Myanmar Prison Terms For Thai 'Encroachers'

[webfact]

THAI-MYANMAR TIES

Thais handed three and a half years

Boonleun Promprathankul

The Nation

The report about Myanmar's Koh Song Court's verdict to jail 92 Thais to a threeyearandsixmonth jail term for illegal entry and encroaching on forestland without permission, is submitted to the the ThaiMyanmar Township Border Committee (TBC) for RanongKoh

KOH SONG: -- Myanmar's Koh Song Court has sentenced 92 Thais to jail for terms of three-and-a-half years for illegal entry and encroaching on forestland without permission.

The verdict along with photos of the defendants were received by the ThailandMyanmar Township Border Committee (TBC) for RanongKoh Song yesterday afternoon. TBC officials were translating the verdict’s details at press time yesterday.

Eighty-two Thai men and 10 Thai women arrested since July 4 were found guilty of the two offences. More charges may follow, pending an ongoing investigation.

A further 10 Thai suspects were brought to court on Tuesday and could face charges of growing narcotic plants (marijuana and kratom) and possessing war weapons, said local reports.

Commander of the 25th Infantry Regiment Task Force, Col Pornsak Pulsawat, speaking as head of TBC Ranong, said Thai authorities would appeal for lighter punishments as these were the defendants' first offences.

Pornsak said the appeal would be submitted to the government in Nay Pyi Taw, with chances of its success boosted by a previous offer made by President Thein Sein to PM Yingluck Shinawatra to help in the case.

An unconfirmed local report claims that Myanmar authorities will release the 10 Thai female prisoners on August 12 before releasing their male counterparts gradually.

Meanwhile, a source has obtained two photos of the Ban Khao Mile Prison on Koh Song where the 92 Thais are being detained. The photos show an old building with tin roof surrounded by a barbedwire fence, 10metrewide ditch and several military guard posts.

Former Thai detainee Atcha Pratheeppichai, 44, who spent 14 years in Ban Khao Mile Prison for encroaching into Myanmar waters on a fishing trip, recalls it was a hellish experience.

He described how the earthen-floor-and-tin-roof jail was infested by mosquitoes, cockroaches and rats, while smell from the pit toilets was almost unbearable. He said the best meal inmates could expect was boiled rice with salt and soybean soup.

One of his nine crewmembers fell ill and died in the jail, said Atcha, adding that he heard that many Thais died in the prison each year. Most inmates were arrested for illegal entry and encroaching on Myanmar waters, as well as drug offences, he said.

Thai government appeals in such cases had been unsuccessful in the past as most Thai defendants were sentenced quickly, he said.

Atcha added that he and seven of his crewmembers had been lucky, receiving pardons on December 7, 2011 after serving two years. They then returned to Thailand via Ranong.

In related news, 11 Myanmar workers were yesterday arrested at a market on Chalerm Phrakiat Road in Ranong's Muang district, following Thai vendors' complaints that the suspects were running shops to compete with them.

Captain Surasak Peungyaem, who led law enforcement and Employment officials in making the arrests, said the problem of immigrant workers doing jobs not permitted was difficult to solve, as Thais were being hired by Myanmarese to pose as their employers and pay any fines or bail if the Myanmarese were caught by police.

-- The Nation 2012-07-26

[webfact]

Myanmar prison terms for Thai 'encroachers'

YANGON, July 26, 2012 (AFP) - Almost a hundred Thai nationals were sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison, a Myanmar official said Wednesday, after they were held for illegally crossing the border to run rubber plantations.

Ten women and 82 men, who were rounded up during a Myanmar army sweep in a southern border region, were given the jail terms for violating the country's immigration and forestry acts, a local official said.

"They are still being interrogated at the court for cases relating to illegal drugs and weapons," he told AFP by telephone.

The fate of the detainees was discussed in talks between Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Myanmar's President Thein Sein in Bangkok on Monday.

Thai government spokeswoman Sansanee Nakpong said the Myanmar leader pledged to help those imprisoned, but because of drug and arms charges, assistance would have to wait until after the cases had been tried.

Earlier this month, the state mouthpiece New Light of Myanmar detailed weapons seized -- including nine assault rifles, 11 "homemade" guns and a landmine -- but said no shots were fired during the raids in the country's southeastern Tanintharyi region.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2012-07-26

[thequietman]

Monkey see, monkey do.

they see their beloved thai politicians and wealty businessmen encroach on ground in thailand everyday with no repercussions. no penalties or jail time so they assume they can get away with it. now they know they can't.

[Katipo]

Good on Myanmar for sticking up for herself. Although you can be sure there will be plenty of back room diplomacy taking place now. So perhaps Myanmar is just posturing to gain some advantage.

Deep down inside however, I would love to think that Myanmar has seen all the mistakes Thailand has made and is making an effort to learn from them. There are already signs of a developing sense of environmental awareness there for example.

[chotthee]

Serve them right.

Now remember the case when Cambodia sentence the yellow shirt PAD the same.

They accuse Hun Sen for playing politics to help Thaksin.

Same same now, I suppose the yellow shirt PAD will say ASSK playing politics to help Thaksin.

