Thai police deny beating up SRT worker to extract confession

[webfact]

Police deny beating up SRT worker to extract confession
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Police yesterday dismissed the claim of 19-year-old train worker Natthakorn Chamnan that his confession to acting as the lookout during the rape and murder of a 13-year-old girl on a Bangkok-bound train was extracted under duress.

Pol Maj-General Thitirat Nonghan-pitak, the deputy Metropolitan Police commissioner, said police had enough proof to prosecute both Natthakorn and co-worker Wanchai Saengkhao, who has confessed to raping and killing the girl.

Pol Colonel Wiset Ketphan, deputy Railway Police commander, said the false claim stemmed from the suspect's disappointment at being criminally charged after police had suggested using him as a state witness.

Police had no reason to rough him up as they already had strong evidence against him and Wanchai, he said. The Prachuap Khiri Khan police handed the case over to the Hua Hin court's public prosecutor.

Wanchai was charged with sexually assaulting and killing a minor under 15, disposing her body to conceal the crime, stealing her valuables at night on public transport, possessing stolen property and abusing drugs, while Natthakorn was charged with aiding in the rape of a minor under 15.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Police-deny-beating-up-SRT-worker-to-extract-confe-30238693.html


-- The Nation 2014-07-17

[terryp]

too late fools , you were captured on video hitting one of them... so the guy has been smart enough to use it for HIS defence

[siampolee]

terryp post # 2

too late fools , you were captured on video hitting one of them... so the guy has been smart enough to use it for HIS defence

Perhaps if you had or perhaps you may children and you had to deal with the matter you might feel different, the reaction was not professional, however compared to the retribution that would have been meted out by a hostile crowd from which the accused was defended from by the police a slapping was a small price to pay.

There is no defence for his crimes, rape is an abhorrent crime as is a cold blooded premeditated murder to silence a witness, yes emotions do run high, thus a slapping whilst ethically and morally is understandable.

[bdenner]

Here we go, the 'Key Stone' cops are going to botch this case so badly it will stretch out for years. Probably see these two guys out on bail soon.

Is there going to be any justice for the young lady??

[lostsoul49]

too late fools , you were captured on video hitting one of them... so the guy has been smart enough to use it for HIS defence

But they don't have video footage of the police slapping the defendant do they?

You really think all criminals will now walk free because a child rapist and killer got a clip around the earhole?

Like the police said, they already have enough evidence to convict him. This idiot has chosen to plead not guilty and chance his arm, and will now likely get screwed with 30 years at least.

Police from all over the world slap criminals around, even in the so called civilized west.... Stop kidding yourself that Thai police are worse than any other country... The USA and UK police are just the same.

In Pakistan and many other countries, actual torture is perfectly legal.

[noitom]

Thais have no knowledge of building up a legal case. You can see that by the number of Thai Mr. Bigs that get busted.

[jaltsc]

"Police yesterday dismissed the claim of 19-year-old train worker Natthakorn Chamnan that his confession to acting as the lookout during the rape and murder of a 13-year-old girl on a Bangkok-bound train was extracted under duress."

When was the last time,or the first time for that matter, that any police department in any part of the world admitted to beating or torturing a suspect? It seems unfortunate that universally, all suspects are a clumsy lot. For some reason they continually fall down the stairs numerous times, walk into doors and walls. trip and put their heads through windows, and are too stupid to know that it is not their heads that go into a toilet bowl. Don't blame the police because suspects, whether guilty of innocent of the crime, are so uncoordinated.

[kriswillems]

Having had several bad experiences with the Thai police (but not of this kind), I am honestly not sure who's telling the truth here.

[chainarong]

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Having had several bad experiences with the Thai police (but not of this kind), I am honestly not sure who's telling the truth here.

I am inclined to agree, you never know in Thailand when the truth is told , therein lies the problem Thailand is perceived as a dishonest , corrupt country, some reputation.

[uty6543]

too late fools , you were captured on video hitting one of them... so the guy has been smart enough to use it for HIS defence

But they don't have video footage of the police slapping the defendant do they?

You really think all criminals will now walk free because a child rapist and killer got a clip around the earhole?

Like the police said, they already have enough evidence to convict him. This idiot has chosen to plead not guilty and chance his arm, and will now likely get screwed with 30 years at least.

Police from all over the world slap criminals around, even in the so called civilized west.... Stop kidding yourself that Thai police are worse than any other country... The USA and UK police are just the same.

In Pakistan and many other countries, actual torture is perfectly legal.

Don't know about the USA but British police certainly do not slap accused persons to obtain confessions except in TV programs.

[jvs]

Police had no reason to rough him up as they had already enough evidence.

Says it all.

[rickirs]

Okay, putting aside the recanted confession, what is the "strong evidence" against Chamnan? A typical lookout is not at the scene of the crime so even a witness to Chamnan being in the vicinity of the crime scene does not implicate him in the crime - only makes him a suspect. Nor does guilt by association. Maybe the killer implicated Chamnan but I wouldn't call that strong evidence. When one hears seemingly rash statements from the police as in this case abount having no need to beat the suspect because of strong evidence, it leaves question of whether investigative and ethical police practices have been ignored.

[TheyCallmeScooter]

Having had several bad experiences with the Thai police (but not of this kind), I am honestly not sure who's telling the truth here.

I am inclined to agree, you never know in Thailand when the truth is told , therein lies the problem Thailand is perceived as a dishonest , corrupt country, some reputation.

For whatever it's worth, I've had a couple interactions with Thai Police and I was honestly stunned at their professionalism, courtesy and understanding (I was blind and obnoxious in one incident and didn't realise they were undercover but they were brilliant). #Fwiw