Thailand Clears Russian Pianist Pletnev Over Molestation Charges

[george]

BREAKING NEWS

Thailand clears Russian pianist Pletnev over molestation charges

Mikhail Pletnev

BANGKOK: -- A Thai prosecutor's office has dropped a child molestation charge against acclaimed Russian pianist and conductor Mikhail Pletnev, Pletnev's lawyer said on Tuesday.

"No charges will be brought against Pletnev anymore. All the legal procedures are finished towards him. I have received a Thai prosecutor's office's decree," the lawyer said, citing the prosecutor's office of Thai Chon Buri Province as saying.

"I am absolutely convinced of my innocence that is why I did not hesitate for a minute about the result of the investigation. Now, when everything is over, I can only say that money was behind the attempts to trump up a case against me," Pletnev said.

Pletnev, the Russian National Orchestra (RNO) conductor, was charged with sodomizing a 14-year-old boy in July and could have faced up to 20 years behind bars if he had been found guilty. He persistently denied all charges.

During the investigation, the musician had to return to the resort town of Pattaya every 12 days to renew his $9,000 bail. The bail restrictions, which prohibited him from traveling abroad, have been lifted.

The Russian musician, who established the RNO in 1990, owns a small piece of property in Pattaya and spends several weeks there each year.

-- http://en.rian.ru/ (RIA Novosti) 2010-12-28

[Beetlejuice]

The charges have been dropped.

Questions:

On what grounds were the charges dropped? Was it from lack of evidence, failure to continue on with the case by the alleged victim, did Pletnev buy his way out, or was he proved innocent?

Has Pletnev been officially proved not guilty and declared innocent on all accounts?

Can he now take legal action against the 14 year old boy and his family for pressing false charges against him?

[lowushatin]

The charges have been dropped.

Questions:

On what grounds were the charges dropped? Was it from lack of evidence, failure to continue on with the case by the alleged victim, did Pletnev buy his way out, or was he proved innocent?

Has Pletnev been officially proved not guilty and declared innocent on all accounts?

Can he now take legal action against the 14 year old boy and his family for pressing false charges against him?

or.... was it to appease the Russians after the Bout extradition? i would guess so.

[TAWP]

You guys are the reason extortions succeed here.

[manarak]

The charges have been dropped.

Questions:

On what grounds were the charges dropped? Was it from lack of evidence, failure to continue on with the case by the alleged victim, did Pletnev buy his way out, or was he proved innocent?

Has Pletnev been officially proved not guilty and declared innocent on all accounts?

Can he now take legal action against the 14 year old boy and his family for pressing false charges against him?

Even though you have just posted questions, I think your post is abusive.

[MengWan]

You guys are the reason extortions succeed here.

+1

The russian was guilty until proven innocent !

[bristolgeoff]

did,nt he say he was innocent from the start.some people try too stitch people up in thailand maybe this is the case here.doing this just for the money did not work this time

[Jingthing]

They dropped the charges. There is no such thing as "proven" innocent. Give it a rest. Yes, I understand the guy's reputation is tarnished but to get anything close to "proven" innocent, it would have had to go to trial, and then the state's case would have had to fail, and that STILL wouldn't mean "proven" innocent.

[SomTumTiger]

Anyone who goes to Pattaya has their reputation tarnished to a certain degree (joking) lol - if he was indeed innocent. I am glad he found justice. If he bought his way out, karma will take care of him - case closed.

Edited December 29, 2010 by SomTumTiger

[Jingthing]

No, I think he has the right to be considered innocent now, but what's fair and what's reality won't match here (unless you know something PERSONALLY that makes you believe he is guilty). This is the best outcome he could have hoped for.

Edited December 29, 2010 by Jingthing

[sausageandmash]

Only complacent hippies believe in Karma. How about Thanon Kittikachorn. He massacred Thai students in the 70s and went on to live to the ripe old age of 94. Karma, likes ghosts, just does not exist.

Anyone who goes to Pattaya has their reputation tarnished to a certain degree (joking) lol - if he was indeed innocent. I am glad he found justice. If he bought his way out, karma will take care of him - case closed.

[ChiangMaiFun]

They dropped the charges - so thats it. Anyone who 'owns a small property in Pattaya' is not entirely 'innocent' - it's not for the culture and the beautiful beach is it? sex rules down there that's it - one big brothel

[mania]

Only complacent hippies believe in Karma. How about Thanon Kittikachorn. He massacred Thai students in the 70s and went on to live to the ripe old age of 94. Karma, likes ghosts, just does not exist.

