Killer Serm Released Early To Avoid Media

[Lite Beer]

Killer Serm released early to avoid media

THE NATION ON SUNDAY

Serm Sakhonrat, a 35-year-old inmate who had murdered his girlfriend while he was a medical student and was granted a royal pardon this year, was released two days before schedule on Friday so he could avoid the media.

However, relatives of the victim said Serm was released quickly and warned him not to do wrong again.

Bangkwang Prison chief Visanu Prachongkit said yesterday that Serm did not want to be in the news again or for people to pay attention to him. He preferred tranquility and do meditation.

So, the prison allowed him to leave earlier, although he was not due to be released until today.

Serm was sentenced to life in prison in March 1998 after he was convicted of murdering and dismembering girlfriend Jenjira Ployangunsri, who was also a medical student. His prison term was reduced on five occasions through pardons. So, he was released after 13 years and nine months in jail.

Jenjira's parents were not seen at their family home in Nakhon Pathom's Samphran district.

Relative Waraphorn Saekhow, 50, said the couple moved to the US to run a business after Jenjira was killed.

Waraphorn said she and other relatives were unaware Serm was released. They didn't think he would get out "so quickly". What he had done to Jenjira could not be compensated by the punishment he received, she said.

But they would accept the release and warned Serm not to do it again or harm other people.

Serm's 68-year-old mother in Muang district in Chon Buri, Somsri Sakhonrat, said she was delighted that her son had been freed and would go to bring him home herself.

Two female neighbours of the family said they would not be scared if Serm wanted to go back home, as they believed he was not cruel. They believed he had killed his girlfriend on impulse. Both said they would give him a chance to start a new life. However, one said she had heard Serm would not be living there but would work in Bangkok, as he had already got a job in the capital.

-- The Nation 2011-12-18

[nurofiend]

people get executed for being caught with drugs but chop someone up and you'll do thirteen years.

[janverbeem]

However, relatives of the victim said Serm was released quickly and warned him not to do wrong again.

Only in Thailand

[hughben]

Sounds like this man has 'connections'. Where else would a killer who shot a woman dead, chopped up her body and dumped parts of it in the Bang Pakong River, walk into a job on release after such a short time?

Edit:

Just looked at another news report on this killer.

It says his jail term has been commuted five times since 2004 and the latest royal pardon further reduces it to eight years!

8 years inside after this:

"Sometime between Jan 1 and Jan 28, 1998, Serm shot and killed Jenjira, cut her up and dumped her head, arms, legs and bones in the Bang Pakong river. Flesh, organs and her scalp were found in the toilet at his apartment in Bangkok"

You can see images of him in a google search.

Edited December 18, 2011 by hughben

[Heng]

If he had real pull, he wouldn't have done the thirteen, or even 1 day.

[lomatopo]

Three other, fairly notorious, convicted murderers also received Royal Pardons, albeit further reductions in their sentences. It seems like they work their way down from the death penalty to 10 ~ 15 years. I think there were something like 29,000 people receiving pardons, 12,000 of whom were released. I think the Queen also does pardons on her birthday.

(Saudi Gem theft related) Meanwhile, other inmates also received jail-term reductions, including former crime buster Lt-General Chalor Kerdtes, who was convicted for the double murder and abduction of Srithanakhan family members. His life sentence was reduced to 50 years.

Former Chulalongkorn Hospital doctor Wisut Boonkasemsanti, who initially got the death sentence for killing his wife Phassaporn Boonkasemsanti and then had his sentence commuted to life, will now have his prison term reduced to 21 years after this year's amnesty.

Maj Chalermchai Matchaklam who was involved in the killing of a Yasothon governor in 2001, also receives a similarly reduced penalty. His death sentence was commuted to life by a royal pardon in 2007.

[MEL1]

If you need to go for a simple pile operation, or an amputation in BKK in future, check your Doc's name isn't Serm.

He might have a bigger contact than you envisaged. 555+

-mel.

[hellodolly]

Three other, fairly notorious, convicted murderers also received Royal Pardons, albeit further reductions in their sentences. It seems like they work their way down from the death penalty to 10 ~ 15 years. I think there were something like 29,000 people receiving pardons, 12,000 of whom were released. I think the Queen also does pardons on her birthday.

(Saudi Gem theft related) Meanwhile, other inmates also received jail-term reductions, including former crime buster Lt-General Chalor Kerdtes, who was convicted for the double murder and abduction of Srithanakhan family members. His life sentence was reduced to 50 years.

Former Chulalongkorn Hospital doctor Wisut Boonkasemsanti, who initially got the death sentence for killing his wife Phassaporn Boonkasemsanti and then had his sentence commuted to life, will now have his prison term reduced to 21 years after this year's amnesty.

Maj Chalermchai Matchaklam who was involved in the killing of a Yasothon governor in 2001, also receives a similarly reduced penalty. His death sentence was commuted to life by a royal pardon in 2007.

I have often wondered what kind of prison these high profile people are in.

Do they try to catch rats to get protein in their diet?

[noitom]

If he had real pull, he wouldn't have done the thirteen, or even 1 day.

Unless the murdered girl's father had a bigger swinging you know what than his parents. And why is this a headline story anyway? Is there supposed to be some controversy about the release? Is The Nation trying to create a buzz here? If The Nation's editors believe that there is some conflict here, which may be why they ran it as a headline, then why don't they just go the editorial route and take a position?