Dokset Testimony: I did not intend to kill her

PHUKET: Norwegian prisoner in Phuket, Stein Havard Dokset – prime suspect in the infamous “Body in the bin” case – gave official testimony in court today, reiterating that he did not intend to kill his late partner, Rungnapa “June” Ratchasombut.

Today’s hearing at the Phuket Provincial Court follows a five-month adjournment of the legal proceedings to allow for “blood money” compensation negotiations.

Initially calm, Dokset told his side of the story to the court. Interrogated by his own lawyer as well as the public prosecutor, he described the nature of his relationship and history with the victim.

When he came to speak about the early 2009 incident, he broke into tears, insisting that the death was not a case of premeditated murder.

He admitted that he was “emotional and aggressive” during the time of the incident, but that he did not intend to kill his ex-partner, and that she had died as the result of an accident.

Dokset denied the charge of “possessing a gun without a permit”, claiming that the gun found at his residence had belonged to the victim. [The gun was found by police in 2012 following Dokset’s arrest but has not been connected to the death of the victim]

Dokset did, however, admit to “hiding the body for personal reasons”.

Specific details of said reasons were shared with the court, the victim’s family, media and lawyers; however, the judge ordered everyone in attendance not to share details until a verdict has been reached and made public.

The hearing concluded at about 4pm today, after which Rungnapa's family lawyer told The Phuket News that a settlement had already been agreed upon, in which Dokset had agreed to compensate the victim’s four children with a total of B1.8 million, which would derive from the sell of the former residence of Dokset and Rungapa.

Judges plan to issue a verdict on January, 29, 2015.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/dokset-testimony-i-did-not-intend-to-kill-her-49765.php

-- Phuket News 2014-11-21

So - he's going to sell the house (his/hers maybe he's vested/maybe not) - and he walks away from murder?

Seems like they'd get the house anyway.......

He deserves to be rotting away somewhere for a long time.....maybe for as long as her life expectancy would have been.....

Jesus some kids to have, 1.8 million is the going price for a mother these days is it?

1.8 million baht - the price of justice, compensation, freedom, and corruption on Phuket.

No wonder he has a smile on his face in the photo.

I expect him to be back on TV shortly, as soon as the money transfer is complete.

1.8 million baht - the price of justice, compensation, freedom, and corruption on Phuket.

No wonder he has a smile on his face in the photo.

I expect him to be back on TV shortly, as soon as the money transfer is complete.

That photo was taken right after the arrest. He's not quite that happy nor filled out from what I've seen in other media. Good try though NKM if you can't remember his photos from when he was apprehended.

1.8 million baht - the price of justice, compensation, freedom, and corruption on Phuket.

No wonder he has a smile on his face in the photo.

I expect him to be back on TV shortly, as soon as the money transfer is complete.

That photo was taken right after the arrest. He's not quite that happy nor filled out from what I've seen in other media. Good try though NKM if you can't remember his photos from when he was apprehended.

You missed my point SP.

He looks happy in this photo, because he knows it's all a negotiation for freedom.

The only difference between a photo taken upon arrest, and a photo taken now, upon a "compensation/negotiation" agreement, would be a few kilograms weight loss, and 1.8 million baht finacial loss.

Either way, he knew then, as he knows know, he would be smiling.

Only the date of the photo changes.

You've been here long enought to know, only the poor go to gaol on Phuket.

If you injure or kill a Thai - you pay compensation.

If you get arrested for drugs - you pay the Phuket BiB for the famous never ending Phuket bail release. Which basically means, you now work for the BiB, selling more drugs, to make your "bail" money, for them, which they let you do.

What about doing the time - for your crime????

Edited November 21, 201411 yr by NamKangMan

"hiding the body for personal reasons."

Welcome to Bizarro world.

And there you have it......What's a life worth in Thailand?....1.8 million baht!

Sometimes i just want to walk away from this country.

I think a lot of people are missing the point here.

Firstly, there is no reason to assume he is lying when he says he did not intend to kill her.

Secondly, the system of allowing "blood money" negotiations is perfectly normal in Thailand and indeed much of Asia, it's not something that the accused has any control over, and as a man in prison of course he will do whatever he can to win release.

Considering that it's highly possible that he really didn't intend to kill her, and that it really was a mistake then don't you think that having spent a while in prison accused of murder and the big financial penalty he will have to pay, in addition to the sentence which will be passed (blood money can reduce the sentence, not replace it), he's hardly getting off light.

Sometimes i just want to walk away from this country.

You should go.

I think a lot of people are missing the point here.

Firstly, there is no reason to assume he is lying when he says he did not intend to kill her.

Secondly, the system of allowing "blood money" negotiations is perfectly normal in Thailand and indeed much of Asia, it's not something that the accused has any control over, and as a man in prison of course he will do whatever he can to win release.

Considering that it's highly possible that he really didn't intend to kill her, and that it really was a mistake then don't you think that having spent a while in prison accused of murder and the big financial penalty he will have to pay, in addition to the sentence which will be passed (blood money can reduce the sentence, not replace it), he's hardly getting off light.

And what prey tell would be his sentence in somewhere like USA. When you "accidentally" kill someone its a crime. Ask that south African bloke with leg problems.

He is sounding and acting very Thai. I don't believe it when they say "I did not mean to kill her/him" and I don't

believe this guy. My only hope now is that just because blood money has been agreed to, it does not mean the

case is settled. I hope he does at least 20 years if not more.

1.8 million is more than would be offered if roles reversed. And she would steal the house away from any kids. Seen it before.