Your assumption is that living here till 94 was a prize? You have not considered that maybe the prize was withheld from him many extra years and many extra lives yet to serve.

[ChiangMaiFun]

Only complacent hippies believe in Karma. How about Thanon Kittikachorn. He massacred Thai students in the 70s and went on to live to the ripe old age of 94. Karma, likes ghosts, just does not exist.

Your assumption is that living here till 94 was a prize? You have not considered that maybe the prize was withheld from him many extra years and many extra lives yet to serve.

spot on - the poster does not understand karma

[rwhoov]

They dropped the charges - so thats it. Anyone who 'owns a small property in Pattaya' is not entirely 'innocent' - it's not for the culture and the beautiful beach is it? sex rules down there that's it - one big brothel

So I guess there are no brothels in Chiang Mai? Funny, I seem to remember quite a few. If you think that looking down on Pattaya makes your "place" better, I suggest you rethink that proposition. What goes on in Pattaya goes on in all of Thailand.

[djvolak]

Only complacent hippies believe in Karma. How about Thanon Kittikachorn. He massacred Thai students in the 70s and went on to live to the ripe old age of 94. Karma, likes ghosts, just does not exist.

Your assumption is that living here till 94 was a prize? You have not considered that maybe the prize was withheld from him many extra years and many extra lives yet to serve.

spot on - the poster does not understand karma

Exactly, to some there are worse things than death.

[jfchandler]

It's a great day for 14 year old boys in Pattaya....

[garyinthailand]

I'm just glad that one of the world's great musical artists will be able to carry on.

The lynch mob mentality often seen in these pages is disgusting. Humans (yes, including minors) have sex. Get over it.

[mitrapaap]

did,nt he say he was innocent from the start.some people try too stitch people up in thailand maybe this is the case here.doing this just for the money did not work this time

That's very well possible. I know of two cases where Thai people faced the same. One is a teacher, one is a friend of mine. Both Thai and both were found innocent. In one case an adolescent girl tried to get some cash, in the other a boy tried it. Both failed. The bad thing is that by the time the case is closed, everybody knows the name of the alleged wrongdoer such as the russian pianist, while knowbody knows the name about the real wrongdoer in each case. And on top of it there are those smart people who even if the accused is finally found innocent, won't believe it and still argue that he was declared innocent through some fishy arrangements. Many Thais would do anything for money. Like it or not, but Pattaya is a good example for it, but I agree, it is not only Pattaya.

[SICHONSTEVE]

Only complacent hippies believe in Karma. How about Thanon Kittikachorn. He massacred Thai students in the 70s and went on to live to the ripe old age of 94. Karma, likes ghosts, just does not exist.

Anyone who goes to Pattaya has their reputation tarnished to a certain degree (joking) lol - if he was indeed innocent. I am glad he found justice. If he bought his way out, karma will take care of him - case closed.

Quite agree!!! Too many Thai's run their lives on the say of soothsayers and astrologists. I can't (and don't) criticise their beliefs and guidance from buddha's teachings however as this is entirely down to to their own personal thoughts and feelings and not that of others. Who can honestly believe that they have the powers to predict the future (Nostradamus I hear some of you spout out) but that's another story about interpretation.

A good example of what damage this can do is the (as will undoubtedly be shown to be false tomorrow) declaration by one (just one) soothsayer that there is going to be a tsunami in Phuket on the 30th of December!!! Apparently there have been many holiday and room cancellations as a result of this irresponsible person's mutterings and a lot of unhappy hoteliers to boot!!!!

Will Thais still believe in these doom-mongers and their false protestations after tomorrow - you bet they will, as once Thais hold a belief in something they simply cannot let go (no matter how rediculous it is and damaging this can be to life). I planned to go to Phuket to celebrate the new year with my wife and some Thai friends but nobody will go with us, apart from my wife that is, as they are genuinely afraid now and I just think it is a shame and so rediculous that these bogus people can influence peoples minds in such a way and stop them from enjoying themselves in the process over something that is so blatantly false!!!

[Kilgore Trout]

They dropped the charges - so thats it. Anyone who 'owns a small property in Pattaya' is not entirely 'innocent' - it's not for the culture and the beautiful beach is it? sex rules down there that's it - one big brothel

So I guess there are no brothels in Chiang Mai? Funny, I seem to remember quite a few. If you think that looking down on Pattaya makes your "place" better, I suggest you rethink that proposition. What goes on in Pattaya goes on in all of Thailand.

