Thai Supreme Court upholds verdict on trash collector

[webfact]

Supreme Court upholds verdict on trash collector
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- DESPITE THE PUBLIC outcry and sympathy for a municipal garbage collector slapped with a huge fine and then imprisoned for failing to pay it, the Supreme Court yesterday upheld the verdict against him delivered by two lower courts.

Surat Maeenopparatsuda, 28, said he had been prepared for the outcome, as he had no money to pay the Bt133,400 fine imposed after he was found guilty of selling scrapped compact discs.

He said he still worked part-time for the Bangkok administration but no longer risked selling any scrap he found.

"I am in the dark now. All I am concerned about now is my children" after being imprisoned, he added.

After failing to come up with the money to pay the fine, Surat was sent to prison to serve one day for every Bt200 he owed -- a total of 667 days.

The imprisonment of Surat made headlines and drew public anger in August 2010 when the Criminal Court handed him the Bt133,400 fine - a reduced rate following his confession - for his crimes linked to copyright infringement, after he |sold abandoned movie and music compact discs, for Bt20 apiece, from scrap he had collected.

The Court of Appeals upheld this verdict a few years later, when Surat was working for the Saphan Sung district office as a contract worker.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Supreme-Court-upholds-verdict-on-trash-collector-30247741.html


-- The Nation 2014-11-14

[Fiddlesticks]

The Thai Supreme Court is making it's case for being tough on major criminals as we see the punishment they handed out to this world-class felon. No need focusing on drug kingpins, human traffickers and blatantly corrupt government officials when there are much more crucial cases to deal with such as prosecuting hardened trash collectors!!! I think Thailand has finally got a good handle on serious crime.

[uel1968]

No matter where in this world,its always the less fortunate who are made to pay the price,money really does talk,,,,no matter where.

[mikemac]

When I read the headline I was half expecting a story about the UDD leadership.

[uel1968]

So to hell with governments and their screwing of hard working people,take all you can,and when you can,coz these corrupt governments are doing exactly the same.

[pitrevie]

The Thai Supreme Court is making it's case for being tough on major criminals as we see the punishment they handed out to this world-class felon. No need focusing on drug kingpins, human traffickers and blatantly corrupt government officials when there are much more crucial cases to deal with such as prosecuting hardened trash collectors!!! I think Thailand has finally got a good handle on serious crime.

Maybe he should have asked for the case to be delayed while he produced another 10,000 witnesses.

[Toknarok]

That's it Thai justice system - well done. Persecute rubbish collectors and mushroom pickers who are just trying to make a few bob extra, but allow cop killing Ferrari drivers go free.

[RustBucket]

What about all the pirate DVD sellers on every street corner, marketplace and back street?.... Or outside the entrance to shopping malls, Tescos and Big Cs?????

Our local mall even has a pirate DVD selling stall INSIDE the bloody place.

Then they decide to screw over some poor rubbish collector for selling discs he didn't even set himself up in business to sell.

I am truly starting to hate this country.

I doubt I will last another year in this craphole. Living here 5 years has really opened my eyes to how fantastic my home country really is..... and no.... I won't let the door hit me on the way out, before you overly predictable members with nowt better to say chime in. I heard it all before... try being a bit more original.

[alantheembalmer]

Why not just give him an inactive post? Oh, of course, that's not an option for a 20baht a time working man...............

[chainarong]

All this lad was doing was becoming an entrepreneur, probably didn't even understand the copyright act and thought a new enterprise on the side was great idea , it would have been more appropriate to take the guy aside and warn him, not throw the book, easy pickings for a disorganized, disjointed RTP and a penalty not warranted from the Thai judiciary , one wonders if they will be as server on a former P.M. and others , who scammed billions from the Thai economy in a rice scheme.

[jaltsc]

"...he had no money to pay the Bt133,400 fine imposed after he was found guilty of selling scrapped compact discs."

Too bad he didn't have enough money to buy a Ferrari. He could have gotten away with murder and not have to pay one baht in fines or spend any time in jail.

[WhamBam]

Justice gone mad.

[ezzra]

This is the Thai justice system at it's glory best, this is what happened when you can't bribe your way

out, don't know any influential figure, and the NGO's don't really give a hoot for you..

