Appeals court upholds death penalty for two Thai police officers

[webfact]

Appeals court upholds death penalty for two Kalasin policemen
Kesinee Taengkhio
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Court of Appeals yesterday upheld the death sentences for two Kalasin policemen - Pol Snr Sgt-Major Angkan Khammulna, 51, and Pol Snr Sgt-Major Pansil Uppanant, 45 - for their role in the 2004 killing of a 17-year-old motorcycle theft suspect. The death was disguised to look like a suicide by hanging. The court also commuted the sentence for Pol Snr Sgt-Major Sudthinan Nonting, 46, from death to 50 years in prison due to his useful confession.

The court has also commuted the sentence for Pol Lt-Colonel Sampao Indee, 54, from death to life in prison thanks to his useful confession. He had previously been acquitted. Pol Colonel Montri Sriboonleu, 65, and Pol Lt-Colonel Sumit Nansathit, 48, were a sentence of five years in jail each for the abuse of authority.

On July 30, 2012, the primary court had sentenced Angkan, Sudthinan and Pansil to death for premeditated murder and moving the body to conceal the real cause of death. The court had also sentenced Montri to seven years in jail for abusing his authority to help others avoid punishment, while Sumit was given a life sentence for conspiring to murder. Sampao was acquitted. The five officers were granted bail on a Bt1 million guarantee each on condition they do not leave the country.

A relative of the victim expressed gratitude to the court yesterday and thanked all witnesses for helping with the case. However, she plans to file an appeal with the Supreme Court over Sumit's five-year jail term, which she said was not enough. She also expressed concerns about witnesses' safety as all the defendants will be granted bail during the Supreme Court trial, as they are still active police officers and could legally carry weapons.

Later yesterday, Sampao, Montri and Sumit were again released on a Bt1 million bail on condition they don't leave the country, while those facing death and life imprisonment are being detained in the Bangkok Remand Prison pending the Supreme Court's decision on granting them bail.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Appeals-court-upholds-death-penalty-for-two-Kalasi-30265130.html

-- The Nation 2015-07-24

[plachon]

Excellent work by the prosecution team to secure the convictions and surprisingly stern sentences given by the judge, in the context of past sentences for killer cops. But the 3 cops given bail and still being "active police officers" seems like a travesty, given past witness harassment occurrences.

Kalasin, if I recall correctly, had the highest death toll of extra-judiciary killings during Thaksin's "war on drugs" of any province in Thailand (corresponding to the time of this teenager's murder in custody). No doubt these guys were part of the death squads that roamed the province at the time.

[brewsterbudgen]

So maybe there is Thai justice? I wonder how many pages this thread will run to?

[BigBadGeordie]

So 3 of them are out on bail, are still active police officers and could legally carry weapons!

So pray tell me where is the justice in that?

[Ceruhe]

So maybe there is Thai justice?

I think you may have just jinxed it...

[Tatsujin]

How can you still be an "active" police officer whilst under investigation/on trial for such a serious crime? That's insane. At the least, they should have been suspended (with or without pay).

[MB1]

So maybe there is Thai justice? I wonder how many pages this thread will run to?

There's only Thai justice when it suits the big wigs in power, and for those who do know Thailand then some know who is the real power. I used to think years ago that things would change in Thailand but now I think, " why even think about it" because it's the same same crap spouted every year but by different people because their predecessors have been ousted from power....How long has the pro and anti Thaskin saga been going on, will it ever end....I wish it would but I might be dead before it ends...

[halloween]

How did Sampao get bail, while the other lifers didn't?

This is weird - he had been acquitted and confessed at the appeal?

Edited July 24, 2015 by halloween

[bangkokfrog]

Would all those applauding Thai justice please look at what has.happened here. Three low-level police officers (NCO's) remain in jail for serious crimes, while two Lt-Colonels and a Colonel connected with the case are out on 1m baht bail. Are the NOCs really guilty as charged, or were they acting on orders or are being used as fall guys?

[Dogmatix]

I seem to recall that the young man's body was found with crushed or burned testicles. The senior perps have been out on bail the whole time and even received an award from the police for distinguished service which sends a clear message about the standards of behaviour police commanders expect from their men.

Edited July 24, 2015 by Dogmatix

[ezzra]

" while those facing death and life imprisonment are being detained in the Bangkok Remand Prison pending the Supreme Court's decision on granting them bail."

Hang on a minute.. they got the death penalty and they're considering bail for them?

like they going to hang around Thailand waiting for the firing squad to come calling?

[halloween]

" while those facing death and life imprisonment are being detained in the Bangkok Remand Prison pending the Supreme Court's decision on granting them bail."

Hang on a minute.. they got the death penalty and they're considering bail for them?

like they going to hang around Thailand waiting for the firing squad to come calling?

Skipping Bail is one of Thailand's national sports, only slightly less popular than Accident Running.

[halloween]

" while those facing death and life imprisonment are being detained in the Bangkok Remand Prison pending the Supreme Court's decision on granting them bail."

Hang on a minute.. they got the death penalty and they're considering bail for them?

like they going to hang around Thailand waiting for the firing squad to come calling?

Skipping Bail is one of Thailand's national sports, only slightly less popular than Accident Running.

[sammygood]

no inactive job or transfert this time ?

they confessed, so, that is life in prison, no ?

