Khunying Pornthip placed on probation for comment on Hangthong Thammawattana's death

[webfact]

Khunying Pornthip placed on probation for her comment on Hangthong Thammawattana's death



BANGKOK: -- Forensic Science Institute director Khunying Pornthip Rojanasunant has been placed on probation by the Medical Council for her comment on the death of Mr Hangthong Thammawattana, former Prachakorn Thai MP for Bangkok.

The council ruled that the Khunying’s comment about Mr Hangthong’s death ran contrary to the ethics of medical profession.

The council’s ruling against Khunying Pornthip was shown to the media on Tuesday by Mr Noppadol Thammawattana, a member of the Thammawattana family, who lodged a complaint to the council.

Mr Noppadol said he would submit the Medical Council’s ruling to the Supreme Court as an additional evidence for a perjury case he brought against the Khunying. Both the Criminal Court and the Appeals Court have dismissed the case.

Mr Noppadol said he found the council’s probation ruling too lenient, claiming that Khunying’s comment implying that Mr Hangthong was murdered had badly ruined his reputation.

He also complained bitterly that he was not fairly treated because he only received the council’s ruling on July 9 despite the fact that the ruling was made two years ago.

Mr Hangthong died in his house in 1999 with a pistol in his hand in what was thought to be a suicide.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/khunying-porthip-placed-on-probation-for-her-comment-on-hangthong-thammawattanas-death


-- Thai PBS 2015-07-21

[Artisi]

Was this the case where a right handed person "committed suicide" from a number of gunshots to the head on the right hand side with the gun found in his left hand.

[bangkokfrog]

There seems more to this than meets the eye for this to be considered newsworthy. The death took place 16 years ago, and the ruling referred to placing the Khunying on probation seems to have been made 2 years ago when she was on the wrong side of the police powers that were. The article says that she made a "comment implying" that Mr Hangthong was murdered. This doesn't sound anything like a case of perjury to me unless she told a deliberate lie under oath in court. Maybe there are some translation issues, but what on earth is the guy dredging it up now for. Could there still be some estate or insurance issues to be settled?

[Bluespunk]

"Mr Noppadol said he found the councils probation ruling too lenient, claiming that Khunyings comment implying that Mr Hangthong was murdered had badly ruined his reputation."

How?

[roamer]

There seems more to this than meets the eye for this to be considered newsworthy. The death took place 16 years ago, and the ruling referred to placing the Khunying on probation seems to have been made 2 years ago when she was on the wrong side of the police powers that were. The article says that she made a "comment implying" that Mr Hangthong was murdered. This doesn't sound anything like a case of perjury to me unless she told a deliberate lie under oath in court. Maybe there are some translation issues, but what on earth is the guy dredging it up now for. Could there still be some estate or insurance issues to be settled?

There certainly were at the time, a real feuding family. No doubt that money lies behind it, it usually does.

[Fat Haggis]

It's clearly a way in which to discredit her when she's called as an "expert" for the Koh Tao murder trial about to resume next week.

[roamer]

"Mr Noppadol said he found the councils probation ruling too lenient, claiming that Khunyings comment implying that Mr Hangthong was murdered had badly ruined his reputation."

How?

He might have been referring to the fact he was charged with murder, albeit later acquitted.

[Bluespunk]

"Mr Noppadol said he found the councils probation ruling too lenient, claiming that Khunyings comment implying that Mr Hangthong was murdered had badly ruined his reputation."

How?

He might have been referring to the fact he was charged with murder, albeit later acquitted.

If he was acquitted then his reputation is as it should be I'd say, but then again that's just me.

[Your Thainess]

So, it's either about pissing off ghosts or preserving face after death.

These folks need to go back to Buddhism school.

[Seastallion]

It's clearly a way in which to discredit her when she's called as an "expert" for the Koh Tao murder trial about to resume next week.

Not so clear because he only received a copy of the ruling 12 days ago.

If he had received it 2 years ago and just brought it to public attention now, you may have a credible conspiracy theory.

[ChrisY1]

Fat Haggis is likely right.......she's now effectively silenced while the KT murder trial proceeds next week..........if this is so..then a major disservice to the rule of law!

