'Military court must try Manas'
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- LAWYERS CLAIM RULE SET BY JUNTA LAST YEAR ALLOWS THIS

A TEAM of lawyers representing key human-trafficking suspect Lt-General Manas Kongpaen plans to to make a legal request asking that he be prosecuted and tried in a military court, citing an early junta rule that they say enables such an option.

The lawyers are also planning to submit a request for a temporary release of Manas, an Army special adviser who has been detained at Na Thawi prison in Songkhla province.

Manas was handed over to the Na Thawi court in the southern province after his surrender on Wednesday to police, who are prosecuting him as a civilian on 13 offences related to trafficking of Rohingya and other migrants.

Citing a National Council for Peace and Order rule issued on May 25 last year, three days after the military seized power from, the lawyers explained that violation of any NCPO orders should land the offenders in military courts, through military prosecution procedures rather than civilian ones.

However, the lawyers did not explain how Manas' actions fell under this rule, and no news reports have cited any acts by Manas in the run-up to his surrender that would be applicable to the conditions cited under this particular regulation.

To ensure his safety while in Na Thawi prison, Manas has been kept separate from convicted insurgents or those detained during court trials, as he served previously in several positions charged with combating the insurgency.

There are also 53 people suspected of trafficking Rohingya in custody at this facility. He reportedly appeared tense and had been unable to eat several meals since being in custody, despite telling prison commander Krissana Detchana that he was fine.

Krissana said later that Manas was put in a cell at night but was separated from other prisoners in daytime to keep him safe from the insurgent inmates.

Earlier news reports said he did not talk to other inmates at night and a guard had been assigned to watch him.

Manas reportedly asked for breakfast yesterday morning after visits by his lawyers and relatives, and became less stressed.

A daily police briefing of the human trafficking situation said there were 316 new migrants in various shelters, 67 of who were victims of trafficking and 249 accused of illegal entry. Some 53 suspects are in custody while 31 remain at large.

The total value of assets frozen and subject to seizure is now Bt117.8 million.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Military-court-must-try-Manas-30261759.html

-- The Nation 2015-06-06

Should get double jeopardy.

Tried in a military court, and then in a civilian court and both sentences compound.

He was stressed and couldn't eat his meals.

But not as stressed, deprived of food, enslaved, beaten, or murdered as the people he has been been accused of trafficking were.

Ironic, eh?

In reality, this is possibly a transnational crime and maybe it should be dealth with by an international court.

Hundreds have been killed or died from illnesses......possibly hundreds are missing........it's a massive crime!

For the military court to handle this, will simply be a wash-over......

Whats the bet that's held 'in camera'?

Other names named wont be disclosed due to national security.

Scandal averted

Ahh yes. Get him into a military court where his friends will do their utmost to keep one of their own from being convicted.

If Thailand's military keeps protecting this man, the General may never see his country move up from tier 3 status and just might be around to see economic sanctions applied. China and Russia won't buy enough to replace the EU and North American markets Thailand will be blocked from.

NCPO rule 3 days after coup is broad enough that if they wanted you could be tried in military court for jaywalking. But hey, if you can't trust military court, who can you trust?

In reality, this is possibly a transnational crime and maybe it should be dealth with by an international court.

Hundreds have been killed or died from illnesses......possibly hundreds are missing........it's a massive crime!

For the military court to handle this, will simply be a wash-over......

Who decides when and who to prosecute in the international courts, I would say now, try Manas and the many like him.

This is truly a crime equal to, or worse than a war crime.

Bookmark this comment. He will get no more than 10 years of which 5 years will be suspended because he "confessed". In the meantime the masterminds are getting away, this guy was the regional army kingpin but not the mastermind.

>Krissana said later that Manas was put in a cell at night but was separated from other prisoners in daytime to keep him safe from the insurgent inmates.

Because, you know, nothing bad ever happens at night.

By putting this guy in with traffickers, they're banking that he'll have an 'accident' in prison and will never come to trial.

If this strategy doesn't work, then the military court is a fallback plan to ensure that the 'good people' don't get implicated.

Ahh yes. Get him into a military court where his friends will do their utmost to keep one of their own from being convicted.

If Thailand's military keeps protecting this man, the General may never see his country move up from tier 3 status and just might be around to see economic sanctions applied. China and Russia won't buy enough to replace the EU and North American markets Thailand will be blocked from.

Maybe it would be the best place to convict him of his crimes... and not get away with it..

Prayut would have to be true to his word that anyone found linked to this crime would be punished !!

As for letting him out on bail... that would be a bigger crime than the one he committed !!

Bookmark this comment. He will get no more than 10 years of which 5 years will be suspended because he "confessed". In the meantime the masterminds are getting away, this guy was the regional army kingpin but not the mastermind.

Once again you post that you have important inside information as to who is involved. Please report immediately to the relevant authorities and let them know.

If you think you may implicate yourself or fear for your safety than take your information to overseas media and the UNHRW so they can make it public.

and the lawyer game begins

and who is going to pay for this team of lawyers?

You have to give the BiB their due, in the power play that is going on they pulled a rabbit out of the hat !!

It´s like ¨How far do you want this to go?¨ ¨We will just try it in our own court and it will be closed¨ ¨We wont let that happen and if it ends up in the public courts anything could come out so lets just readjust the guidelines here......¨

Another thought.

As a high ranking army officer, you would think that this *cough* campaign hardened, professionally trained military professional *end cough* would be able to stand up to a being on remand in prison for a week or two.

Imagine, if he had been captured by the enemy and subjected to hostile, battlefield interrogation.

Thailand's finest...

Bless.

Ahh yes. Get him into a military court where his friends will do their utmost to keep one of their own from being convicted.

If Thailand's military keeps protecting this man, the General may never see his country move up from tier 3 status and just might be around to see economic sanctions applied. China and Russia won't buy enough to replace the EU and North American markets Thailand will be blocked from.

His lawyers are just doing their job. They want to keep him from being convicted, don't you know?

keep the good work up and get all the scum bags