[Rumble]

Strange isn't it, the poorer you are the bigger the fine and the less the mercy. the richer you are the smaller the fine and the bigger the mercy. this is suppressing the suppressed and has been condoned by many government's in the past and will be condoned by many government's in the future.

[lemonjelly]

Shows how much some of the 'elite' really care about the less well off.

[JOC]

Strange isn't it, the poorer you are the bigger the fine and the less the mercy. the richer you are the smaller the fine and the bigger the mercy. this is suppressing the suppressed and has been condoned by many government's in the past and will be condoned by many government's in the future.

Yes a strong reminder (as if one was needed) that the "independent" judiciary are nothing but servants to their feudal masters!!

[binjalin]

what a disgrace! really sorry for that poor guy

[greenchair]

Would be so simple to set up a payment system. Every other country provides that service to the poor.

[tx22cb]

This is a huge political opportunity - who will be the first to act?

Abhisit/Democrats or Yingluck/PTP could cough up 133k Baht on compassionate grounds (not to condone the IP infringement, but to allow the rubbish collector to take care of his children) and set free this person, at the same time generating huge publicity and goodwill for what is peanuts to them.

Or, the Mad Monk can set up a bank account to receive donations from the public, and partially redeem himself at the same time.

[alantheembalmer]

Justice gone mad.

This is not justice. This is just madness.

[alantheembalmer]

I can only assume that the punishment one is likely to receive for committing a crime, is inversely proportionate to your income.

[Commerce]

This is a huge political opportunity - who will be the first to act?

Abhisit/Democrats or Yingluck/PTP could cough up 133k Baht on compassionate grounds (not to condone the IP infringement, but to allow the rubbish collector to take care of his children) and set free this person, at the same time generating huge publicity and goodwill for what is peanuts to them.

Or, the Mad Monk can set up a bank account to receive donations from the public, and partially redeem himself at the same time.

Or somebody could set up a facebook account name, and take donations from the Thai public, seeing as they were so outraged.

I place the onus on you tx22cb.

[ratcatcher]

Justice gone mad.

This is not justice. This is just madness.

I am sure Victor Hugo were he still alive, would totally agree. Selling scrap, pirated, CDs?

I am surprised he didn't get 40 years.

[Elmer Gantry]

So to hell with governments and their screwing of hard working people,take all you can,and when you can,coz these corrupt governments are doing exactly the same.

you are slow on the uptake,been like that since i was born but i was lucky enough to suss the barstewards out,always managed to play by their rules.( I don't mean to be critical of your post,just my point of view.)

[Dogmatix]

But nothing happened to the staff at Government House during the Abhisit government who were caught using the premises to warehouse bootleg DVDs.

[ratcatcher]

But nothing happened to the staff at Government House during the Abhisit government who were caught using the premises to warehouse bootleg DVDs.

Yes, that's quite correct. And nothing will. TIT.

[JOC]

I can only assume that the punishment one is likely to receive for committing a crime, is inversely proportionate to your income.

It is more proportionate to your name!!

Remember the 16 year old girl, who killed 8 minivan-passengers on the tollway?

She was sentenced to boarding-school in Switzerland!! Ofcourse nothing to do with the fact, that her familyname is Na Ayutthaya??

So my dear general, instead of cleaning beaches, moving streetvendors or fixing the taxiranks, what about some real reform?? Like in the same law for rich and poor!! Might not make your sponsors happy, but for sure would "return happiness to the people"!

[Elmer Gantry]

I can only assume that the punishment one is likely to receive for committing a crime, is inversely proportionate to your income.

It is more proportionate to your name!!

Remember the 16 year old girl, who killed 8 minivan-passengers on the tollway?

She was sentenced to boarding-school in Switzerland!! Ofcourse nothing to do with the fact, that her familyname is Na Ayutthaya??

So my dear general, instead of cleaning beaches, moving streetvendors or fixing the taxiranks, what about some real reform?? Like in the same law for rich and poor!! Might not make your sponsors happy, but for sure would "return happiness to the people"!

thin ice,how can i say in a cryptic response i agree.can we have an enigma machine on here?

[Thaddeus]

The best justice money can buy.

(it's just sick)

[godden]

I feel for the guy