Edited July 21, 2015 by ChrisY1

[apetley]

Was this the case where a right handed person "committed suicide" from a number of gunshots to the head on the right hand side with the gun found in his left hand.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/THAMMAWATTANA-DEATH-Prosecutor-urges-reopening-of--85673.html

Interesting reading.

[Fat Haggis]

Fat Haggis is likely right.......she's now effectively silenced while the KT murder trial proceeds next week..........if this is so..then a major disservice to the rule of law!

Her credibility as an expert witness has now been tarnished no matter which way you want to look at this, the timing of the medical board who themselves need investigated smells like a contaminated fish market.

She was critical of the police forensic evidence gathering, with this latest development about her own credibility called into question does suggest to me a much bigger picture.

The fact that the PM is also pulling out all the stops for the dead billionaire investigation is highlighting big problems within the judicial and police networks.

I'm willing to bet that the prosecutor in the Koh Tao case will indeed cite her credibility after this latest development and the judge will also agree with this.

[Thai at Heart]

It's clearly a way in which to discredit her when she's called as an "expert" for the Koh Tao murder trial about to resume next week.

After the GT 2000, I am sorry but, expert is a very bad definition of this woman.

[jaidam]

Another case that didn't even come close to passing the "sniff test". There have been so so many of these recently.

[thesetat2013]

It's clearly a way in which to discredit her when she's called as an "expert" for the Koh Tao murder trial about to resume next week.

After the GT 2000, I am sorry but, expert is a very bad definition of this woman.

And do you think you could really call any Thai an expert? Being their education system allows everyone to pass? Years of experience does not make you an expert if you have been doing it wrong all that time. ( not saying that she has) but I don't believe I can associate a Thai with the word expert.

[webfact]

Khunying Pornthip is to ask the Administrative Court to have Medical Council’s ruling reversed



BANGKOK: -- Wellknown forensic expert Dr Pornthip Rojanasunant said Tuesday that she would ask the Administrative Court to order the Medical Council to review the probation ruling against her in connection with the case of the late Mr Hangthong Thammawattana.

Responding to the council’s ruling which faulted her of violation of medical ethics and put her on probation, the director of Forensic Science Institute complained that she was not given a chance by the Medical Council to defend herself.

She said that since the ruling of the Medical Council was final and could not be appealed, the only redress for her was to take the case to the Administrative Court to have the ruling reviewed.

Khunying Pornthip insisted that her comment about Mr Hangthong’s death had nothing to do with professional ethics but just an expression of opinion which had nothing to do with a patient but for preserving justice.

The probation punishment will not have any impacts on her job because she is not a doctor, she said.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/khunying-pornthip-is-to-ask-the-administrative-court-to-have-medical-councils-ruling-reversed


-- Thai PBS 2015-07-22

[Hardback]

This is the same "scientist" who affirmed that the GT200 worked as a bomb detector - I lost all faith in this fraud after that.

[TEFLKrabi]

The same expert who did countless months of good work identifying the dead after the 2004 Tsunami and allowing families to bury their loved ones. Yes, that's her.

[xenophon]

"They" have been trying to bring her down for years. ONe of the few willing to tell the truth as she sees it and insist on due process. However, she does not seem to have the protection required to work without interference from the puu yais. But, like Lazarus, she rises each time they knock her down. Lets hope she stays above ground

[MockingJay]

Nobody is perfect!

[smutcakes]

The same expert who did countless months of good work identifying the dead after the 2004 Tsunami and allowing families to bury their loved ones. Yes, that's her.

Also the same expert who know tows to the army and still claims the bomb detectors work, and you can also swap cards and they will identify dead bodies.....

[Fat Haggis]

She's not the only one who supported these golf ball finders, take a look at the current establishment, they were all on board !!!

[Baerboxer]

Fat Haggis is likely right.......she's now effectively silenced while the KT murder trial proceeds next week..........if this is so..then a major disservice to the rule of law!

Her credibility as an expert witness has now been tarnished no matter which way you want to look at this, the timing of the medical board who themselves need investigated smells like a contaminated fish market.

She was critical of the police forensic evidence gathering, with this latest development about her own credibility called into question does suggest to me a much bigger picture.

