Justice Ministry to pay Bt26 million bail for 13 red shirts

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Justice Ministry's Fund will post Bt26 million as bond for the temporary release of 13 red shirts convicted and imprisoned for arson attacks in Mukdahan in May, 2010 pending the appellate review, Justice Minister Pracha Promnok said on Friday.

The arson attacks happened in retaliation to the crowd control operations at Ratchaprasong rallies in Bangkok.

The provincial court sentenced the 13 to serve 20 years and eight months each in jail for torching the provincial hall. The case involving the 13 is undergoing the appellate review.

At the Justice Ministry's intervention, bail applications were filed seeking the temporary release for red arsonists, comprising four in Ubon Ratchathani, five in Udon Thani, nine in Maha Sarakham and the 13.

The Mukdahan court approved the bail applications on Thursday. The actual release of the 13 will hinge on the posting of Bt2 million surety each.

Pracha said he had authorised his ministry to put up the bail bond. He refused to comment on accountability on the taxpayer's money if the 13 jumped bail.

-- The Nation 2012-06-22

Dont criminals usually pay bail money to the "ministry of justice"...not the other way around....the people involved in prosecuting these people are paying their bail.... ...I am confused

How astonishing that the Justice Minister is using tax payers money to place these 13 convicted arsonists on bail. They have already been sentenced to 20 years each. I guarantee without fail they will all do a runner. They have been found guilty, it is not as if they are still awaiting trial. This place never ceases to amaze me. Never a dull day in Thailand thanks to the politicians.

Will the Justice Ministry now pay the bail for any other criminal that needs it, as it has now set precedent?

There must be elections coming up in the area these 13 are from.

How astonishing that the Justice Minister is using tax payers money to place these 13 convicted arsonists on bail. They have already been sentenced to 20 years each. I guarantee without fail they will all do a runner. They have been found guilty, it is not as if they are still awaiting trial. This place never ceases to amaze me. Never a dull day in Thailand thanks to the politicians.

Will the Justice Ministry now pay the bail for any other criminal that needs it, as it has now set precedent?

There must be elections coming up in the area these 13 are from.

Well I suppose its a good thing...If I ever get nicked in Thailand now I know who to go to for the bail money...

Great the Justice Ministry charge you then give you cash to get out of jail....great system

Purpose of bail is to give some sort of assurance that those concerned will return - or at least have an incentive to. Don't see how the Justice Ministry paying the bail for them serves any purpose whatsoever. Might as well of just released them without stumping up tax payers money.

Struggle to believe that of all these people, none of them have family members with land or some other form of asset that could have been used. Presumably though those family members didn't want to risk their own assets. Far better for the tax payer to take the risk.

Is this like a paper IOU. how can the government lose money to itself if they don't pitch for court? Bizarre?

basically this means the government overrules the court and releases them.

that bail thing is nonsense take out the money from the left pocket and put it in the right pocket.

and when they get sentenced to jail terms they get amnesty. Another step in the direction of dictatorship.

At least they haven't been paid for their actions... well, not yet, anyway.

I am sure that there must be a fairly strict set of rules for what the Justice Ministry's slush fund can be used for and this is not one of the issues it can be used for. These guys who are put in Ministry positions have really got some neck I tell you. Rixalex has it right, bail is supposed to be set to reflect the gravity of the crimes you are BEING charged with, to ensure that you return to court or lose the bail money. How can the Justice Ministry paying the bail, be any deterrent from doing a runner? How can it be legal, and how can it be justified. Can any of the normal 'red crowd' justify or explain this one for us?.

The court locks you up, the Justice Ministry bails you out....

This country is crazy.

staggering

And these guys are *convicted* of *arson*. Jeezuz, they just don't get the GOVERNment bit, do they?

staggering

The most appropriate single word to describe it.

How can it be legal, and how can it be justified. Can any of the normal 'red crowd' justify or explain this one for us?.