[pauleddy]

I believe that Injection is now the method of execution, although it was by a large machine-gun (mounted on a frame or tripod) until about 6-7 years ago. The officer who did most of the shootings wrote his memoirs a few years ago. The book was always on display in Asia Books and other outlets, back then.

Eddy

[brewsterbudgen]

I believe that Injection is now the method of execution, although it was by a large machine-gun (mounted on a frame or tripod) until about 6-7 years ago. The officer who did most of the shootings wrote his memoirs a few years ago. The book was always on display in Asia Books and other outlets, back then.

Eddy

His memoirs were also made into a fairly successful movie.

[pisico]

So maybe there is Thai justice? I wonder how many pages this thread will run to?

There's only Thai justice when it suits the big wigs in power, and for those who do know Thailand then some know who is the real power. I used to think years ago that things would change in Thailand but now I think, " why even think about it" because it's the same same crap spouted every year but by different people because their predecessors have been ousted from power....How long has the pro and anti Thaskin saga been going on, will it ever end....I wish it would but I might be dead before it ends...

QUOTE

"How long has the pro and anti Thaskin saga been going on, will it ever end."

Yes, it is good sign that some of the officers involved in that gory event will be punished... Or is it?

However, who in TV really knows the details of negotiations in each of those verdicts? Are the "punished" escape goats or patsies? Are the ones that got away scot-free the well connected or who knew something others didn't?

To stay on topic seems to be an impossibility for the anti-T cheerleaders.

If and when that saga does end, many people in Bangkok (and TV) would not have anything to rehash.

Mr. T will be inserted in any thread by Farangs who lost no money or relatives during the tenure of Mr. T.

When that happen, those whose only reason to have some activity in the rat maze they insist upon calling their brains, is the OCD that brings up an irrelevant subject such as Thaksin, will be left in the vacuum of rehashing the past even more so.

Let name calling and/or ad hominem epithets begin!!!

[halloween]

QUOTE

"How long has the pro and anti Thaskin saga been going on, will it ever end."

Yes, it is good sign that some of the officers involved in that gory event will be punished... Or is it?

However, who in TV really knows the details of negotiations in each of those verdicts? Are the "punished" escape goats or patsies? Are the ones that got away scot-free the well connected or who knew something others didn't?

<snip>

By definition, scape goats don't escape.

[pisico]

So maybe there is Thai justice? I wonder how many pages this thread will run to?

There's only Thai justice when it suits the big wigs in power, and for those who do know Thailand then some know who is the real power. I used to think years ago that things would change in Thailand but now I think, " why even think about it" because it's the same same crap spouted every year but by different people because their predecessors have been ousted from power....How long has the pro and anti Thaskin saga been going on, will it ever end....I wish it would but I might be dead before it ends...

QUOTE

"How long has the pro and anti Thaskin saga been going on, will it ever end."

Edited July 24, 2015 by pisico

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

So 3 of them are out on bail, are still active police officers and could legally carry weapons!

So pray tell me where is the justice in that?

How many countries in the world can you be an active police officer who gets convicted of crimes like this first by the regular court, and then upheld by an appeals court, and still remain employed as a police officer?

Or, for that matter, be convicted of murder by both a regular and an appeals court and then still be released on bail pending the Supreme Court final ruling?

Also, for anyone who thinks there's justice that's been done in this case, just remember, these kinds of cases always go to the Supreme Court, and who knows what in the world will emerge from that final decision.

Still, the fact that these guys were tried and convicted by two different courts is at least some sign of justice at work.

Edited July 24, 2015 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[pisico]

QUOTE

"How long has the pro and anti Thaskin saga been going on, will it ever end."

Yes, it is good sign that some of the officers involved in that gory event will be punished... Or is it?

However, who in TV really knows the details of negotiations in each of those verdicts? Are the "punished" escape goats or patsies? Are the ones that got away scot-free the well connected or who knew something others didn't?

<snip>

By definition, scape goats don't escape.

True! They are the ones made to suffer the consequences of the deeds of others.

You got extra points for adding a little levity to the otherwise boring same-same as usual Thainess topic.

[Chao Lao Beach]

" while those facing death and life imprisonment are being detained in the Bangkok Remand Prison pending the Supreme Court's decision on granting them bail."

Hang on a minute.. they got the death penalty and they're considering bail for them?

like they going to hang around Thailand waiting for the firing squad to come calling?

Skipping Bail is one of Thailand's national sports, only slightly less popular than Accident Running.

It is a total joke.

[bheard]

" while those facing death and life imprisonment are being detained in the Bangkok Remand Prison pending the Supreme Court's decision on granting them bail."

Hang on a minute.. they got the death penalty and they're considering bail for them?

like they going to hang around Thailand waiting for the firing squad to come calling?

Crazy. Who writes this stuff? grant the convicted killers bail? Totally unbelievable, however, TIT and you couldn't make up a lot of stuff that happens here.

[Rhys]

Justice paid and bought... It is unclear did the BIB actually serve time or jump hoops? Sad dad for Khun Ying Justice.

[bangon04]

"She also expressed concerns about witnesses' safety as all the defendants will be granted bail during the Supreme Court trial, as they are still active police officers and could legally carry weapons."

When a reporter called at their holiday homes in Bali, she was told by the maid that they would not be using their guns or attending any duties in Thailand any time soon......