Governor's killer on parole
The Nation

Chalermchai

BANGKOK: -- After spending more than 14 years behind bars, the man who murdered the governor of Yasothon province is out on parole. Major Chalermchai Matchaklam left Bang Kwang Central Prison on Wednesday.

The prison's chief, Suraphol Kaewparadai, said yesterday that Chalermchai was granted parole because he had served more than two-thirds of his term and had demonstrated good behaviour.

Chalermchai was convicted of killing Preena Leepattanaphan, the governor of Yasothon, in 2001.

The murder attracted huge media attention. Based on solid evidence, the court initially handed down a life sentence. However, while behind bars, Chalermchai behaved well and received penalty reductions under royal mercy four times. Through penalty reductions, he escaped the death penalty and saw his jail term cut to 17 years and 24 days.

Chalermchai will be on parole for nearly three years - not required to stay behind bars, but allowed to go out of jail for the remainder of his term on the condition that he report to probation officers occasionally and respects other conditions associated with parole. "If he violates the probation rules or commits another crime during parole, he will be sent back to jail," Suraphol said.

-- The Nation 2015-10-03

I remember the army was outraged at the time of his arrest because he was in full uniform and that just wasn't on, forget what he was arrested for !

Seems life behind bars, for him at least, hasn't been too bad.....he's not exactly skin and bones.......but he still shouldn't have been released!

Nice to see he has kept his army rank

He'll probably have to report less often than the 90 days foreigners have to.

14 years? the other guys dead for a lot longer

I'm sure this will make all of Preena Leepattanaphan's relatives very happy.

Once more Thailand proves how lopsided their justice system is. Put a poor family foraging in a national forest for mushrooms away for as much or more time and let murderers, let alone a high profile murderer, go after serving relatively short sentences given their crime.

Nice to see he has kept his army rank

Now there's an interesting point.

Has the Nation got it wrong or by some strange but totally Thai reason was he not stripped of his rank upon conviction ?

Look how the issue of Thaksin's honorary police rank dragged on with all concerned apparently determined not to make a decision especially one now retired national police chief.

Nice to see he has kept his army rank

Perhaps not:

In "PM to unshackle some inmates" published in The Nation 2013-05-11, he is referred to as former Army major Chalermchai Matchaklam.

what is going on releasing a killer on parole this man should be serving a life sentence at least this shows what thai justice is all about an absolute farce it really is time for a complete overhaul of the law .

Nice to see he has kept his army rank

Now there's an interesting point.

Has the Nation got it wrong or by some strange but totally Thai reason was he not stripped of his rank upon conviction ?

Look how the issue of Thaksin's honorary police rank dragged on with all concerned apparently determined not to make a decision especially one now retired national police chief.

If he still has his army rank, does he get a pension?

he certainly looks very well for somebody who has spent 14 years in jail it looks to me as if they have treated him as a high profile prisoner all mod cons, he can now spend the next three years on probation reporting occasionally just doing his own thing , his original sentence was life it should have been a life sentence with no parole but this is Thailand anything goes .

received penalty reductions under royal mercy four times

Four (4) Royal Pardons.

Interesting.

The Chop Doc, Dr. Dismember, Wisut Boonkasemsanti, also received several Royal Pardons.

I remember the army was outraged at the time of his arrest because he was in full uniform and that just wasn't on, forget what he was arrested for !

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/08/22/1029114162700.html

"Chalermchai headed a right-wing vigilante group in the late 70s and 80s. The group, which was backed by conservative politicians and army officers, had played a major role in suppressing a pro-democracy student movement that was branded by the military as being left wing."

I remember the army was outraged at the time of his arrest because he was in full uniform and that just wasn't on, forget what he was arrested for !

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/08/22/1029114162700.html

"Chalermchai headed a right-wing vigilante group in the late 70s and 80s. The group, which was backed by conservative politicians and army officers, had played a major role in suppressing a pro-democracy student movement that was branded by the military as being left wing."

Yes, those CSOC/ISOC death squads were nasty chaps. Really bad down south.

Nice to see he has kept his army rank

The word rank has different interpretations.

He'll probably have to report less often than the 90 days foreigners have to.

Thats what the word occasionally means.

He'll probably have to report less often than the 90 days foreigners have to.