Thai Cabinet Okays Bail Funds For Jailed Red Shirts

[473geo]

<quote> From the original post:

The 57 suspects were among 61 common members of the red-shirt movement and ordinary protesters detained at eight prisons - mostly in the Northeast - on charges ranging from violating the emergency decree to rioting, committing arson and pursuing terrorism. The other four had been acquitted.</quote>

Those are serious charges. Many of us posting here observed closely while downtown Bangkok was commandeered for two months in spring of 2010. 12 months earlier, the same group had rioted in Bangkok, threatening (among other things) to blow up an LPG tanker truck.

The OP mentions the specifics of the millions of bail money being requested and quickly approved by Thailand's parliament, which is dominated by 'Friends of Reds' PT party. It was a blanket bail - in other words ALL the Reds being held were freed. There appears to have been no consideration for the gravity of each individual's alleged crimes. Granted, Thai justice moves at a glacial pace and Thai investigative prowess scores abysmally low, but the standing gov't is essentially letting off people who are accused of torching shopping malls, killing ordinary people (plus killing military officers and cops), and storming a hospital. I say they're 'letting them go' because, with their bail paid by a sympathetic gov't body, they have no incentive to face justice, as long a Red-loving government is in the driver's seat.

Amazing, you failed to notice that 4 of 61 had already been aquitted, possible then that many of the other accused will also be aquitted and therefore should not be in confinement.....but as long as somebody is attoning for the anger and frustration you feel that will be ok then

[yoshiwara]

Quite amusing reading the twee focus in legallism from our friendly red apologists including I see at least one who said previously that he didn't support the red leadership only the 'peaceful' supporters. So the government has ponied up the bail? Must be a red phone call to Thaksin who then made a call to the supine government who then did the rest. A public display of support for those on charges ranging from violating the emergency decree to rioting, committing arson and pursuing terrorism.

Our forum red supporters gave unconditional support to these guys in 2010. One shouldn't be surprised that the government is going to make an effort to whitewash the terrorist acts just as it is attempting to wash the dirt from Thaksin's face.

[tlansford]

Quite amusing reading the twee focus in legallism from our friendly red apologists including I see at least one who said previously that he didn't support the red leadership only the 'peaceful' supporters. So the government has ponied up the bail? Must be a red phone call to Thaksin who then made a call to the supine government who then did the rest. A public display of support for those on charges ranging from violating the emergency decree to rioting, committing arson and pursuing terrorism.

Our forum red supporters gave unconditional support to these guys in 2010. One shouldn't be surprised that the government is going to make an effort to whitewash the terrorist acts just as it is attempting to wash the dirt from Thaksin's face.

Welcome back yoshiwara, haven't seen you for a while - missed your lively commentary.

[Buchholz]

Today the Justice Ministry has begun the filing of bail applications for 60 Red Shirts using 43,800,000.00 baht of taxpayer money, as directed by Yingluck's government.

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[wxyz]

Today the Justice Ministry has begun the filing of bail applications for 60 Red Shirts using 43,800,000.00 baht of taxpayer money, as directed by Yingluck's government.

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Why do they need taxpayer money,

if mr T does not want to pay his employee's bail,

leave them in jail.

Edited February 6, 2012 by wxyz

[Moruya]

Today the Justice Ministry has begun the filing of bail applications for 60 Red Shirts using 43,800,000.00 baht of taxpayer money, as directed by Yingluck's government.

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Unbelievable.

[wxyz]

We are all equal before the LAW, ya right.

Corruption anyone? The best justice corrupt politicians can buy with other peoples money.

Edited February 6, 2012 by wxyz

[Moruya]

What happens when the rest of the prison poulation declares themselves as Red Shirts and says their convictions were politically motivated and the judges were Democrat sympathisers?

[wxyz]

What happens when the rest of the prison poulation declares themselves as Red Shirts and says their convictions were politically motivated and the judges were Democrat sympathisers?

They already think they are above the law.

“I’m a red shirt supporter. Why arrest me?”

http://www.thaivisa....entral-pattaya/

Edited February 6, 2012 by wxyz

[Reasonableman]

Not so amazing Thailand

[Moruya]

What happens when the rest of the prison poulation declares themselves as Red Shirts and says their convictions were politically motivated and the judges were Democrat sympathisers?

They already think they are above the law.

“I’m a red shirt supporter. Why arrest me?”

http://www.thaivisa....entral-pattaya/

Some pigs are already on 2 feet and the horses have noticed.

[pastitche]

BTW, I just came across the information that Scotland does not require any money or property to secure bail at all - a get out of jail free card, if you will. Those crazy Scots, eh?

You're getting a bit closer.

Now just come across information where a country's government acts as bail bondsman for criminals a country's government prosecutors have charged.

.

You have made such a fuss of this can I now ask you how many countries have bail bondsmen?

[Reasonableman]

Right on, silly Scots! They even let the Lockerbie bomber go home. Such kindly souls.

