2 Drug Traffickers Executed

[geovalin]

I was vaguely aware that there hadn’t been any executions here in quite a while; any insight into the background of these executions? Why now? How were these two selected? Had they been on death row the longest? Had they exhausted their appeals? Were they the worst offenders? How does this square with Buddhist principles? Does the Monarchy play any role as last arbiter?

Most who favor capital punishment cite the deterrence effect; that knowledge of the punishment prevents people from committing serious crimes. You would think that governments would want to make a huge show of these executions in order to make the public fully aware of the potential punishment and reinforce the deterrence factor. However, it seems in this case, and even in Singapore, they don’t really publicize (yes, there are small announcements in the Straits Times) these executions widely. It almost seems like there is some sort of embarrassment factor at play? (This presents an argument for public executions of course, but many find that idea repugnant preferring to have executions performed with as small an audience as possible.)

Have there been any recent ABAC polls re: capital punishment?

You ask the good questions in your first paragraph.

Poll: Thai population is favorable to death punishment at 60 - 65 % but this is not a good reason to do not change things.

30 years ago French population was at a slight majority for death penalty. However President Mitterrand abolished it. A few years later, and of course now, nearly all French refuse this barbaric treatment.

Yes, I know I should not have written "barbaric" as the topic of the thread is not the death penalty. Sorry about that. Useless to reply.

[sukhumvitlegend]

Rest In Peace.

nobody knows the circumstances that led them to do what they did, but surely nobody wishes death upon anybody, when far more horrific crimes are carried out in this country with incomprable sentances.

It is a shame Thailland has done this and what prompted them to do so after so long.

My thoughts with their family

[Westerner]

I wonder how many times these two drug traffickers got away with it, and how many lives they ruined. Well, they won't be able to ruin any more, that's for sure. Thank you God, Buddha, Allah etc.

[meom]

methamphetamine or ya ba is a nasty drug to kick for those addicted. Worse that alcohol or heroin.

No medical use?

Try explaining that to the medical establishment in the US for example where thousands of children are put on amphetamines such as Adderal, Desoxyn etc. because they're looking out of the window in school due to their so called attention deficit disorder.

[Geekfreaklover]

Not at all.

If they are shown publically at least it could be ascertained whether or not these people are being executed humanly. Executing via lethal injection is a complicated process and even in the US they've messed it up so badly on many occasions that they had to put a hold on further executions until it could be discussed in court and methods could be improved.

Ah yes that non-litigious nation the USA.

I don't believe in capital punishment for any crime, but televising it for the public will I expect see a massive increase in people wanting to watch criminals die. It would be prime time viewing. And the resultant pressure on more death penalties be handed out by courts. It's human nature to want to see other people suffer. That's why have reality show like 'Pop Idol' on TV.

Leave public executions back in 19th century western countries, or the places that still show it. I don't think it will do any good. If we follow your argument through, should we have cameras in prisons so we can see they are not being mistreated?

[TAWP]

I wonder who made this decision.

Who? : The present Democratic Government and I doubt very much if PM Abhisit Vejjajiva didn't know.

This is not a decision easily made and must have been a topic, discussed by the top in the Government.

If it was a wise decision remains to be seen.

LaoPo

A decision regarding execution isn't done by the government, no?

That would be a clear issue with separation of power of the judicial and legislative branches.

[Geekfreaklover]

methamphetamine or ya ba is a nasty drug to kick for those addicted. Worse that alcohol or heroin.

No medical use?

Try explaining that to the medical establishment in the US for example where thousands of children are put on amphetamines such as Adderal, Desoxyn etc. because they're looking out of the window in school due to their so called attention deficit disorder.

You are of course referring to that retativly new 'condition' ADD (attention deficiency disorder) the drug treatment of choice in the UK I think is called Ritalin. And actually it is prescribed for hyper active children. It's interesting that athphemtamines have the opposite effect on children than on adults. It calms them down and supposdly helps them concentrate. Im not a doctor but one would suggest hormones are at play in how the drug reacts.

Anyhow, I have an newphew who was diagnosed with ADD and was on a form of speed. He came to stay with me for three weeks and I stopped giving him the drug because he didn't like taking it. His mood improved and his concentration sharpened after I stopped the drug.

I do not see a medical reason for giving speed to kids and think ADD(if such a thing even exists) could be treated in better more effective ways.

Anyway meth, ice, ya ba is a lot more habit forming and damgerous than prescription amphetamine. I still don't see any real medical use for it.

Edited August 25, 2009 by Geekfreaklover

[rkidlad]

Death by injection; how Bhuddist.

