Convicts Jail Term Increased To More Than 2,234 Years By Thai Appeals Court

[webfact]

Royal Decoration Convicts Given More Jail Terms

The Appeals Court has added over 1,000 more years to the jail term previously given to two convicts in a royal decoration scandal case.

The Appeals Court has ruled to increase the punishment for Arun Petcharat from 1,130 years to 2,234 years.

The jail sentence of Montri Chamnong has also been upped from 1,170 years to 2,180 years.

At the same time, the court has lowered the jail term of Ari Sastrasara from 2,660 years to 1,470 years.

The three were part of the original 16 defendants involved in the case of document forgery to apply for royal decorations, which took place between 1979 and 1985.

At the time, they worked with the vice abbot of Wat Thepsirin to give out fake donation receipts which recipients can use to apply for royal decorations.

To date, nine of the suspects have passed away.

For the remainder of the suspects, one of them was sentenced to 1,920 years behind bars, while the other three saw their charges dropped.

-- Tan Network 2010-11-18

[webfact]

Court doles out huge terms for fraud

The Appeals Court Thursday corrected the sentences of former assistant abbot of Wat Debsirindrawas and 15 others, including civil servants and close disciples, giving some of them 1,148 to 2,234 years in prison over royal decoration fraud.

However, since the maximum jail term for such crimes is 50 years, their sentences were reduced accordingly.

The issued a verdict Thursday on the case involving former monk Phasuk Khaophong and 15 others who were charged of demanding donations and forging donation certificates to apply for royal decorations in 1988.

The court changed the term for disciple Arun Phetcharat from 1,130 years to 2,234; for former teacher Montri Jamnong from 1,170 years to 2,180; and for former Education Ministry official Aree Satsara from 2,660 to 1,470 years because he was cleared of one count.

The court also upheld the lower court's ruling sentencing former Bangkok Bank official Pattaya Pimsa-ard to 1,920 years in jail and former PM's Office civil servant Methee Borisut, who died in 2007, to 1,148 years.

The Appeals Court also upheld the lower court's ruling to acquit three former civil servants Pipop Boondirek, Chamaiporn Saengkrajang and Wiroj Chathong.

-- The Nation 2010-11-18

[marquess]

Why did they bother?

[animatic]

5 years for murdering a poor person,

or

2,234 for faking charity receipts...

[asiawatcher]

Good grief what a waste of a news article.

[MAJIC]

Why oh why dont they just say Life in Prison,instead of juggling ridiculous figures around.

[Forkinhades]

pathetic

[Tropicalevo]

pathetic

On the surface, it does look pathetic, but it's not really. It's all about saving the court's time and money.

Plead guilty - sentence reduced 50%

Found guilty - go to jail.

Appeal against that and fail - sentence doubled!

This is not always true, but it is a fair guideline.

I believe that Singapore does something similar.

[Cuchulainn]

...........At the same time, the court has lowered the jail term of Ari Sastrasara from 2,660 years to 1,470 years.................

Bet ya he was happy"!!!

[SiamRose]

Appeal against that and fail - sentence doubled!

If your sentence is already 1,000 years you are probably not too concerned about it being doubled.

[Lumumba]

I saw on American Greed on CNBC that Shalom Wiess is eligible for parole in 2784.

[deadbloke]

Amazing Amusing Thailand!

[taff33]

Time to get the scammers with the BIB , Hl-so's and the rest of rubish.

[hansnl]

pathetic

On the surface, it does look pathetic, but it's not really. It's all about saving the court's time and money.

Plead guilty - sentence reduced 50%

Found guilty - go to jail.

Appeal against that and fail - sentence doubled!

This is not always true, but it is a fair guideline.

I believe that Singapore does something similar.

I just wonder, if like in many police forces around the world, what happens when there is a confession?

Does the police stop investigating, or maybe throttel the efforts down to nearly nothing?

I also wonder whta happens if you confess in the court?

The PP and th judges stop asking for proof?

In my view, even is there is a confession or a guilty plea the police and the court must prove the guilt.

And not assume the guilt because of a confession or plea.

Doubling the sentence when someone does not confess or plead guilty is just a signal to other assumed criminals it is better to confess, even if you are not guilty.

There are very many cases known throughout history somebody was condemned on the grounds of a confession of a guilty plea.

Without having done the crime.

Indeed, a confession gives the police the tools to wrap the case around the confession, and saves time.

But also makes room for very bad police work.

A guilty plea does the same in the court.

Like I said, happens all around the world.

[mythBuster]

The judge must have been a pretty messed up man. (Judges in Thailand are always men). Wondering if they apply the dead penalty now when court judges work out to be frauds. Or when ministers and their family steal the meager 5000 baht compensation of flood victims.

There is a huge difference between a victimless crime like this and the other fraud cases which kill people.

[rreddin]

5 years for murdering a poor person,

or

2,234 for faking charity receipts...

Maybe what those receipts could be used for had something to do with the length of the sentence.

[VBF]

...........At the same time, the court has lowered the jail term of Ari Sastrasara from 2,660 years to 1,470 years.................

Bet ya he was happy"!!!

Well if he gets time off for good behaviour, maybe he'll only have to serve 1000 years

[bikerman]

...........At the same time, the court has lowered the jail term of Ari Sastrasara from 2,660 years to 1,470 years.................

Bet ya he was happy"!!!

made me smile...............

[frankthetank]

:cheesy: :cheesy:

[hardy1943]

Why oh why dont they just say Life in Prison,instead of juggling ridiculous figures around.

Makes them feel important or is that saying to much?

[Cobalt60]

That'll teach them, bet they think twice before they do that again

[sawadeeken]

Those figures sound like converting dollars to baht............. I guess the courts are trying to send a message, but.............. I should think that the court-room time could be more productive - since they all were destined to die in jail anyway.............

[moetownblues]

I guess they may be a little pissed off after they get out in 1,000 yrs. How bloody stupid whynot just say life without parole.

[moetownblues]

I guess in 300 yrs they can lodge an appeal and get out for good behaviour. The sentencing judge would definately have passed away by then.

[gemini81]

5 years for murdering a poor person,

or

2,234 for faking charity receipts...

....or be the rich pretty boy son of an ex miss thailand and pay your way out altogether after you annihilate people with your car over a scratch on it.

[otherstuff1957]

The judge must have been a pretty messed up man. (Judges in Thailand are always men).

Actually, the only Thai judge that I know personally is a woman.

[LJW]

The judge must have been a pretty messed up man. (Judges in Thailand are always men). Wondering if they apply the dead penalty now when court judges work out to be frauds. Or when ministers and their family steal the meager 5000 baht compensation of flood victims.

There is a huge difference between a victimless crime like this and the other fraud cases which kill people.

Judges are NOT always men. There are women judges too

[khaowong1]

...........At the same time, the court has lowered the jail term of Ari Sastrasara from 2,660 years to 1,470 years.................

Bet ya he was happy"!!!

[Valentine]

I wonder if the police actually charged anyone who used the false receipts.

Edited November 20, 2010 by Valentine

[jayjay0]

Good grief what a waste of a news article.

Like the nation has some thing real to print.

Back in the states they have a weekly just like the Nation. It is called the National Enquirer. I believe it is in bankruptcy where in my HO the Nation should be.