Of course nothing happens here that doesn't happen all over the world; Thailand is just known for it and Bkk and Pattaya are the pinnacle of that reputation. Remember a certain "dictionary" definition of Bangkok from this British publisher;

My link

Get used to it

[jayjay0]

They dropped the charges - so thats it. Anyone who 'owns a small property in Pattaya' is not entirely 'innocent' - it's not for the culture and the beautiful beach is it? sex rules down there that's it - one big brothel

So I guess there are no brothels in Chiang Mai? Funny, I seem to remember quite a few. If you think that looking down on Pattaya makes your "place" better, I suggest you rethink that proposition. What goes on in Pattaya goes on in all of Thailand.

True

But Pattaya is the only place in Thailand that depends on it completely.

Take them out of Chiang Mai and it would be like removing a pimple.

Take them out of Pattaya and it would be like removing a carbuncle.

[FarangKenStine]

Pardon the pun, but no "pianists" were molested or fondled.

[bristolgeoff]

i agree this kind thing can happen all over thailand.some succeed,some don,t.the thais who try and fail just hide for awhile along with the family,then come out of the woodwork and try later on

[Bkung]

The Karma does not just one life, He will bare his fruit later which he started to plant the tree now.

Do you see a tree grown in over night?

Only complacent hippies believe in Karma. How about Thanon Kittikachorn. He massacred Thai students in the 70s and went on to live to the ripe old age of 94. Karma, likes ghosts, just does not exist.

Anyone who goes to Pattaya has their reputation tarnished to a certain degree (joking) lol - if he was indeed innocent. I am glad he found justice. If he bought his way out, karma will take care of him - case closed.

[ChiangMaiFun]

They dropped the charges - so thats it. Anyone who 'owns a small property in Pattaya' is not entirely 'innocent' - it's not for the culture and the beautiful beach is it? sex rules down there that's it - one big brothel

So I guess there are no brothels in Chiang Mai? Funny, I seem to remember quite a few. If you think that looking down on Pattaya makes your "place" better, I suggest you rethink that proposition. What goes on in Pattaya goes on in all of Thailand.

True

But Pattaya is the only place in Thailand that depends on it completely.

Take them out of Chiang Mai and it would be like removing a pimple.

Take them out of Pattaya and it would be like removing a carbuncle.

that was my point - no one chooses to live in Pattaya for the culture or scenery right? of course there are some here - but its like comparing the the Pope to Lucifer

[guzzi850m2]

Good for Mr Pletnev. He must pretty sure that he would win his case when leaving Thailand several times and always come back.

Farangs accused for child abuse happens quite often, where the case is simply extortion. The pianist is famous and properly well off too, so a "good" target for those low life.

I own a small piece of land in Patts. too and I don't live here for the girls but having a very good family life. More and more couples with kids comes to Patts. for holidays, so maybe in 10-15 years times the place will be completely changed, who knows.

[moskito]

You guys are the reason extortions succeed here.

+1

The russian was guilty until proven innocent !

RIGHT!!! Unfortunately most of the community of HANG HIM HIGH even before proofed guilty TV members, will never understand Thailand.

They are still thinking they live in happy happy lala land where everyone is smiling because they are just so cute and friendly.

Hope something similar will never come up on you, and one morning YOU wake up to find YOUR picture and full name next to YOUR address in all papers and Forums all over LoS :jap:

[ChiangMaiFun]

Good for Mr Pletnev. He must pretty sure that he would win his case when leaving Thailand several times and always come back.

Farangs accused for child abuse happens quite often, where the case is simply extortion. The pianist is famous and properly well off too, so a "good" target for those low life.

I own a small piece of land in Patts. too and I don't live here for the girls but having a very good family life. More and more couples with kids comes to Patts. for holidays, so maybe in 10-15 years times the place will be completely changed, who knows.

wonderful choices in Thailand... why Patt? there are no redeeming features apart from girls - almost everywhere else is better

[Thai at Heart]

I hope he sues everyone under the sun for defamation under Thai law.

If nothing else, it might get the law repealed, and changed from criminal to civil offence. I don't think you can ever have seen a more clear, public, damage of reputation. They cancelled concerts so, 10 times loss of earnings should suffice.