Nobody thinks he might of been set up, is a scapegoat? Why not give him the same benefit of the doubt that has been given the Koh Tao defendents?

So - he's going to sell the house (his/hers maybe he's vested/maybe not) - and he walks away from murder?

Seems like they'd get the house anyway.......

He deserves to be rotting away somewhere for a long time.....maybe for as long as her life expectancy would have been.....

It doesn't say that. He has not got away with it, the compensation is just part of the process. He still has to go back and face the verdict and punishment for himself.

I think a lot of people are missing the point here.

Firstly, there is no reason to assume he is lying when he says he did not intend to kill her.

Secondly, the system of allowing "blood money" negotiations is perfectly normal in Thailand and indeed much of Asia, it's not something that the accused has any control over, and as a man in prison of course he will do whatever he can to win release.

Considering that it's highly possible that he really didn't intend to kill her, and that it really was a mistake then don't you think that having spent a while in prison accused of murder and the big financial penalty he will have to pay, in addition to the sentence which will be passed (blood money can reduce the sentence, not replace it), he's hardly getting off light.

We must be looking at different figures regarding money, I read that it was 1.8 million baht, which I see as not a real large sum of money. How long do you figure it will feed and clothes 4 children and put a roof over their heads.

I have no sympathy with somebody who is engaging in a physical fight with a woman. Scumbags.

Jesus some kids to have, 1.8 million is the going price for a mother these days is it?

so how much should it be to bring her back to life ? If it was unintentional and only the court should decide that, i don't see how a long prison sentence is going to help anybody. The amount paid will depend on his financial possibilities.

I have no sympathy with somebody who is engaging in a physical fight with a woman. Scumbags.

You have obviously never lived with a Thai woman

I think a lot of people are missing the point here.

Firstly, there is no reason to assume he is lying when he says he did not intend to kill her.

Secondly, the system of allowing "blood money" negotiations is perfectly normal in Thailand and indeed much of Asia, it's not something that the accused has any control over, and as a man in prison of course he will do whatever he can to win release.

Considering that it's highly possible that he really didn't intend to kill her, and that it really was a mistake then don't you think that having spent a while in prison accused of murder and the big financial penalty he will have to pay, in addition to the sentence which will be passed (blood money can reduce the sentence, not replace it), he's hardly getting off light.

Bingo!!!

Where are people reading he'll get away with it because he is paying compensation?

Could easily be he did not intend to kill her, and I don't see how they prosecutor can prove he did intend to kill her. So I think he has a plausible defense for that part of the accusations.

I think a lot of people are missing the point here.

Firstly, there is no reason to assume he is lying when he says he did not intend to kill her.

Secondly, the system of allowing "blood money" negotiations is perfectly normal in Thailand and indeed much of Asia, it's not something that the accused has any control over, and as a man in prison of course he will do whatever he can to win release.

Considering that it's highly possible that he really didn't intend to kill her, and that it really was a mistake then don't you think that having spent a while in prison accused of murder and the big financial penalty he will have to pay, in addition to the sentence which will be passed (blood money can reduce the sentence, not replace it), he's hardly getting off light.

I think you make a rational assessment... not sure if the hard-right-wing who probably prefer the "Eye-for-an-eye" kind of justice would agree... That's the beauty of democracy... the people get a say in how the laws are crafted... oops, we're not in a democracy!

Jesus some kids to have, 1.8 million is the going price for a mother these days is it?

Thats a lot more than most get, a friend of mine was riding his pushbike to work and was mowed down by a young driver who was speeding. He leaves a quadraplegic son, and an elderly wife, they just received 235,000, pitiful.

Sometimes i just want to walk away from this country.

You should go.

And you with him !!!

Don't squat about the case but from arrest picture he seems to be big guy Your telling me he could just walk away from some Thai chick till both cooled down?

Will never ever condone what this guy did. If all were truly as he states he would've called an ambulance right away not put a human being in a trash bin. He's guilty, a horrible human being and will get what the Thai system generates.

Ethnocentrism :

-a tendency to view alien groups or cultures from the perspective of one's own

When thinking and posting, maybe consider that you see this through Western eyes. Where we are is what it is, it's not subject to where you come from therefore save judgement no matter how this all pans out.

I have no sympathy with somebody who is engaging in a physical fight with a woman. Scumbags.

That's one of the down sides of equality. Not all women are ladies, and not all ladies always act like ladies.

A Thai woman stabbed a guy multiple times in the back - what would you do? Smile politely and offer her your chair?

I think the 'blood money' concept has a lot of merit.

B1.8M is about $60K, a lot of money in Thailand.

Using B300 a day as a basis, about $2500 a year, that would equate to about $1.2M in Australia, using $50K as a comparison income. Most families would be happy to see that as a punishment in lieu of jail time, but very few could afford to pay, considering most crime is committed by the lower socio/economic/ intellectual group.

If it was premeditated, and we may never know that, it's a different story and similar to paying a killer.

It doesn't seem like a bad deal for both sides, and for Dokset, sure beats being in a Thai jail for some years.

Edited November 22, 201411 yr by F4UCorsair

A young guy with mate on the bak of his scooter got side swiped by tandem truck very deliberate act as so called witnesses say.boy died on scene mate died in hospital saying truck reversed bak to finish him off so no on going care bills just 20,000bht to the family.fight the case get nothing 20k for each fam of 2 boys lifes. Big trucks big companies can do wat they want always remember.witneses and photos of body on road doesnt match up with just falling off. Fk 20k cannot even buy a new scooter let alone a son. Rip young friend of family.so 1.8 mill is huge as apart to alot of cases around

Edited November 22, 201411 yr by mha noi