BTW, I just came across the information that Scotland does not require any money or property to secure bail at all - a get out of jail free card, if you will. Those crazy Scots, eh?

You're getting a bit closer.

Now just come across information where a country's government acts as bail bondsman for criminals a country's government prosecutors have charged.

.

You have made such a fuss of this can I now ask you how many countries have bail bondsmen?

Edited February 6, 2012 by Reasonableman

[Wallaby]

BTW, I just came across the information that Scotland does not require any money or property to secure bail at all - a get out of jail free card, if you will. Those crazy Scots, eh?

You're getting a bit closer.

Now just come across information where a country's government acts as bail bondsman for criminals a country's government prosecutors have charged.

I know that in oz you can sometimes have 'free' bail. It's called bail on your own recognizance. It isn't exactly a govt paying an amount for bail but it is essentially the same thing because a Judge may normally ask for an amount for bail and because the accused is unable to pay it he just cuts out the middleman and sets bail at nothing.

Happens all the time for lesser charges.

Edit: I just saw that this also happens in the US.

http://criminal.findlaw.com/criminal-procedure/own-recognizance-release.html

Edited February 6, 2012 by Wallaby

[pastitche]

There are many countries where the accused are not held in prison for the lengthy terms that these prisoners have without trial; no-one can claim that there is justice in this situation and claim that they agree that there is "innocence until proven guilty" Detention without trial may appear to be fair to some posters but I think that most of us can see the dangerous path that leads to.

Thailand has a method to obviate that by making the imposition of unaffordable bail possible - why is that so wrong if the judicial system has been so slow.

Surely the real problem is why have these cases taken so long to get to court; if they had been to trial we would not have had these nonsensical arguments about bail. and how it is applied in different judiciaries with pedantic nitpicking about what is or is not comparable with Thailand

[Buchholz]

BTW, I just came across the information that Scotland does not require any money or property to secure bail at all - a get out of jail free card, if you will. Those crazy Scots, eh?

You're getting a bit closer.

Now just come across information where a country's government acts as bail bondsman for criminals a country's government prosecutors have charged.

You have made such a fuss of this can I now ask you how many countries have bail bondsmen?

The only "fuss" I made was clearly refuting those that tried to demonstrate a similar situation, which turned out to be false and Thailand scenario is unparallelled in any other country I know.

Despite efforts to try and assign similarity in other countries, none was demonstrated as having a situation where the government charged people with criminal offenses, then turned around and provides the bail for those that it has charged.

The bail bondsmen really isn't important as is someone paying or guaranteeing a bail with a bail bondsman just an example of that.

,

Edited February 6, 2012 by Buchholz

[Buchholz]

BTW, I just came across the information that Scotland does not require any money or property to secure bail at all - a get out of jail free card, if you will. Those crazy Scots, eh?

You're getting a bit closer.

Now just come across information where a country's government acts as bail bondsman for criminals a country's government prosecutors have charged.

I know that in oz you can sometimes have 'free' bail. It's called bail on your own recognizance. It isn't exactly a govt paying an amount for bail but it is essentially the same thing because a Judge may normally ask for an amount for bail and because the accused is unable to pay it he just cuts out the middleman and sets bail at nothing.

Happens all the time for lesser charges.

Edit: I just saw that this also happens in the US.

http://criminal.find...ce-release.html

Yes, several places use personal recognizance as a form of bail. It is for non-violent misdemeanors mainly.

No cash is involved and the government doesn't act as the personal recognizance, the defendant does.

Totally different situation to what is occurring in Thailand.

.

Edited February 6, 2012 by Buchholz

[Buchholz]

There are many countries where the accused are not held in prison for the lengthy terms that these prisoners have without trial; no-one can claim that there is justice in this situation and claim that they agree that there is "innocence until proven guilty" Detention without trial may appear to be fair to some posters but I think that most of us can see the dangerous path that leads to.

Thailand has a method to obviate that by making the imposition of unaffordable bail possible - why is that so wrong if the judicial system has been so slow.

Surely the real problem is why have these cases taken so long to get to court; if they had been to trial we would not have had these nonsensical arguments about bail. and how it is applied in different judiciaries with pedantic nitpicking about what is or is not comparable with Thailand

I don't think anyone will not condemn the lengthy time for people to come to travel. Actually, in these cases, it's being processed quicker than others. The Red Shirts, for exampled, involved in their bloody violence in 2007 have yet to have their charges processed. Countless other criminal acts have had equal and indeed lengthier time awaiting trial. Another example could be Potjaman being free on bail for three long years after being convicted while awaiting her appeal.

I'd dare say there are fair amount of other prisoners who have been in lengthy pre-trial confinement. This is of course deplorable, but it reflects the system overall rather than some conspiratorial effort directed at Red Shirts.

Justice can be excruciatingly slow in 3rd world countries.... but the Red Shirts aren't being singled out.

The bail issue is an interesting one in that it is unique.

btw, it's not pedantic to be accurate in the face of obfuscating inaccuracies.

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