I met a Thai man once who said he enjoyed archery. I asked him if he ever hunted animals to which his reply was 'no way! I'm Bhuddist' I replied 'you do eat animals though?' To which he replied 'yes'. (Hunting and eating animals is wrong don't you know)

I don't agree with executing people for their crimes. The reason for this is; what happens when you condemn an innocent man to death? You've negated every other execution before.

Lad Yao = Talk is cheap. You don't know what you'd do to one of you own until it happens. Please don't speak if you have no experience on this. I have a daughter and if she was caught selling Yabba, yea, i'd be pissed, but disown her? No <deleted>*king way!

[clausewitz]

the current governemnt is getting some heat because drug use is edging up again.

Can't be seen to be laxer on drugs than Thaksin...

[xminator]

This government is really hellbent on getting into the 3rd world country club... Coups, court drama and executions. Whats next on the list? Torture?

[geovalin]

A decision regarding execution isn't done by the government, no?

That would be a clear issue with separation of power of the judicial and legislative branches.

I like your humor.

:-)

Anyway, the problem is the "pardon", "mercy".

All these 163 guys are sentenced but they could be NOT killed if they are pardoned.

I guess / hope than most of them will not be eliminated. If the 163 was slaughtered, it would be one of the biggest abattoirs of the world.

[xminator]

I wonder why they chose to execute convicted drug dealers rather than convicted murderers ?

Hopefully, it will be the murderers turn next, in fact, they ought to expedite the deaths of all those on death row - once their appeals have failed of course.

Who the <deleted> do you people think you are? God?

Christ, there are some neanderthal life forms who post on here....

As a father who lost his youngest son (See my earlier post's) to drugs and watched as my family came apart at the core owing to the loss and self blame.

I write again what I put a year or two ago.

I would flick the switch, pull the trigger, press the syringe and throw the lever.

If doing so meant that those that had peddled carnage, leaving in their wake torment, anguish and death where no longer able to.

To all you do-gooders and tree huggers out there, you will change your view when its your son in the coffin being covered by soil. The wrong person was inside.

Parents should never.......never, ever bury their children.

Then you would have buried your children AND become a murderer. As for drugs. Say no. No market no crime. The user have themself to blame, the family have themselfs and the victim to blame. You wont blame the seller or maker of the gun if someone shot your relative. Yes, this is a very direct and personal post, but you did bring it to the table.

There is absolutely nothing that proves capital punishment deters furter crime. The exact same effect - protecting the society from these to men, could be achieved by holding them in jail.

[h90]

what a shame for Thailand!

Murdering people even if they are guilty is wrong.

[Mosha]

Yes, they should do what civilised countries do. Lock 'em up, give them 3 square meals a day, meanwhile OAPs stay in bed all day because they can't afford the heating bill.

[hazz]

Its nice to see that so many of the mail mail readers and red necks have regained their faith in the reliability of thai justice system. Which as we know is, impartial, free of political, influence, bias and has never never fitted any one up or convicted an innocent person.

[Travel2003]

what a shame for Thailand!

Murdering people even if they are guilty is wrong.

Before slagging Thailand for practising it, I believe we should first look into some other countries, which claim to be more civilized, but still carry out this type of penalty.

One very big country in the west, which claims to be the great beacon of democracy, freedom, honesty, etc, practice the death penalty in many of it's member states.

If countries like that stopped it, then other countries might follow.

I belong to the group "undecided" when it comes to the death penalty.

One big problem with it I guess is the fact that sooner or later an innocent person will be executed.

But I understand that we all change when it comes to our own families (personal vicitms of crime).

Would you not execute Adolf Hitler? I think we all agree about the fact that he was guilty of the worst crimes possible.

Please dont use the argument to keep him alive as a "study case", etc.

[NUMBNUTTS]

Public executions would deter both the user and potential dealer alike.

The reason there is this global moral decay is because we hide the punishment from public view.

Simply because some liberal pot head decries capital punishment does not make it right for 90% of the populace.

Go to Africa to see what decimation pot, booze, drugs, HIV & AIDS have done to millions.

Those people have no hope of repatriation into society and are lost forever.

Time to buy a good bottle of Whiskey.

[doggie888888]

What i cannot understand is how so many posters in thaivisa believe there are scams a plenty in Thailand that ensnare innocents (scams that involve police framing innocents, no less) and also how the legal system here is skewed and corrupted so that it is possible that an innocent person is wrongly convicted...and yet these same posters beleive it to be OK to sentence someone to their death in such an environment?

