his chest, so reflect on that.

[pedro01]

Is this in court on a daily basis now ?

If so - why aren't we reading updates in the English language papers out here... ?