Give graft court death penalty powers: Veera

[webfact]

Give graft court death penalty powers: Veera
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE charter drafters have been urged to set up a corruption court empowered to give corrupt officials the death penalty if the damage to the state from their crimes exceeds Bt5 million.

Veera Somkwamkid, secretary-general of the People's Network against Corruption, made the suggestion in a letter submitted to Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) chairman Borwornsak Uwanno yesterday.

Veera said his long fight against graft made him realise that lax and ineffective laws caused anti-corruption efforts to fail. He proposed that corruption cases have no statute of limitations and a special court be set up to try them.

He said politicians convicted for corruption must be banned from politics for life and have all assets confiscated if their cases proceeded through three courts. Politicians or state officials convicted of corruption with less than Bt1 million must be jailed for 20 years, allowed no pardon, or have their sentences commuted, he said.

If damage to the state was above Bt1 million, they must be given a life-sentence without right of pardon. Veera said those convicted should also face civil suits, which force them to pay compensation - double the amount of damage to the state.

All political office holders must declare their assets to the National Anti-Corruption Commission. They must not run in elections for more than two consecutive terms, he proposed.

Veera also said that members of civic groups should declare their assets. Independent agencies in charge of corruption cases must finish graft probes within one year.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Give-graft-court-death-penalty-powers-Veera-30258553.html


-- The Nation 2015-04-23

[noitom]

Preposterous proposal by a Thai genius.

[ukrules]

Sounds like someone's been paying attention to the Chinese system.

[Bluespunk]

"Veera said his long fight against graft made him realise that lax and ineffective laws caused anti-corruption efforts to fail. He proposed that corruption cases have no statute of limitations and a special court be set up to try them."

The idea of a special court is a good one, calling for the death penalty though?

Not so sure about that.

Though the OP here doesn't reference where he said it should be applied.

Were they his actual words?

Edited April 22, 2015 by Bluespunk

[jerojero]

Death penalty! Kinda over kill, no pun intended. Why Texas so many ideas here extremes or plainly without common sense?

[issanaus]

Death penalty for corruption is not a good idea for at least a couple of reasons.

Corruption is hard to prove which is why so many jurisdiction have special legislation to address to problem. If even the potential for a death penalty is imposed the burden of proof edges that little bit higher - but that could result in a lot less convictions

.

Thailand is already under international pressure in relation to having the death penalty - adding more offences to the list where it could be used would cause the international community to think that Thailand was moving towards - not away from the death penalty. This would also cause the international community to look closer at the other "issues of concern".

[Somtamnication]

Obviously. It is a military regime.

[Mango Bob]

Death row will need extra room if they approved something like this. 5 million baht is nothing, not worth dying for. If you want to kill them for corruption raise the ladder.

[thesetat2013]

Death to corrupt politicians! Overkill for sure. But this kind of law would be a nice deterrent. The problem is that once the junta is gone and prayuth is gone and elected leaders are back most of these laws will be changed or will not be enforced.

Although extreme I think this death penalty law is just a scare tactic.

[kaorop]

Death to corrupt politicians! Overkill for sure. But this kind of law would be a nice deterrent. The problem is that once the junta is gone and prayuth is gone and elected leaders are back most of these laws will be changed or will not be enforced.

Although extreme I think this death penalty law is just a scare tactic.

Politicians changing laws is supposedly what the junta are trying to stop

and as you'd know in negotiations you ask for a lot and end up with something less

The stripping of assets, including families, maids and dogs and ongoing monitoring is the best remedy

There is nothing greedy corrupt politicians fear more than being poor!

[greenchair]

There is much confusion in Thailand about the difference between corruption,poor policy and negligence.

Not every policy of the present government will be successful.

Not every policy of the yingluck government was successful.

Not every policy of apiset and Suthep was successful.

Many policies lose money.

With the death penalty on the table.

What would the Thai world be like without Prayut , apiset, Suthep, taksin, yingluck.

There would be no politicians left if veera had his way.

Maybe he could run things for a while.

[lemonjelly]

The guy's a nationalist xenophobic nut job..... Stopped listening to him long ago.

[chooka]

Excellent way to get rid of all political opponents, accuse them of corruption and have them executed. Makes the defamation cases business partners use to take over companies seem quite mild.

[ggt]

OMG...the death penalty for corruption? There will not be anyone left in Thailand to scam the tourist after a few years...

[winstonc]

Death penalty for corruption is not a good idea for at least a couple of reasons.

Corruption is hard to prove which is why so many jurisdiction have special legislation to address to problem. If even the potential for a death penalty is imposed the burden of proof edges that little bit higher - but that could result in a lot less convictions

.

Thailand is already under international pressure in relation to having the death penalty - adding more offences to the list where it could be used would cause the international community to think that Thailand was moving towards - not away from the death penalty. This would also cause the international community to look closer at the other "issues of concern".

the international community puts no pressure on the usa about this subject when was the last time thailand executed someone 4-5 years ago perhaps ..while the us..mmmmmmmm...anyway it might be an extreme want by this guy.but after eons of years and nothing ever happening something should .....thailand has laws for everything of which none is imposed..why change the habit of a lifetime hahahahahaha

[wabothai]

In that case the population will shrink to 30 milion. A little drastic I would say.

