Thai court jails ex-cop for murder of Canadian tourist Leo Del Pinto

[julemanden]

The bottom line is he's been jailed for nearly 40 years. Congratulations to his family for working so hard to see this.

Let's just hope he serves every single day.

Agree, but i do think they made some kind of deal since he all of the sudden plead guilty ...

[Rorri]

This may not be the end of it. We have seen in the past, police convicted of murder and sentence to life, then let out on bail, never to be heard of again..... NO JUSTICE.

[CockneyGit]

Let's just hope he serves every single day.

Don't hold your breath..!!

[Rorri]

I keep reading about these gun shootings, in the streets of Chiang Mai, Pai, Phuket.

How come there seem to be so many guns around, including this ex-cop. Surely when you hand in your badge, the gun goes with it?

In some ASEAN countries, having a weapon such as this is a serious offence. so what's happened in Thailand that every aggressive driver, ex-cop, anyone, can have a weapon?

Is it legal, is there a licensing system or does it just boil down to T.I.T.?

Unfortunately, this is Thailand, a cop buys his own weapon, therefore is his to keep.

[edwinchester]

I am really glad to hear that some amount of justice has meted out. I have never been to a place where the police are more universally hated than Pai. I had a Thai friend whose bar was broken into and cleaned out overnight, I asked her why she did not report this to the police and she told me if she did she would be shaken down for a pay off. Hopefully the cops up there learn that a uniform is not a license to kill.

Yes the Police there, as in most of the Kingdom, have a hand in much of the crime. I have been there about a year ago and was genuinely shocked at how many times I was approached on the street asking if I wanted to buy 'ganja'. Back at my resort I asked the owner and they said the police get a percentage from the dealers. Rotten to the very core imo.

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[simple1]

His farang gf was having an afair with a Thai bloke?? Well, that would be unlikely for a start.....

The G/F testified in court that she had a Thai BF. "Reisig told the court she was on the ground and had been fighting with her boyfriend Ratthapon because she said he had failed to feed her Labrador dog 'Magic'".

Testimony summary at:

http://nationmultimedia.com/2008/02/08/national/national_30064725.php

[Valentine]

This may not be the end of it. We have seen in the past, police convicted of murder and sentence to life, then let out on bail, never to be heard of again..... NO JUSTICE.

You mean like the cops sentenced to death now out on bail? It is one thing to appeal your sentence but being allowed out on bail in this type of situation seems to be available only to select people.

[unanimosity]

You see one of the reasons not to intervene on anything in Thailand?

So, your Canadian lady friend is on the ground in a fight with a Thai man and you choose not to intervene?

Edited August 21, 2013 by unanimosity

[Frito]

Well it only took five years for justice. T.I.T

it has taken five years to convict Jodi Arias of murder and she still has not been sentenced. So justice is slow in America as well.

Please, you don't really want to start with comparisons, do you?

[Frito]

oh some people arguing

lets take my gun and bang bang bang

problem solved

have a nice meal, please come again

Really! Thank God he broke up the argument!

[oldsailor35]

Jailed for 40 years, but will be let out for whatever reason before hand where he will magically disappear. Police look after police.

I believe that his brother is a very senior police officer in the region. If this is the case, then he will probably "esape" and disappear in the not too far distant future !

[rct99q]

I vaguely remember reading about this story when I was briefly living in Canada and recall discussing with people what a terrible country Thailand would be to live in. Now I am living here and read all the "reports" about how terrible it really is. But I have come to the conclusion it is all based on ones limited perspective. You read the headlines of a national newspaper and that is all you know about a country. You visit a chat forum (like TV) to get all your news and that is all you know. You live in a foreign country and interact with like minded people and that is all you know.

In the same story from a Canadian Newspaper the chat forum that follows the news article had several quotes similar to the following:

"strange how all the cops who commit crimes in canada especially in toronto get the charges dropped...corruption runs wild in canada's police forces...and the canadian justice system does nothing about it when they get the chance...maybe they can learn something from the Thia Justice System...cause apparently it works well..."

Or am I the only person who thinks these quotes are.......worthy of posters in TVF

My condolences to the families involved in this tragic crime.

[oldsailor35]

I keep reading about these gun shootings, in the streets of Chiang Mai, Pai, Phuket.

How come there seem to be so many guns around, including this ex-cop. Surely when you hand in your badge, the gun goes with it?

In some ASEAN countries, having a weapon such as this is a serious offence. so what's happened in Thailand that every aggressive driver, ex-cop, anyone, can have a weapon?

Is it legal, is there a licensing system or does it just boil down to T.I.T.?

TIT mate. You have to live here to understand, it would take too long to explain.

[thhMan]

I hate to rain on the parade, but was the sentence for killing one's country person or for killing us tourist dogs....

I am sure things would have gone extremely differently had the scumbug not cowardly beat his pregnant missus to death....

Thats 3 lives gone and one injury... Pretty sad....

[lostmebike]

Thank god for the witnesses that had the courage to resist police pressure. How do scum like this get to wear a police uniform?

They're just a product of their environment my man.