Supporting the death penalty when you are harbouring more than a reasonable doubt about the "system" that convicted them says a lot about these type of people who posts on thaivisa.

[TAWP]

I think all executions should be public.

The death penalty should be a last measure of resort and if it is done in public (i.e on tv, not in a park) people that call themselves morally higher than others can see the act and know they are all a part of the collective responsibility of the murder. And some times society has the right to murder someone, just as 9 people on a boat has the right to throw the tenth of if he endangers the life's of the others. But than it can only be done if everyone involved shares the collective guilt.

Hopefully this will also make sure it is only carried out when utterly needed and not like candy from a pez-dispenser like in some countries...

[Scully]

As a father who lost his youngest son (See my earlier post's) to drugs and watched as my family came apart at the core owing to the loss and self blame.

I write again what I put a year or two ago.

I would flick the switch, pull the trigger, press the syringe and throw the lever.

If doing so meant that those that had peddled carnage, leaving in their wake torment, anguish and death where no longer able to.

To all you do-gooders and tree huggers out there, you will change your view when its your son in the coffin being covered by soil. The wrong person was inside.

Parents should never.......never, ever bury their children.

Then you would have buried your children AND become a murderer. As for drugs. Say no. No market no crime. The user have themself to blame, the family have themselfs and the victim to blame. You wont blame the seller or maker of the gun if someone shot your relative. Yes, this is a very direct and personal post, but you did bring it to the table.

There is absolutely nothing that proves capital punishment deters furter crime. The exact same effect - protecting the society from these to men, could be achieved by holding them in jail.

When I was younger I had a very serious drug problem (heroin) and was given it when I was 15 years old. You say just say no but you fail to realise pushers target kids.

The only reason for these two deaths is to send a warning to pushers that it is not acceptable and if this stops one person trying to make money from drugs then it has worked.

Until you are involved in drugs either be it yourself or your family then and only then will you know how this father feels.

Hard drugs are evil and I wouldnt wish that way of life on my worst enemy.

[geovalin]

Would you not execute Adolf Hitler?

no

[Mosha]

Oh aye keep him locked up until he's no longer a treat to society. Or he converts to Christianity.

[LaoPo]

I wonder who made this decision.

Who? : The present Democratic Government and I doubt very much if PM Abhisit Vejjajiva didn't know.

This is not a decision easily made and must have been a topic, discussed by the top in the Government.

If it was a wise decision remains to be seen.

LaoPo

A decision regarding execution isn't done by the government, no?

That would be a clear issue with separation of power of the judicial and legislative branches.

I don't know TAWP...I don't know.

But, who decided to stop the executions end 2002 when the last one was executed...? The Judicial and legislative branches as you put it ? Or was it the government who decided to halt executions ?

Isn't the Judicial and Legislative system part of the government although in name (in Thailand) they are not?; didn't the last coup-initiators have the laws changed to their benefit and thus surpassing the de-facto Judicial system and laws ?

Aargghh...TiT

Note:

if you have a look at the statistics, below, one can see how many crimes in the drug-scene have been committed in 2008 alone.

The 2 executed drug traffickers were caught in 2001....

SO: what does Thailand have in petto for us in the future.....? hundreds of executions for drug trafficking and hundreds more for murders, committed in and since 2001 ?

drugs_statistics_thsailand_Arrested2008.pdf Statistics on Drug Cases throughout the Country, January 1 – December 31, 2008

LaoPo

[Geekfreaklover]

When I was younger I had a very serious drug problem (heroin) and was given it when I was 15 years old. You say just say no but you fail to realise pushers target kids.

The only reason for these two deaths is to send a warning to pushers that it is not acceptable and if this stops one person trying to make money from drugs then it has worked.

Until you are involved in drugs either be it yourself or your family then and only then will you know how this father feels.

Hard drugs are evil and I wouldnt wish that way of life on my worst enemy.

If you knew anything about drugs and addiction then you would know that the three biggest killers are alcohol, tobacco and prescribed medication. Which are all legal.

The withdrawal from acute alcohol or barbituate dependence can kill. Heroin withdrawel, whilst very unpleasent, rarely results in a fatality.

If we spent a fraction of the money spent on fighting drug trafficing and reinvested that money in rehabilatation programs (free to users) that would be money well spent. And think of the money left over we could use for education. At the same time we would take all the glamour associated with ilegal drug use away. We could put age limits on it, so a lad of 15, like yourself wouldn't be pushed on in the street.

I think history tells us something when we look at prohibition in the United states. As a direct result of banning booze an orginazed criminal mafia took ahold of the cities much in the same way that by drugs being ilegal we have orginzed gangs nowadays.

