Securing bail with a swipe of the card

By The Nation

Published on August 8, 2009

Securing bail with a swipe of the card

Defendants in criminal cases can now obtain bail for temporary release by swiping their credit cards - a new service available initially at a few courts in Bangkok.

The new service can also be used to pay fines in criminal cases, by the defendants themselves or their relaฌtives, said Sarawuth Benjakul, a deputy Courts of Justice Office (COJF) secretarygeneral. The credฌitcard payment has earlier been tried in civil courts.

The "credit cards accepted" courts are the Criminal Court, the Thon Buri Criminal Court, the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court and the Bangkok North Municipal Court. More courts across the country are preparing to accept credit cards in their bailout and finepayment proฌcedures, he said.

The COJF is now working on makฌing the finepayment service availฌable at courts other than the ones that order the fines. He did not say when this service might be provided.

COJF spokesman Prasong Mahaleetrakool said trial use of credฌit cardpayment had also been conฌducted since June 15 at the Civil Court, the Southern Bangkok Civil Court and the Thon Buri Civil Court, and experienced no technical or proฌcedural problems.

Sangiam Bunjan, secretarygenฌeral of the Law Society of Thailand, which governs lawyers, said he and other lawyers welcomed the creditcard payment, as it was convenient and quick. He proposed that credit cards could be left with court officials without being swiped, and be returned to defendants when they show up at the right time and date.

Guarantees of bail are now made through cash or in lengthy procedures involving proof of land ownership documents. There are many lawsuits between defendants or their relatives and people who make a living as guarฌantors and then lose their money when defendants show up late or escape.

-- The Nation 2009/08/08

He proposed that credit cards could be left with court officials without being swiped, and be returned to defendants when they show up at the right time and date.

Such a stupid idea on so many levels.

He proposed that credit cards could be left with court officials without being swiped, and be returned to defendants when they show up at the right time and date.

Such a stupid idea on so many levels.

Agree, and I suspect against the terms and conditions of the card issuer, I think you would be safer leaving your card behind the bar in Soi Nana.

I think they don't know enough about Credit Cards!

Against terms and conditions.

Wouldn't trust the Court Officials anyway.

Wouldn't trust the Lawyers.

Nothing to stop the perp. from just going and reporting the card stolen and getting it stopped immediately. Hence, bail free! Leave the country quick......

Edited August 8, 200916 yr by joskydive

Moved to News Clippings forum.

Sangiam Bunjan, secretarygenฌeral of the Law Society of Thailand, which governs lawyers, said he and other lawyers welcomed the creditcard payment, as it was convenient and quick. He proposed that credit cards could be left with court officials without being swiped, and be returned to defendants when they show up at the right time and date.

Wow! Is this the quality of legal representation one can expect?

Maybe he recommends leaving behind a blank signed statement as well...

Sangiam Bunjan, secretarygenฌeral of the Law Society of Thailand, which governs lawyers, said he and other lawyers welcomed the creditcard payment, as it was convenient and quick. He proposed that credit cards could be left with court officials without being swiped, and be returned to defendants when they show up at the right time and date.

Wow! Is this the quality of legal representation one can expect?

Maybe he recommends leaving behind a blank signed statement as well...

Having said that, It is about time they started getting away from the bundles of cash mentality.

Dont forget to add 3 per cent though!

Hello, maybe the BIB will escort people to an atm to pay a fine so they will not have to go to a jail. This bail plan does not smell good, and it seems partial to farang.

Why don't they just get one of the many BIB approved money lenders to advance the money at 10% a day which is about the going rate?

If they skip bail, I would reckon these gangs have a much better bet of retrieving it anywhere in the world.

That said, don't bail bondsman exist in this country? I mean it should be right up the street of some dodgy underground figure, with a jewel encrusted rolex and too much dodgy gold hanging around their neck.

As for setting up a special agency to apprehend the thousands of people who have arrest warrants on them, I can see that just perfect for Somchai the bounty hunter. On the basis that the BIB are completely inept, why not let the privateers have a go?

Securing bail with a swipe of the card

By The Nation

Published on August 8, 2009

Securing bail with a swipe of the card

Defendants in criminal cases can now obtain bail for temporary release by swiping their credit cards - a new service available initially at a few courts in Bangkok.

The new service can also be used to pay fines in criminal cases, by the defendants themselves or their relaฌtives, said Sarawuth Benjakul, a deputy Courts of Justice Office (COJF) secretarygeneral. The credฌitcard payment has earlier been tried in civil courts.

The "credit cards accepted" courts are the Criminal Court, the Thon Buri Criminal Court, the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court and the Bangkok North Municipal Court. More courts across the country are preparing to accept credit cards in their bailout and finepayment proฌcedures, he said.

The COJF is now working on makฌing the finepayment service availฌable at courts other than the ones that order the fines. He did not say when this service might be provided.

COJF spokesman Prasong Mahaleetrakool said trial use of credฌit cardpayment had also been conฌducted since June 15 at the Civil Court, the Southern Bangkok Civil Court and the Thon Buri Civil Court, and experienced no technical or proฌcedural problems.

Sangiam Bunjan, secretarygenฌeral of the Law Society of Thailand, which governs lawyers, said he and other lawyers welcomed the creditcard payment, as it was convenient and quick. He proposed that credit cards could be left with court officials without being swiped, and be returned to defendants when they show up at the right time and date.

Guarantees of bail are now made through cash or in lengthy procedures involving proof of land ownership documents. There are many lawsuits between defendants or their relatives and people who make a living as guarฌantors and then lose their money when defendants show up late or escape.

-- The Nation 2009/08/08

An early draft for next years April 1 news report.

Edited August 8, 200916 yr by Artisi

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As for setting up a special agency to apprehend the thousands of people who have arrest warrants on them, I can see that just perfect for Somchai the bounty hunter. On the basis that the BIB are completely inept, why not let the privateers have a go?

I would hope, if done, it is included on list of allowed professions so one can get a work permit in having such a business, as there are some people with experience usable in this field living here...

Open season for credit card fraud..............

Thailand definitely makes you smile.

Hello, maybe the BIB will escort people to an atm to pay a fine so they will not have to go to a jail. This bail plan does not smell good, and it seems partial to farang.

They already have this system in place, all they propose in effect is to get rid of the "middleman", thus more "profit."

See Bangkok International Airport scams.