More commonly transliterated as Aikchol Hospital, it may be across the street from the prison, but it's a world away in reality.

Lovely VIP Suites there for the patient with money. The sea-view accommodations are especially spectacular for viewing the sunsets on this ocean-front property. .

.

Prison officials have been taking turns guarding Kamnan Poh, who is in a VIP room. Only family members are allowed to visit him.

Sweet suite, dude....

VIP or VIP Premiere? Either way, sure does beat a nasty prison cell .

.

Kamnan Poh transferred to ICU after having difficulty breathing

CHONBURI, 5 February 2013 (NNT) - Immediately after being transferred from Bangkok to serve his sentences in a prison in Chonburi, Kamnan Poh or Somchai Kunplome had to be taken to an intensive care unit (ICU) as he had difficulty breathing.

Mr Somchai also had other conditions such as high blood pressure, pneumonia, and pulmonary edema. He passed out after he arrived at Chonburi Central Prison. Doctor said he was unable to lie on his back.

Prison officials have been taking turns guarding Kamnan Poh, who is in a VIP room. Only family members are allowed to visit him.

The Chonburi tycoon was transferred from Bangkok on Monday morning, escorted by commandos and police to prevent any unforeseen incident.

The Supreme Court, in March 2012, sentenced him in absentia to 25 years in prison for masterminding the killing of his political rival Prayoon Sitthichoke, or Kamnan Yoon, at a wedding in March 2003.

-- NNT 2013-02-05

My God Almighty air lift this man to Mayo Clinic immediately. He is at deaths door. And only after four days seen to be in good health.

The plot has unravelled quicker than expected. The DG of the corrections dept capitulated very quickly to allow the transfer the prisoner to Chonburi prison which is not normally permitted for long term inmates or prisoners with medical needs because it has now hospital wing. Within 10 minutes of arrival there in an aircon van, he is transferred to a private hospital that is either owned or controlled in some way by the family. He will spend several weeks there claiming to be seriously ill until the media had lost interest in the story. Then he will quietly return home with perhaps a beat up looking old chinaman with died hair paid to sit in Chonburi jail in his place. A legal wrinkle will allow him to apply for a pardon after serving a third of the 5 year sentence, ignoring the 30 year one. He will be released and his health will recover miraculously. Meanwhile the guy that was murdered at the wedding party is still dead.

Perhaps Thaksin had him arrested as a test case for himself, as well as to settle the son's wrangling for a better ministry. He could get transferred to Chiang Mai prison where he grew up and immediately be sent to a 5 star hospital owned by his family or close associate and slip away from there while he makes his appeal for a pardon which, in his case, could legitimately be considered after 8 months. Plan B in case the amnesty takes too long. He is killing two birds with one stone. Never the fool.

As for concerns that the prison does not have a health center to care for sick inmates and that they have to seek medical care outside and might escape, the corrections department chief voiced that he did not believe Kamnan Poh could escape as he is an old man with bad health.

And let us hope that this is indeed a truthful statement,

Some people believe that the moon is made of green cheese others seem to believe that Kamnan Poh could not nor will try to escape as he is an old man with bad health

This non escape clause being due to his word of honour and the words of honour uttered by his son and other family members.

Time alone will tell if influence is going to triumph over justice.

As an aside one does hope that those Red Shirt pawns who are currently serving prison sentences are of course in a prison facility near to their families aren't they courtesy of the influence being exercised on their behalf by the Party List Red Shirt P.T.P. M.P.s. ?

.

Why can't you guy's resist linking everything negative to the Red Shirts and the present government. Kamnan Poh or Somchai Kunplome is a member of Thaland's elite and the patriarck of a family deeply involved in the running of our immensly successful province. In no way should an educated man be able to liken him to the Red Shirts.

He's a convicted criminal but you say he's a member of Thailand's elite. Doesn't compute my friend.

And perhaps you'd like to share some details of 'our immensly successful province'.

I lived in Pattaya and part time in Chonburi city for several years because of my work.

Both places are the a**hole of Thailand.

Pattaya gets worse and worse in terms of the openness of the sex trade. Sure it generates revenue, but...

Chonburi city would be the most unfriendly city in Thailand, the local people make no effort whatever to be pleasant or helpful.

As for concerns that the prison does not have a health center to care for sick inmates and that they have to seek medical care outside and might escape, the corrections department chief voiced that he did not believe Kamnan Poh could escape as he is an old man with bad health.