Of course there is too much money invested in fighting drugs to listen to reason.

Whilst I agree that methaphetamine is a nasty drug and these criminals deserve what they get for operating in a country where they knew the laws, I think we should be looking forward to treating people with drug problems. Not looking back into the murky past of public execution. The problem is a medical one and a social one and should be treated as such.

In short: Lock up the dealers and treat the addicts

Edited August 25, 2009 by Geekfreaklover

[NUMBNUTTS]

At least one soul has a firm grip on reality - the rest are simply riding herd.

If you again look at countries in Africa - where discipline is nonexistent - disease, death & destruction are paramount.

I applaud Thailand for having the gonads, and deplore those who are contributing - you are all equally culpable.

I would flick the switch, pull the trigger, press the syringe and throw the lever.

[Geekfreaklover]

At least one soul has a firm grip on reality - the rest are simply riding herd.

If you again look at countries in Africa - where discipline is nonexistent - disease, death & destruction are paramount.

I applaud Thailand for having the gonads, and deplore those who are contributing - you are all equally culpable.

I would flick the switch, pull the trigger, press the syringe and throw the lever.

Whats the Africa link numbnuts?

You think Africans should start killing each other more than they already are - or what?

I don't get it.

Edited August 25, 2009 by Geekfreaklover

[christcourt]

Who the <deleted> do you people think you are? God?

Christ, there are some neanderthal life forms who post on here....

I don't believe in God & I hate criminal sympathisers.

You don't have to be a criminal sympathiser to realise that the old testament "eye for an eye" is simply a barbaric refuge for the intellectually challenged.

You seem unhinged at the neck!!! This is about two criminals that were caught with over 100.000 tablets of pure misery for families who sons daughters, husbands etc get hooked on.

The Two criminals were not related to anyone on this forum and if they were then they deserve the highest penalty which in Thailand is the death sentence. I for one am not religious and if one of my family were doing the same then so be it. There has to be a CLEAR message sent to everyone that selling illegal drugs pays the highest penalty as murderers because in the end Lethal Drugs Kill !!!!!!

[TAWP]

At least one soul has a firm grip on reality - the rest are simply riding herd.

If you again look at countries in Africa - where discipline is nonexistent - disease, death & destruction are paramount.

I applaud Thailand for having the gonads, and deplore those who are contributing - you are all equally culpable.

I would flick the switch, pull the trigger, press the syringe and throw the lever.

Whats the Africa link numbnuts?

You think Africans should start killing each other more than they already are - or what?

I don't get it.

He might not even realize that Morocco, Egypt, Liberia and other north-African countries are indeed located in...Africa.

[KevinBloodyWilson]

I wonder who made this decision.

Who? : The present Democratic Government and I doubt very much if PM Abhisit Vejjajiva didn't know.

This is not a decision easily made and must have been a topic, discussed by the top in the Government.

If it was a wise decision remains to be seen.

LaoPo

A decision regarding execution isn't done by the government, no?

That would be a clear issue with separation of power of the judicial and legislative branches.

I don't know TAWP...I don't know.

But, who decided to stop the executions end 2002 when the last one was executed...? The Judicial and legislative branches as you put it ? Or was it the government who decided to halt executions ?

Isn't the Judicial and Legislative system part of the government although in name (in Thailand) they are not?; didn't the last coup-initiators have the laws changed to their benefit and thus surpassing the de-facto Judicial system and laws ?

Aargghh...TiT

Note:

if you have a look at the statistics, below, one can see how many crimes in the drug-scene have been committed in 2008 alone.

The 2 executed drug traffickers were caught in 2001....

SO: what does Thailand have in petto for us in the future.....? hundreds of executions for drug trafficking and hundreds more for murders, committed in and since 2001 ?

drugs_statistics_thsailand_Arrested2008.pdf Statistics on Drug Cases throughout the Country, January 1 – December 31, 2008

LaoPo

There is a very good question in here.

If the Thais have not executed people sentenced to death for 6+ years, why was that? Why have they started now? and what is it that has changed? Is there more to this than meets the eye? Something has changed after 6+ years.

An impending more draconian conservative approach? I don't know. But I would like to

[JUDAS]

Whilst there are occasionally crimes reported were my gut reaction is that the perpetrators should hang, I still think that the best deterrent / punishment is life in prison. I've said this before on TV but I'll say it again. I cannot imagine anything worse than being locked up in a cell without hope, ambition, dreams for the future etc, with every day a carbon copy of the previous. IMHO a life sentence which actually means life is a greater punishment than a death sentence.