Should A Woman Be Allowed to hold the office of President of the USA?

[Lite Beer]

Very few cases in South end in rulings
Thoranit Pirunla-ong,
Pares Lohasan,
Narong Nuansakul
The Nation on Sunday


Attorney-General Julasing Wasansing

BANGKOK: -- Of 907 national-security cases prosecuted in the nine years since the violence in the deep South flared up, only 31 have received a final ruling in the Supreme Court, according to a study released by the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) yesterday.

The study on the efficiency of the state's prosecution of national-security cases in the four southern border provinces, conducted by the Rajamangala Institute of Technology Southern Campus's Asst Prof Weerasak Tullayaporn and his team, was unveiled at an event yesterday presided over by Attorney-General Julasing Wasansing. The event was held to give prosecutors in the region a working guideline.

The study found that between 2004 and July 2012 there were 7,918 national-security cases. Of these, 4,686 cases were submitted to the provincial public prosecutor's offices, although only 1,394 of these were submitted along with the suspects. Indictments were issued in only 907 cases. The Primary Court sentenced the defendants for all charges filed in 206 cases, punished the defendants on only some charges in 108 cases, and acquitted the defendants in another 439 cases, while 154 cases remain before the court. The Appeals Court handed down rulings in 187 cases while the Supreme Court ruled in 31 (upholding the Appeals Court's ruling in 18 cases, acquitting in two cases, issuing entirely different rulings in two cases, changing sentences in seven cases and dismissing two cases), according to the study.

Julasing said the OAG, with assistance from the Asia Foundation, found that a key issue in national-security cases was a scarcity of witnesses. Hence, they had to use forensic evidence to investigate crime scenes. The OAG would seek to promote understanding among court officials, public prosecutors, police investigators and the public in investigations, using forensic principle to support witnesses.

"For the OAG, winning cases is less important than developing a mutual understanding between people and the state. Winning every case doesn't matter. What is important is that people understand the state and officials. If everyone [involved] establishes a good understanding, the cases wouldn't occur in the first place," he added.

Meanwhile, Wayoh Doloh, 50, a reporter for a "police" newspaper, was fatally shot yesterday at 8am by two men on a motorbike while he was riding a motorbike into Pattani town and was pronounced dead at a hospital in Pattani's Ma-Yor district. A police investigation found that Wayoh was shot and injured on a previous occasion three years ago. Officials suspected his shooting was relating to the insurgency in the region, as Wayoh had served as an informant.


-- The Nation 2014-05-05

[Locationthailand]

A summary - rounded up

About 8,000 cases

58% submitted for prosecution

17% submitted with suspects

11% issued for indictment

2.5% charges issued

1.3% punished

5.4% acquitted

With this type of track record the OAG should fire the Attorney General, Martial Law should to be instituted in the South and the 50,000 soldiers and police should be given carte blanche to do what is necessary to restore what the law cannot. This is simply pathetic. I wonder how much it costs to run the OAG annually and how many 'lawyers' they employ? The south will never resolve anything and is it any wonder why not with these statistics?

[winstonc]

locationthailand is 100 percent correct,why do they do nothing but talk about it instead of getting on with the job,,beats me,,

[JeffreyWitty]

locationthailand is 100 percent correct,why do they do nothing but talk about it instead of getting on with the job,,beats me,,

I presume it has to do with local politicians. Most politicians worldwide try to keep their constituents happy - so they can continue winning elections and keep their jobs. Voters tend to not re-elect politicians who impose martial law in their own backyards.

Again - I am making a presumption here.

[simple1]

A summary - rounded up

About 8,000 cases

58% submitted for prosecution

17% submitted with suspects

11% issued for indictment

2.5% charges issued

1.3% punished

5.4% acquitted

With this type of track record the OAG should fire the Attorney General, Martial Law should to be instituted in the South and the 50,000 soldiers and police should be given carte blanche to do what is necessary to restore what the law cannot. This is simply pathetic. I wonder how much it costs to run the OAG annually and how many 'lawyers' they employ? The south will never resolve anything and is it any wonder why not with these statistics?

You would assume the low conviction rates would be due to insufficient evidence, as I would think the Thai judges would happily convict militants/insurgents/terrorists.

Martial Law has in in place in the deep South for ten years, has it recently been revoked?

Under Martial Law it bestows absolute powers to state officers, including the military, with no checks and balances from other agencies as per the democratic system. So when you mention "carte blanche" is this your shorthand for extrajudicial killings with no access to the courts for suspects?

Edited May 6, 2013 by simple1