[Briggsy]

This ex-policeman is already in jail for another murder, the murder of his wife.

[slipperx]

Every country has crime, murder, corruption and so on. When commenting in here I think everyone knows we are talking comparatively and not absolutely. When people complain about the police corruption here it is because it is magnitudes worse than most places. When people complain of people being bailed on murder charges and the like it is because it happens far more often here than elsewhere.

When people observe the riding attacks on foreigners in Phuket it is because it is happening more often than they remember from a few years back.

The justice system here is broken, from the police to the courts and on through the procedure rules and parole. That is because it is much harder and more expensive for the average comparative man to get justice and it is not even seen to be done.

I am glad this guy got banged up but fear the other inadequacies in the system will not end up seeing a just sentence served comparatively or otherwise.

[drdoom6996]

You see one of the reasons not to intervene on anything in Thailand?

I was certified a First Responder and Paramedic until my Paramedic ran out and I didn't renew it. I am still a first responder. In the west, America and Europe, If I don't help someone with health problems I can be charged with a misdemeanor, or felony depending on the country I am in. But here, no way I'm getting involved with anybody but my family. Just to risky. It is too easy to say it's the expats fault. I am the minority here and I know it and act like it.

[SOTIRIOS]

The bottom line is he's been jailed for nearly 40 years. Congratulations to his family for working so hard to see this.

Let's just hope he serves every single day.

...I wouldn't bet on it...

[ppmacready]

Jailed for 40 years, but will be let out for whatever reason before hand where he will magically disappear. Police look after police.

No need for magic or slight of hand.

He will be pardoned!

[Maggusoil]

The official did not provide further details of the proceedings, but reports in the Canadian press said the former policeman changed his plea just weeks before the trial.

Maybe it had something to do with his arrest for murdering his wife at a later date.

A Thai policeman who gunned down two Canadian backpackers in northern Thailand has killed again. Police Sergeant Uthai Dechawiwat, 39, who killed 25-yr-old backpacker Leo Del Pinto and seriously injured his companion Carly Reisig, has now been accused of clubbing his pregnant teenage bride to death

Oh right. Mr. Nice Guy again. . . . are people born like this?

Congratulations to all those who helped put this uncontrollable person in a relatively safe place for the rest of us.

Do we think it will change him?

Time will tell. Plenty of it.

[gemini81]

The official did not provide further details of the proceedings, but reports in the Canadian press said the former policeman changed his plea just weeks before the trial.

Maybe it had something to do with his arrest for murdering his wife at a later date.

A Thai policeman who gunned down two Canadian backpackers in northern Thailand has killed again. Police Sergeant Uthai Dechawiwat, 39, who killed 25-yr-old backpacker Leo Del Pinto and seriously injured his companion Carly Reisig, has now been accused of clubbing his pregnant teenage bride to death

Oh right. Mr. Nice Guy again. . . . are people born like this?

Congratulations to all those who helped put this uncontrollable person in a relatively safe place for the rest of us.

Do we think it will change him?

Time will tell. Plenty of it.

The sentence runs consecutive with the beating of his wife. See the link. This man is a low life coward.

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/08/20/uthai-dechawiwatm-sentenced-death-leo-del-pinto_n_3785925.html

[rct99q]

Every country has crime, murder, corruption and so on. When commenting in here I think everyone knows we are talking comparatively and not absolutely. When people complain about the police corruption here it is because it is magnitudes worse than most places. When people complain of people being bailed on murder charges and the like it is because it happens far more often here than elsewhere.

When people observe the riding attacks on foreigners in Phuket it is because it is happening more often than they remember from a few years back.

The justice system here is broken, from the police to the courts and on through the procedure rules and parole. That is because it is much harder and more expensive for the average comparative man to get justice and it is not even seen to be done.

I am glad this guy got banged up but fear the other inadequacies in the system will not end up seeing a just sentence served comparatively or otherwise.

Police Corruption in Thailand is magnitudes worse than most places.......

Can you tell me (other than Australia,US, Canada or NZ) who are you comparing Thailand to being worse than....Mexico, Africa, Central America, South America, Indian Sub Continent, the rest of SEAsia, Caribbean (most island nations), Eastern Europe, a few spots in Western Europe (Italy) in my opinion are either the same or worse.

[Maggusoil]

The official did not provide further details of the proceedings, but reports in the Canadian press said the former policeman changed his plea just weeks before the trial.

Maybe it had something to do with his arrest for murdering his wife at a later date.

A Thai policeman who gunned down two Canadian backpackers in northern Thailand has killed again. Police Sergeant Uthai Dechawiwat, 39, who killed 25-yr-old backpacker Leo Del Pinto and seriously injured his companion Carly Reisig, has now been accused of clubbing his pregnant teenage bride to death

Oh right. Mr. Nice Guy again. . . . are people born like this?

Congratulations to all those who helped put this uncontrollable person in a relatively safe place for the rest of us.

Do we think it will change him?

Time will tell. Plenty of it.

The sentence runs consecutive with the beating of his wife. See the link. This man is a low life coward.