And let us hope that this is indeed a truthful statement,

Some people believe that the moon is made of green cheese others seem to believe that Kamnan Poh could not nor will try to escape as he is an old man with bad health

This non escape clause being due to his word of honour and the words of honour uttered by his son and other family members.

Time alone will tell if influence is going to triumph over justice.

As an aside one does hope that those Red Shirt pawns who are currently serving prison sentences are of course in a prison facility near to their families aren't they courtesy of the influence being exercised on their behalf by the Party List Red Shirt P.T.P. M.P.s. ?

.

Why can't you guy's resist linking everything negative to the Red Shirts and the present government. Kamnan Poh or Somchai Kunplome is a member of Thaland's elite and the patriarck of a family deeply involved in the running of our immensly successful province. In no way should an educated man be able to liken him to the Red Shirts.

Well if the pt (red shirt) government can twist laws and relax / rewrite punishment requirements for a proven cold blooded premetitated murdered and highly corrupt person who has never ever shown any respect for the law, in fact ignored the law and intimidated the police, and who has been very ruthless many times in the past for his own ends, then why can't the pt (red shirt) government twist laws to aid and release the reds who are now in jail and who helped get pt and madam puppet into government?

In reality it would appear that those reds now languising in jail have been totally deliberately ignored and forgotten, no longer needed.

In reality of course one would hope that all governments displayed high morals and insisted that the law be respected and protected in every possible way and insisted that the judiciary received every avenue of support and scrutiny needed to ensure equal application of the law for all Thais, including kunman hi-so elite poh.

Sure I saw somewhere on this or another thread on the subject that this fine upstanding example of Thai manhood was sentenced in his absence, if this can be done for him why not for Khun T?

Sure I saw somewhere on this or another thread on the subject that this fine upstanding example of Thai manhood was sentenced in his absence, if this can be done for him why not for Khun T?

As I understand it, the defendant has to be present to hear the initial charges at the first hearing of a case. Kamnan Poh had done that and even his leaving before the case against him had been finalized, the courts could go ahead and proceed with the case up to the end of finalizing it with a guilty finding and sentencing.

Of the multiple cases begun against Thaksin, he only presented himself for the first hearing in the one case that he was subsequently convicted in. All the remaining cases are still pending until he returns.

.

Sure I saw somewhere on this or another thread on the subject that this fine upstanding example of Thai manhood was sentenced in his absence, if this can be done for him why not for Khun T?

As I understand it, the defendant has to be present to hear the initial charges at the first hearing of a case. Kamnan Poh had done that and even his leaving before the case against him had been finalized, the courts could go ahead and proceed with the case up to the end of finalizing it with a guilty finding and sentencing.

Of the multiple cases begun against Thaksin, he only presented himself for the first hearing in the one case that he was subsequently convicted in. All the remaining cases are still pending until he returns.

.

They are pending until the new constitution eliminates them and his existing conviction and returns his confiscated assets.

Legally only cases heard by the Supreme Court for Political Office Holders can be tried totally in absentia from beginning to end, since that is considered a civil court without powers of imprisonment, and that has already been done to Thaksin, resulting in the assets confiscation. Criminal cases need the defendant to be present at the opening session and can then proceed in absentia, if the defendant absconds. This is what happened in Thaksin's trial over the Ratchapisek Land. After the 2 million baht in the donut box misfired, resulting in 6 months prison for his two lawyers, he deemed it safer to skidaddle.

Sure I saw somewhere on this or another thread on the subject that this fine upstanding example of Thai manhood was sentenced in his absence, if this can be done for him why not for Khun T?

As I understand it, the defendant has to be present to hear the initial charges at the first hearing of a case. Kamnan Poh had done that and even his leaving before the case against him had been finalized, the courts could go ahead and proceed with the case up to the end of finalizing it with a guilty finding and sentencing.

Of the multiple cases begun against Thaksin, he only presented himself for the first hearing in the one case that he was subsequently convicted in. All the remaining cases are still pending until he returns.

.

Correct. Kamnan Poh went into hiding in plain sight before the verdict was read in his corruption case over the Pattaya garbage dump for which he is now "serving" 5 years and 4 months. Before that his murder trial had already commenced and that went on in absentia. The appeals on both cases were filed and heard in absentia and thus proceeded up to the Supreme Court which confirm the guilty verdicts in both cases in absentia.

There some glaring loopholes in Thai criminal justice relating to these kinds of cases that need to be plugged, in my opinion:

1. Defendants should lose their right to appeal, if they refuse to attend even the initial appeal hearing in person after fleeing the verdict or sentence of a lower court.

2. The statute of limitations should be suspended during the period that a defendant is a fugitive from justice.