[jerrysteve]

Justice is in fact its own reward...I applaud Maynmar!!!!

[webfact]

Myanmar court sentences 92 Thais to 3 1/2 years jail

RANONG, July 26 - A court in Myanmar’s Kawthaung province adjacent to this Thai Andaman Sea province has sentenced 92 Thais to three years and six months for deforestation and illegal entry, the first two of five counts for which all were charged.

Col Pornsak Poonsawat, Thailand's Township Border Committee (TBC) chairman, said that the Myanmar court at Kawthaung sitting on Monday and Tuesday tried the Thai nationals apprehended on July 4 on the first two counts -- deforestation and illegal entry -- and sentenced each to 3 and 1/2 years in jail.

The 25th Infantry Regiment task force commander said the punishment did not include other three counts under investigation by Myanmar authorities; growing illicit drugs including cannabis and kratom; possession of firearms and military weapons and obstruction of official duties.

Col Pornsak said that Thailand still hopes to receive cooperation and help from the Myanmar government.

He added that there was no time frame for how long the legal proceedings would take for investigation and trial on the other counts.

The 92 Thai villagers, 82 men and 10 women, were detained for encroaching onto Myanmar territory, while the suspects maintain they were lured by a broker to clear the land which they later learned was beyond the areas authorised by the Myanmar officials for Thais to use as cultivation areas.

They were being detained in Myanmar's Kawthaung province, opposite Thailand's border province of Ranong.

Myanmar President Thein Sein who visited Thailand earlier this week told Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra during their meeting that he would consider reduced punishment for the detainees, but that it must be done through legal procedures first as some possessed firearms and were involved with illicit drugs. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-07-26

[belg]

now if thailand would start doing the same to their own population that encroached so many forest/mangroves, that would be a nice signal

but i guess, evil myanmar will get something back from the nice thai people soon

[redroo]

What goes around

comes around

[InseeDaeng]

If a person illegaly comes to Europe he/she is likely to get rewarded for it. Free education, health care, some money and a safe place to stay on behalf of the local taxpayers!

In Myanmar you get a dick in your arse!

[Cardiff1963]

If a person illegaly comes to Europe he/she is likely to get rewarded for it. Free education, health care, some money and a safe place to stay on behalf of the local taxpayers!

In Myanmar you get a dick in your arse!

So who's right?

[philw]

If a person illegaly comes to Europe he/she is likely to get rewarded for it. Free education, health care, some money and a safe place to stay on behalf of the local taxpayers!

In Myanmar you get a dick in your arse!

So who's right?

Fact is that any one here applauding anybody getting put into a Burmese prison is a very sick person................................

I would imagine the government will be working hard to get them out and I hope they will be successful.

[edwinchester]

Hopefully straight to a Thai prison if reports that they were growing narcotics and were armed too are true.

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect App

[OzMick]

"Atcha Pratheeppichai, 44, who spent 14 years in Ban Khao Mile Prison.......... receiving pardons on December 7, 2011 after serving two years."

[h90]

"Atcha Pratheeppichai, 44, who spent 14 years in Ban Khao Mile Prison.......... receiving pardons on December 7, 2011 after serving two years."

That's another masterpiece......

[Dap]

Wow! and no suspended sentences.

[Dap]

Good on Myanmar for sticking up for herself. Although you can be sure there will be plenty of back room diplomacy taking place now. So perhaps Myanmar is just posturing to gain some advantage.

Deep down inside however, I would love to think that Myanmar has seen all the mistakes Thailand has made and is making an effort to learn from them. There are already signs of a developing sense of environmental awareness there for example.

For example?? Yeah, while they continue wreaking havoc on the Kachin and charging for "destroying govt. property" when some unfortunate soul detonates one of their landmines? Yeah, for example, "already signs of a developing sense of environmental awareness" It would seem that their PR has impressed you. I suggest a bit more reading of something other than the party line. IMO

Edited July 26, 2012 by Dap

[rbrooks]

Thais are only above the law in Thailand.

[Moruya]

That'll give Sesame Street's Surapong something real to do.

I see repercussions Thai style have already started with arrests at a border market.

[transam]

UK, they would given life in a free council house.

[mayday49]

Oh Boy,...bloviating whites at every turn... no wonder Victorians are so sorry......

[Mosha]

This was on the local TV, and their excuse was going fruit picking according to what my wife translated. I said at the time that's BS. Why cross the river to pick something that grows on this side?

[brianP]

People get comfortable taking things that don't belong to them unless there are repercussions. Now, people will respect Borders and Natural areas as not being their playground to exploit. Same in America, where these people who always got away with it in their original countries come over and find they too have to abide by the rules.. They should make the offending parties re-plant the de-forestation and clean up their polluted camps until everything is as before. Then boot em out.

[riceyummm]

"Atcha Pratheeppichai, 44, who spent 14 years in Ban Khao Mile Prison.......... receiving pardons on December 7, 2011 after serving two years."

That's another masterpiece......

It sounded really stupid until it occurred to me that he may have had more than one visit to that lovely prison. Only way the article could be accurate.