Thai court acquits Santika nightclub owner after deadly inferno

[Scott]

A post with unflattering terminology aimed at the judiciary has been deleted. Please exercise care in how you word your posts, for legal reasons.

[Redhawk]

We are living in Thailand, rich killing poor is for free!

[bender92]

Is anyone $urpri$ed at this???

[GeorgeO]

Why don't some of you blame on the authorities (the police, the fire department, the housing authority, etc) for not enforcing the law? Can't you see what the underlying problems are?

Let me spell it out for you: Thailand needs to enforce the law and people should be made known to abide by the rules of law!

Totally agree. This place needs a complete shake up, from the top down, a completely new police force, a completely new judicuary and observance of the rule of law. I reckon it should take about three generations...!

[cms22]

Long sentences are only for more serious crimes... like old men sending SMS's...

Nail on the head !!!!!!!!!

[mrtoad]

As the club owner of such a big establishment I doubt he was aware of every little thing going on in there. Sure he would be liable in a civil court but to bring criminal charges against him are a little much. And the appeals court has reacted accordingly. The pyro experts on the other hand are " experts" and it is their fault what happened that night. They should do time and have their license revoked.

That's absolute nonsense. I'm sorry, if you are a business owner or Senior Management, there is a responsibility to ensure safety and good practice. I agree that often people in such positions don't know everything, but clearly 1) this place wasn't licensed 2) the design of the building was unsafe 3) They contined to allow too many people into this building 3) they were paying off officials to flout legalities 4) the fire exits were chained shut .....that's just the beginning. The other fact is 67 people died, becasue of greed and corruption, and then this happens. I agree with another comment from Thai at Heart, it's as lame as not doing your homework at school, and claiming the dog ate it.

Sadly, when the country is run by crooks and thieves, and has a convicted criminal issuing orders from afar, justice, responsibility and morality are not likely to improve. They deliberatley loaded the blame onto a car park attendant and the lighting guy, while the others hid behind in the shadows. Those names are known, but they were from a certain set and they are allowed to break the law, with little consequence.

And lets not forget those 67 people that had their lives taken away from them that night, and also the numerous others with life changing injuries. What a sad and sick state of affairs this is.

[UncleJ]

There are thousands of fire traps out there just like this place.

I would point the fire safety officer to walk thru Pantip or TukCom in Pattaya.

Death traps.

[klauskunkel]

How can you top something like this?

I know, next time (and there will be a next time) the culprits will all get medals and a cash bonus together with their get-out-of-jail-free card...

[WitawatWatawit]

My daughter was 20 minutes away from being in this place. Mr Wisut, you are walking today because of the family trait of always being late for everything.

The court has used a ridiculous technicality to acquit. That's all it is. So why can't other technicalities be brought to the fore to put his miserable body behind bars for good? All of the details are there - unlicensed, safety issues etc.These seemed to have been just cast aside as unnecessary complications - clutter, that's all, getting in the way. Just ignore them. Jesus wept.

[newatthis]

I wasn't in the Appeals Court when they made this decision, but the job of these judges is to consider the evidence put before them. They obviously considered that the conviction in the lower court was erroneous and therefore was quashed. Why do we have to assume that there was bias or any sort of corruption involved in their decision? They had the full facts; we don't. We only have newspaper reports.

[ricardofel]

UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!...Not really, this is disgusting Thailand where the lives of good people are discarded like refuse and nobody is responsible.

[DocN]

"if you don't like it, go home", anyone?

[Langsuan Man]

I wasn't in the Appeals Court when they made this decision, but the job of these judges is to consider the evidence put before them. They obviously considered that the conviction in the lower court was erroneous and therefore was quashed. Why do we have to assume that there was bias or any sort of corruption involved in their decision? They had the full facts; we don't. We only have newspaper reports.

Why do we have to assume that there was bias or any sort of corruption involved

Because this is Thailand, nuff said

[jalansanitwong]

This scumbag might have avoided prison for killing scores of people but he will be poorer for the experience.

Alot of money must have changed hands over the years to get this result.

[alfalfa19]

What a joke. These people really have no shame.

[bristolgeoff]

what can I say now.all said before me.but look out for his new night club soon in bkk

[canman]

I wasn't in the Appeals Court when they made this decision, but the job of these judges is to consider the evidence put before them. They obviously considered that the conviction in the lower court was erroneous and therefore was quashed. Why do we have to assume that there was bias or any sort of corruption involved in their decision? They had the full facts; we don't. We only have newspaper reports.

Have you just arrive in Thailand?

[mrtoad]

I wasn't in the Appeals Court when they made this decision, but the job of these judges is to consider the evidence put before them. They obviously considered that the conviction in the lower court was erroneous and therefore was quashed. Why do we have to assume that there was bias or any sort of corruption involved in their decision? They had the full facts; we don't. We only have newspaper reports.

I think your user name sums it up, just got here by chance?

[kblaze]

this was the morning after

goodbye indeed

[brewsterbudgen]

Why don't some of you blame on the authorities (the police, the fire department, the housing authority, etc) for not enforcing the law? Can't you see what the underlying problems are?

Let me spell it out for you: Thailand needs to enforce the law and people should be made known to abide by the rules of law!

Totally agree. This place needs a complete shake up, from the top down, a completely new police force, a completely new judicuary and observance of the rule of law. I reckon it should take about three generations...!

Agreed. Like any developing country it will take many years before it reaches the standards of the so-called civilised world.

What a joke. These people really have no shame.

Which people? Nightclub owners, judges, pyrotechnic engineers??

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The court found that the charges in his indictment for directly causing death through carelessness were unclear and lacked evidence.

