Thailand Cop Accused Of Killing Britons Blames "sp

[chiangrai57020]

Thailand cop accused of killing Britons blames "spy"

California. April 10, 2005. A Thai police sergeant accused of murdering two young British backpackers in 2004 pleaded his innocence and said, in remarks published today, that the killings were actually done by his informant.

"It wasn't me, it was my informant," Somchai Visetsing, 40, told the court, the Nation newspaper reported.

Somchai is standing trial for the September 10 shooting murders of Adam Lloyd, 25, and Vanessa Arscott, 23, near the Bridge on the River Kwai in western Kanchanburi province.

Thai police have said Somchai confessed to the shootings, but blamed Lloyd for starting a row.

Somchai testified yesterday that although he did not own a gun and had to borrow one from his colleagues, his drug investigations informant Ya, or Drug, had a .38 calibre revolver.

"Nobody knows Ya, not even my boss," the Nation quoted Somchai as saying.

"He's one of my spies, and I cover for him. I don't know his phone number, address or real name. But I've used him on 10 investigations."

The court also heard Somchai's confession was coerced because he was in a room full of police generals who told him it was in the "national interest" that he confess, the Nation reported.

A television interview in which Somchai apologised to Arscott's family was also coerced, the report said.

Somchai told the trial he met Lloyd and Arscott at a restaurant, and then offered Arscott a lift home.

But before they went far, Lloyd got out of the car and began arguing with Arscott, then returned to punch Somchai in the face, kicking him repeatedly until Somchai passed out, the paper reported.

Somchai said that when he awoke, a police colleague and Ya were there. Somchai said they wanted revenge, but he told them not to hurt the Britons, lent his car to Ya, and went to bed.

Ya called Somchai the next morning to say he'd "done" the backpackers, and for Somchai to be careful because he might be blamed, Somchai told the court.

Somchai then fled to Burma but was handed to Thai border officials by the Karen National Liberation Army after a month on the run.

He fled rather than be arrested because he put half the 2,000 people in Kanchanaburi prison and did not want to join them, the Nation reported.

The trial continues.

NOTE: This is my first posting and probably my last. I DO NOT understand how to use News Topics. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Edited May 20, 2005 by chiangrai57020

[The_Moog]

court verdict due next week.

[Thomas_Merton]

NOTE:  This is my first posting and probably my last.  I DO NOT understand how to use News Topics.  Any help will be greatly appreciated.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I do hope it is not your last.

But before you post again, it might be a good idea if you familiarised yourself with the search facility on Forum Thaivisa.

If you had searched after this subject, you would have found there is a long continuing thread with many postings discussing this sad case.

Don’t despair, we have all made this kind of mistake.

[kayo]

Having been a non-imm resident in Kanchanaburi, and having been a sporadic visitor even performer in Somchai´s establishment, I followed the story quite closely when it broke.

Being in another land, most of what I´ve read has been here on tv.com, and now to read a report from a newspaper far away I find fascinating. Thank you for posting that.

Am I surprised that Somchai´s story is rather ridiculously and upon reviewing the facts at the time, completely unbelievably altered?

Of course not! TiT, after all!

[The_Moog]

Don’t despair, we have all made this kind of mistake.

...still nevertheless more relevant to Thailand than a lot of Topics from certain omis and palones trolling round the lattie.

[penzman]

I see the Nation has omitted the part where a colleague of Somchai had met Mr. Ya on 4 occasions

[Fast Eddie]

I can't believe the defendant is so lacking in shame that he would waste everyone's time with such a pathetic concoction of events. Surely there is nobody on earth stupid enough to believe these blatant lies. Fully deserving of the maximum penalty.

[Heng]

I can't believe the defendant is so lacking in shame that he would waste everyone's time with such a pathetic concoction of events.

Someone facing possible jail time lying to avoid it? Unthinkable.