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/08/20/uthai-dechawiwatm-sentenced-death-leo-del-pinto_n_3785925.html

Thanks for the added info. Disgusting, senseless, brutal violence. Thailand is not the only country where these

types wear badges and guns. We have them in Australia. They give a profoundly bad image to the service.

[nami]

The bottom line is he's been jailed for nearly 40 years. Congratulations to his family for working so hard to see this.

Let's just hope he serves every single day.

I hope so too but i hear sentences get reduced a lot in Thai jails on the kings birthday and such so in reality I doubt he will serve half of it.

Please correct me if I am wrong but I often see high sentences and then it gets reduced a lot.

I would very glad if he served half of it. Most likely he will serve 2 or 4 years if he enters jail at all.

[Cnxforever]

Not a word about how the police in Pai tried to change all facts of how it happened, not a word about intimidating witnesses to get him off the hook - not a word that he murdered his pregnant wife while he was out on bail?

He shot them in cold blood and would have gotten away with it - only when he murdered his wife while out on bail they could not do anything anymore to protect him.

He only confessed to the murder recently to get a reduced sentence! There is no remorse - just feeling sorry for himself that he did not get away with it!

For the murder of his wife alone he should have gotten the death penalty - why should a scumbag like him live - even in prison? The world would be a much better place without him!

[nami]

The official did not provide further details of the proceedings, but reports in the Canadian press said the former policeman changed his plea just weeks before the trial.

Maybe it had something to do with his arrest for murdering his wife at a later date.

A Thai policeman who gunned down two Canadian backpackers in northern Thailand has killed again. Police Sergeant Uthai Dechawiwat, 39, who killed 25-yr-old backpacker Leo Del Pinto and seriously injured his companion Carly Reisig, has now been accused of clubbing his pregnant teenage bride to death

Oh right. Mr. Nice Guy again. . . . are people born like this?

Congratulations to all those who helped put this uncontrollable person in a relatively safe place for the rest of us.

Do we think it will change him?

Time will tell. Plenty of it.

The sentence runs consecutive with the beating of his wife. See the link. This man is a low life coward.

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/08/20/uthai-dechawiwatm-sentenced-death-leo-del-pinto_n_3785925.html

Thanks for the added info. Disgusting, senseless, brutal violence. Thailand is not the only country where these

types wear badges and guns. We have them in Australia. They give a profoundly bad image to the service.

Sadly, many bullies become police in many countries. The punishment should be harder for them because of the position they hold, not only they don't serve but they abuse their authority and impunity.

[Maggusoil]

Every country has crime, murder, corruption and so on. When commenting in here I think everyone knows we are talking comparatively and not absolutely. When people complain about the police corruption here it is because it is magnitudes worse than most places. When people complain of people being bailed on murder charges and the like it is because it happens far more often here than elsewhere.

When people observe the riding attacks on foreigners in Phuket it is because it is happening more often than they remember from a few years back.

The justice system here is broken, from the police to the courts and on through the procedure rules and parole. That is because it is much harder and more expensive for the average comparative man to get justice and it is not even seen to be done.

I am glad this guy got banged up but fear the other inadequacies in the system will not end up seeing a just sentence served comparatively or otherwise.

Police Corruption in Thailand is magnitudes worse than most places.......

Can you tell me (other than Australia,US, Canada or NZ) who are you comparing Thailand to being worse than....Mexico, Africa, Central America, South America, Indian Sub Continent, the rest of SEAsia, Caribbean (most island nations), Eastern Europe, a few spots in Western Europe (Italy) in my opinion are either the same or worse.

This is not corruption. This is murder.

Police may have conspired to protect their fellow officer, but they do that "everywhere" also.

In the East and the pristine, purity of the fabulously democratic West.

People are people.

Low lifes are low lifes. They hide under rocks world wide.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The bottom line is he's been jailed for nearly 40 years. Congratulations to his family for working so hard to see this.

Let's just hope he serves every single day.

Until he suddenly and inexplicably escapes from custody, or serves a few years and is released or pardoned.

Curious... no mention in this OP news report of the policeman's history with his own murdered Thai wife.

http://www.chiangmaicitynews.com/news.php?id=2033

Edited August 21, 2013 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[MILT]

Thank god for the witnesses that had the courage to resist police pressure. How do scum like this get to wear a police uniform?

Money!!!

Seriously! People pay a lot of money and/or have lofty connections for the opportunity to join the police in Thailand. It's not seen as a job -- it's seen as a business opportunity. That's why they rarely do do any actual police work. Making a contribution to society and believing justice should be served is not what they joined the force for. It's the money!

Your statement is simply not true. I have several Thai friends that neither have connections (like the ones you have inferred to) nor any wealth. Most Thais that join the police are looking at the benefits that are provided for their families. Thai police wages are not that much. The result is as you mentioned the tea money. I believe there is some police that are interested in upholding the law as it were. I have tried to pay my way out of seat belt violations in the past and sometimes it works and sometimes not. You have basically generalized the entire Thai police department based on what? Your own experiences with the entire police force?