In other news, somchai told the teacher he forgot his homework because the dog ate it.

80 people died ladies and gentlemen. 80. In a club owned by this Muppet, with no licence. The guy has trousered millions over the years and he walk s away in this manner.

Puke!

The verdict is DISGUSTING... no other word to describe it.

And yet, it's hardly the first and surely won't be the last of similar ilk.... No justice, Thai style.

But... from all accounts, this guy wasn't the real owner of the club, or if he was, it was in name only. The real owner or owners never were prosecuted... And others above have alluded to who the supposed real owners were and why they were never touched... Not to mention, why the club was allowed to continue to operate for a long time, prior to its demise, despite being in violation of pretty much everything.

[vincentc]

COURT

Court clears Santika Pub owner over deadly blaze

The prosecution lacked evidence to support an allegation that more than 500 revellers were allowed inside the pub in violation of the legal limit, the judges said.

Lacked the evidence? I was inside. I took pictures from the balcony downwards. Wanna count the heads of people inside less than 2 minutes before the whole thing went up in flames?

But I am not going to present it, because I don't want to end up under a bus myself

Is there a legal limit of people allowed inside into an illegal venue?

If the owner of the place isn't negligent, then nobody is. With hindsight, it was a place designed to kill by fire; Bars in front of the balcony floor windows forced us to find our way down the stairs to get out, as climbing out/jumping out of the window was impossible. 15 seconds into the fire power went down and ALL lights were off, no emergency light whatsoever. Less than 30 seconds into the fire the ceiling collapsed at various places and quite far from where the fire supposedly initiated. What crap construction is this? The place seemed to be build using materials propagating fire. It took less than a minute for the whole place to be alight. And of course, the real emergency exits were blocked.

But as an owner, I am not responsible about any of this.

On another note, people were way to fast to blame the fire on the pyrotechnics from this band 'Burn' in my opinion. They found their scapegoat. Sure they did they pyro stuff long before and just before the place was set alight, but to add a bit of conspiracy theory to the Thai Visa community, I do believe the fire came from fireworks outside and set the whole outer roof on fire. This must have been going on unnoticed for a couple of minutes, after that the roof/ceiling collapsed a bit everywhere. Just my theory, but of course I do not have the same level of expertise as the investigators nor the court.

I've turned the page, me and all my friends made it out alive pretty much unharmed that night but it was really close. But hope you don't mind me being a bit insulted by this verdict.

[Local Drunk]

After the Kader Toy fire in 1993 that killed over a 188 people; then Thai Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai, who travelled to the scene on the evening of the fire, has pledged that the government will address fire safety issues. According to the Wall Street Journal (1993), Leekpai has called for tough action against those who violate the safety laws. Wikipedia

Ten years later: "one of the factory workers was made the scapegoat. Police arrested Viroj Yusak, alleging that he had caused the fire by carelessly discarding a cigarette. A court in Nakhom Pathom last month sentenced him to 10 years jail but acquitted 14 executives," Peter Symonds 16 May 2003

Same same

Edited October 23, 2013 by Local Drunk

[kingalfred]

A country that has no jury system where ordinary people decide the guilt or innocence rather than judges who can be "leaned on" is doomed.In most civilized countries there would be a public outcry but as usual Thais just shrug their shoulders,smile and say "thats the way it is "

[newatthis]

I wasn't in the Appeals Court when they made this decision, but the job of these judges is to consider the evidence put before them. They obviously considered that the conviction in the lower court was erroneous and therefore was quashed. Why do we have to assume that there was bias or any sort of corruption involved in their decision? They had the full facts; we don't. We only have newspaper reports.

Why do we have to assume that there was bias or any sort of corruption involved

Because this is Thailand, nuff said

Then, to follow this logically, we can assume that the conviction of the man from Dubai was biased and corrupt.

[moe666]

Why don't some of you blame on the authorities (the police, the fire department, the housing authority, etc) for not enforcing the law? Can't you see what the underlying problems are?

Let me spell it out for you: Thailand needs to enforce the law and people should be made known to abide by the rules of law!

So you want it to be just like the place you came from to get away from all of the rules. In Thailand you are pretty much left to fend for your own safety, I will not go into night clubs any where in this country based on what I know about the rules here

[moe666]

I wasn't in the Appeals Court when they made this decision, but the job of these judges is to consider the evidence put before them. They obviously considered that the conviction in the lower court was erroneous and therefore was quashed. Why do we have to assume that there was bias or any sort of corruption involved in their decision? They had the full facts; we don't. We only have newspaper reports.

Why do we have to assume that there was bias or any sort of corruption involved

Because this is Thailand, nuff said

Then, to follow this logically, we can assume that the conviction of the man from Dubai was biased and corrupt.

Maybe, but you have to remember he was convicted during the administration of his brother-in-law. Just another off shoot of TRT, PTP , and a couple of others

[elzach]

It makes you wonder, there's no lynching in Thailand, or any vendetta? I mean, if the courts, repeatedly, cannot enforce justice, then....

or money "talked" again?

Edited October 23, 2013 by elzach

[chappie1207]

And now we know why Aliens choose to stay silent!!!!

[newatthis]

I wasn't in the Appeals Court when they made this decision, but the job of these judges is to consider the evidence put before them. They obviously considered that the conviction in the lower court was erroneous and therefore was quashed. Why do we have to assume that there was bias or any sort of corruption involved in their decision? They had the full facts; we don't. We only have newspaper reports.

I think your user name sums it up, just got here by chance?

No, I've been here a few years now, settled etc. I know there is a lot of corruption in this country; seen it with my own eyes. I'm just not going to assume that every decision that a court makes is biased or corrupt. We can't live like that else we become untrusting and despondent.