The fact that the PM is also pulling out all the stops for the dead billionaire investigation is highlighting big problems within the judicial and police networks.

I'm willing to bet that the prosecutor in the Koh Tao case will indeed cite her credibility after this latest development and the judge will also agree with this.

Maybe or maybe not. Are you suggesting the report was held up from 2 years ago and now released knowing this gentlemen would react.? Would seem a little too contrived. They could easily use the GT2000 to cite her credibility with her ludicrous assertions of it's scientific principles.

She was no friend of the police regime of 2 years ago either. But, more likely to do as told by the current regime who gave her old job back.

[Baerboxer]

She's not the only one who supported these golf ball finders, take a look at the current establishment, they were all on board !!!

No - but she's a scientist who claimed they worked on sound scientific principles.

So either she's a crap scientist, doesn't always know what she's talking about, or was bribed and didn't bother to check or worse, did check and lied for a gain.

Whatever, she ain't the most credible person in the world.

[arrowsdawdle]

Was this the case where a right handed person "committed suicide" from a number of gunshots to the head on the right hand side with the gun found in his left hand.

Or was it the one that was shot in the back with an arrow and was found holding a bow?

[arrowsdawdle]

Being murdered ruins one's reputation but suicide does not? Thainess, of course.

[Dogmatix]

Was this the case where a right handed person "committed suicide" from a number of gunshots to the head on the right hand side with the gun found in his left hand.

That was about it. A call was apparently made to an army general soon after the death of the victim and the general somehow got involved. As usual, the police didn't seal off the crime scene promptly and allowed journalists to trample all over it beforehand.

The deceased was found to have shot himself in a contorted position with an apparently borrowed 9mm pistol that had formerly been owned by the suspect, the victim's brother, but had been lost and somehow fell into the hands of a former employee (or something like that). The deceased killed himself with a rat shot cartridge which shoots many small pellets, rather than a slug. Meanwhile, the deceased's own 9mm pistol loaded with regular hollow point slugs was nestling untouched in the glove compartment of his car downstairs. Despite the contamination of the crime scene, Khunying Pornthip was able to determine that the blood spatter pattern did not match the suicide as claimed by the defence. She got an eminent pathologist from Scotland to testify as an expert witness at the trial. The defence countered with a pathologist from the US who agreed with the suicide with rat shot in a borrowed gun theory. The victim was not known to suffer from depression and had just married a younger women and was about to be made a deputy minister in the government. There was an ongoing dispute between all the siblings about the inheritance of a lucrative Bangkok market. The deceased had been at loggerheads with his brother, the suspect, for years but had agreed to come his brother's house for a reconciliatory dinner and stayed the night. He died that night in a spare bedroom in his brother's house.

That is my recollection of the case off the top of my head. I apologise for any factual inaccuracy. Khunying Pornthip appeared to be doing her job conscientiously without fear or favour, which is a rare thing in Thailand in dangerous cases like this one. It is hard to see any grounds for any kind of probation or censure. Thailand needs more public officials like her.

Edited July 22, 2015 by Dogmatix

[Emster23]

Read the article linked earlier. Even we armchair CSI types can smell forgone conclusion & coverup in this case if you read the article. Reprimanded for calling "BS" when there is BS? I have no idea how she got roped into that bomb detector scam, but that is not the point. She is a forensic scientist who seems to prefer truth over party line, which is an unforgivable sin here it seems quite apparent. There is quote in article "the National Police Office formed a team to search for further evidence. "Ultimately, this team will likely have to conclude that Hangthong committed suicide," (have to? have to? why pray tell?). And "she told Hangthong's family to send pictures of the scene of his death to Dr Adrian Matthew Thornton Linacre, a senior lecturer at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. After viewing the pictures, Linacre claimed to have discovered inconsistencies with the verdict. Pornthip said that based on his analysis, Linacre believed"

Gee that sounds a bit too similar to Koh Tao machinations. If UK cops find anything "inconsistent" with evidence, Thailand has ready made rebuttal again...

[MaiChai]

Loss of face/defamation versus freedom of expression to have an opinion. Tough one in Thailand.