I know having had this discussion on previous occasions in similar cases, tlansford will give it a good go. Somebody give him a nudge.

How can it be legal, and how can it be justified. Can any of the normal 'red crowd' justify or explain this one for us?.

I know having had this discussion on previous occasions in similar cases, tlansford will give it a good go. Somebody give him a nudge.

I am cracking a cold tinny for happy hour in my Man cave and waiting with anticipation

Is this like a paper IOU. how can the government lose money to itself if they don't pitch for court? Bizarre?

I wonder if the instruction came from Dubai ?

This action, along with the taxpayer monies to be paid out, to cover losses on the lamyai thefts, the pay raises/bonuses of the people making these decisions, has to be a new low in government for 1 week.

These are just what we read about, wonder how much more is/has gone on that we will never hear about and at what cost?

It's just another sign that the Apocalypse is upon us. One gets tired of all the signs.

How can it be legal, and how can it be justified. Can any of the normal 'red crowd' justify or explain this one for us?.

I know having had this discussion on previous occasions in similar cases, tlansford will give it a good go. Somebody give him a nudge.

I am cracking a cold tinny for happy hour in my Man cave and waiting with anticipation

I'm cracking a few lazy f_rts in avid anticipation, too...

Just read 19 posts about this farce. Can't wipe the smile off my face.

How about they carve off anything north of Korat and declare it as the semi autonomous region of Northern Thailand.

It can be responsible for collecting its own taxes and budgets and can hail Kaiser Thaksin as its leader

Is this like a paper IOU. how can the government lose money to itself if they don't pitch for court? Bizarre?

I wonder if the instruction came from Dubai ?

Next stop, Dubai and 13 new MP's next year

Pracha said he had authorised his ministry to put up the bail bond. He refused to comment on accountability on the taxpayer's money if the 13 jumped bail.

How about a little impeachment for illegal use of taxpayers' money?

How about they carve off anything north of Korat and declare it as the semi autonomous region of Northern Thailand.

It can be responsible for collecting its own taxes and budgets and can hail Kaiser Thaksin as its leader

bizarro1.bmp bizzaro2.bmp

The MInistry of Justice should overlook the courts but certainly not bailed criminals that have been sentenced already.

At least they haven't been paid for their actions... well, not yet, anyway.

You're sure they will not be compensated as VICTIMS of the 2010 red shirt terrorisations . Maybe one of them burned their hand while setting a city hall on fire.

And another bizarre incident that we 'farang' wil never understand, because it's cloaked in the mystery that is "Thai culture".

How can it be justified that a government ministry bails out culprits who already have been convicted of arson by a lesser court? The government is sending a very clear signal here, namely that the so-called "Redshirts" do NOT constitute an independent public movement, but are instead a government-supported, official organisation.

Question: Can under this precedence EVERY convicted citizen now request bail-out from the Ministry of Interior? If not, why not?

And another question: Have I through my not unsubstantial income tax payments just contributed to the bailing out of a convicted arsonist? I strongly protest, because I expect my money to be put to better use than that, for example flood prevention measures, improvement of the education system, more roads, environmental rehabilitation.

Oh, I know, if I don't like it here, I should better leave, right?

Has there been any outrage over this nonsense from Thai citizens yet?

Surely this is a little more than a mai pen rai issue?

Has there been any outrage over this nonsense from Thai citizens yet?

Surely this is a little more than a mai pen rai issue?

Notice how they released this little gem late on Friday. the Thai's are on their weekend now. No outrage tonight thats for sure

It appears that no one posting above recalls that Thailand has a justice fund to be used for people who are not able to post bail.

This is the fund (most likely, as the reporting can be a bit sloppy) being used to post bail for these people.

It is perfectly normal in most countries to have mechanisms to allow people to post bail (in some way shape or form) who would otherwise not be able to post bail.

Check your own country's laws, you'll probably find a similar mechanism.