[robblok]

That is one way to get rid of YL and Thaksin.. creative to say the least

[NanLaew]

"Lax and ineffective laws..." he claims.

The laws are robust and based on similar, very effective laws in place in countries all over the globe.

But not every country is blessed with the finest level of LAW ENFORCEMENT like Thailand's are they?

[Orac]

"Lax and ineffective laws..." he claims.

The laws are robust and based on similar, very effective laws in place in countries all over the globe.

But not every country is blessed with the finest level of LAW ENFORCEMENT like Thailand's are they?

Exactly. Though there are some good ideas here it is dangerous to give such powers to a deeply flawed justice system.

[issanaus]

Death penalty for corruption is not a good idea for at least a couple of reasons.

Corruption is hard to prove which is why so many jurisdiction have special legislation to address to problem. If even the potential for a death penalty is imposed the burden of proof edges that little bit higher - but that could result in a lot less convictions

.

Thailand is already under international pressure in relation to having the death penalty - adding more offences to the list where it could be used would cause the international community to think that Thailand was moving towards - not away from the death penalty. This would also cause the international community to look closer at the other "issues of concern".

the international community puts no pressure on the usa about this subject when was the last time thailand executed someone 4-5 years ago perhaps ..while the us..mmmmmmmm...anyway it might be an extreme want by this guy.but after eons of years and nothing ever happening something should .....thailand has laws for everything of which none is imposed..why change the habit of a lifetime hahahahahaha

This is about Thailand and the position that it finds it self in as a result of decades of swimming againt international trends. That is why there have been a number of threads om TVF in responces to opinion, articles and reports.

For example

Thailand ranked in middle related to death penalty abolishing

BANGKOK: -- Thailand ranked somewhere in the middle when it comes to abolishing death penalty among nations in the Southeast Asian region and the kingdom was criticized for a 'lack of tangible advancement' towards abolishing death penalty in a latest United Nations report released Friday.

Although Cambodia, the Philippines and Timor-Leste have abolished death penalty, Thailand still maintains its death penalty although no execution has taken place since 2009 and is regarded as a 'rententionist state'.

As of 30 June 2014, there were at least 612 people under sentence of death in the kingdom and the year 2013 alone saw 294 people sentenced to death

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/812487-thailand-ranked-in-middle-related-to-death-penalty-abolishing/

.

[WitawatWatawit]

No statute of limitations and crippling asset seizure penalties - abso-bleeding-lutely. As kaorop says, a self-obsessed, admiration loving pollie fears nothing more than being poor. Too right. And losing his "mana" and the love and adoration of people who rush to kiss his derriere because his wallet is loaded. I fear Cambodian prison has scrambled Veera's brain.

[Lupatria]

Any ideas how the handful of remaining people can cope with the leftover workload?

[NCC1701A]

now we are talking... i have been saying all along just take a few out and execute them.

[issanaus]

now we are talking... i have been saying all along just take a few out and execute them.

And the riches and most corrupt of them will run over seas to countries that will not send them back because of the threat of the death penalty.

However do business with China and cooperate with their extradition requests may serve the same objectives

[smedly]

Death penalty! Kinda over kill, no pun intended. Why Texas so many ideas here extremes or plainly without common sense?

agree that the death penalty is rather extreme but as for most of the rest of his proposals - he is exactly spot on and the CDC should pay attention if they are serious about fighting Graft and punishing those found guilty

4444

Edited April 23, 2015 by smedly

[issanaus]

Death penalty! Kinda over kill, no pun intended. Why Texas so many ideas here extremes or plainly without common sense?

agree that the death penalty is rather extreme but as for most of the rest of his proposals - he is exactly spot on and the CDC should pay attention if they are serious about fighting Graft and punishing those found guilty

4444

Corruption is a very serious problem and affects every thing in Thailand.

If we look at the impact in just one area it acts like a 20 to 30% on development. What's worse is that much of the money flows out of Thailand reducing the real GDP and much of the rest is spent on non preforming assets (eg the assets auction belonging to the ex head of the CIB in BKK) or used to fund activities such as the resorts and home in the forest incursion areas.

Responses need to be sever but well thought out - not emotional or populist.

[No Apologist]

Great solution for Paryut...

Now he can just say 'Him, him, him, her...and, oh yeah, that guy...who's that guy over there? Yeah, probably him...and him and him.' There!

Now any opposition has been extermi...sorry, reconciled.

[No Apologist]

Responses need to be sever but well thought out - not emotional or populist.

The Junta is all emotion and populism, though - that's the problem.

[Broeno]

Just another bla bla bla. Nothin change. Talk al lot, do nothing, is the best way to continue.

[jayboy]

That is one way to get rid of YL and Thaksin.. creative to say the least

It also would be one way to get rid of a large number of generals as well including many associated with current junta and its puppet assembly.

Incidentally there is not a jot of evidence to suggest YL was guilty of personal corruption.Irresponsibility and incompetence arguably but not personal corruption.