Rapists Of British Tourist Escape Death Sentence

[TAWP]

"Futher more their is evidence that the death penatly does not work as a deterent, just look at america, 11,000 gun killings every year, more people in prison than any other contry in the world... (The land of the free)"

The death penalty is 100% effective.

A rather odd statement. But then again, it's said by a new poster.

Deathpenalty won't reduce crime, it will never work as a deterent - but in some cases, to protect sociaty, I think it should be used. But only in a handfull of rare cases.

And reduced time due to cooperating, i.e. avoiding deathpenalty for confessing, is done in the US and so on too - so it's not something that is specific to Thailand.

[Thaddeus]

I may be wrong here, but I doubt it.

The death penalty is not a deterrent, neither is a long term prison sentence.

When the red-mist comes down, nothing other than the target is thought of... especially if that thought is induced.

[A_Traveller]

When the red-mist comes down, nothing other than the target is thought of... especially if that thought is induced.

Induced?

[ramidin]

I didn't follow this story right to the end but I was under the impression that they had been executed already.

If it was a Thai woman they had raped they WOULD have beeen!!

Thailand once again enhances it's international reputation!

Rubbish.

It is normal procedure here to grant convicted criminals a reduction of their sentence when they are cooperative. In such a case it is usual to commute the death sentence to a life sentence, which might be further reduced according to conduct while in prison.

One can expect that both will serve time of somewhere around 20 to 30 years.

And regarding such crimes against foreigners, generally the accused will face much harsher treatment by the courts than if the would have committed the same crime against Thais.

Commuting the death sentence to life actually did enhance Thailand's international reputation as most parts of the modern and civilised world have abolished the death sentence. Most of these countries do not even extradite people to countries in which they could expect the death sentence for their crime.

Although I remember some nations around the world and their mouthpieces speaking out against the death penalty, I am sure that the majority of the populace of these countries would have prefered to see the two die. If they are given life, or 20-30 years, then they may sneak out or be let out. I have more confidence in the death penalty than I do in these guys doing 20 or 30 years. I do not think that 30 years is enough, nor is life in prison. That leaves death.

In Belgium in 1995?, some men were caught having kidnapped, held as sex-slaves, and then murdered several girls aged between 12-15. My numbers are a little off, but you get the general idea. In Belgium, there was no death penalty. While watching CNN, my Belgian friend and I watched many women demonstrating in front ot the house where the girls had been held captive. My friend translated that these women were not asking for life in prisonment.

I do not have a Texan's view on the death penalty, meaning that I do not want to see everyone out there receive it for hard crimes, and in some cases, I think it is just. The laws and penalties for breaking laws of a country should represent the views of the populace of that country. From what I see, the majority of Thai people believe in the death penalty.

It is currently 'fashionable' in Europe to oppose the death penalty, just look at the recent publicity surrounding death penalty cases in the old Eastern Bloc.

I make no comment on the appropriateness of the death penalty, I reserve my opinions, especially regarding the general and specific deterrent effect (sorry about the lawyer speak), however these two have been given what they denied their victim - life (albeit in a Thai jail which I am guessing will be no picnic for them. However, if they are out in 20-30 years they will be what mid forties early fifties, their victim will always be dead.

Requiescant in Pace Ms Horton.

[ColPyat]

As I said, which you did not copy, there is a risk of creating such a perception. It should be noted that there was at the time considerable pressure and publicity. However, as is so often the case, once the spotlight has moved on, then the 'old way of doing things' asserts itself

In this case these individuals confessed during interrogation, they did not offer themselves up so I do not take such a charitable view of their 'cooperation'.

Regards

Confessing during the interogation is "cooperation".

There is no "perception". The whole trial, and reduction went according to Thai legal procedure, without any for me noticable breach. The accused, being fishermen, are not influental figures, and will not be able to wriggle their way out of it.

Either the prosecution will appeal, and the reduction of their death penalty will be held up, or not. In case it will, they will serve their sentence, and if their conduct in prison is good, they will have occasionally have their sentence reduced via royal pardons and according the here usual point system. Most likely they will not serve any less than 20 years, which is more than they would serve in most European countries for such a crime.

I do not see any reason for "perceptions", "troubling thoughts", or conspiracy theories in this case. The guys did their crime, they were caught, they confessed, they were convicted, they were sentenced, they will serve their sentence.

Finished.

Edited November 25, 2006 by ColPyat

[dtoodnut]

While Thailand bills itself as the "Land of Smiles" with sunny beaches, there are regular incidents of foreigners involved in sexual assaults, drug offences and sometimes rape or murder.

Right around the same time, an ex Policeman turned bar owner near the Kwai river bridge shot a man from Liverpool that had just kicked his swarmy Thai ass because the drunken ex cop had made passes at the limey's girlfriend. The ex-cop then ran over the woman and shot her too. Just like in the Phillapines, these killers of tourists are usually released early. The victims don't reside there to complain when they see the return of the killer to freedom and the victims are looked at in a very envious way as a lower form of life. It would be interesting to see what kind of stuff the female backpackers encounter over there. A methed up, drunken Thai/Pinoy dude is dangerous, but get them riled on US made porn, you have some liquored up Apaches.

[dai ru55]

I come from Cardiff, its a small capital city roughtly 300,000 people, this rape and murder was and still is big news back in my home town. If the UK still had the death penalty these two scum bags would have hung for sure, as life in prison is too good for them, and they will probably be free in twenty years or so.

After seeing the photo of them in this thred, they look in good condition and happy... they may even be enjoying their time in prison, who knows??

I hope Thailands legal system works and reinstalls the death sentence for these two.

I think the USA has the right idea, put them on death row for years, let them think about what they have done, then finish them off....100% effective, they will never do any other crimes. Too many lifers get released to do more of the same again

[keekwai]

Thank goodness we have the British tabloids to balance things out hey?

Any more good jokes? Keep em coming!

[keekwai]

Those boys will get their desserts in the BKK Hilton. Hope they enjoy it at least as much as she didn't.

What do they serve for dessert in Thai gaols/jails? Mangoes & Icecream?

[keekwai]

This planet is about learning love and compassion, mastering----- keeping in balance money, power, and sex, with higher energies.

Rubbish .. This Planet is mostly about "every man for himself, greed, "what's in it for me?" etc.

Are you sure you're not confusing the Planet Earth with the Planet Vulcan?

[snoophound]

Hear Hear

Its the exchange rate tragedy

The Tatooed,shaven headed lager louts who discovered their poond not only bought more beer but unlike the costa got them laid as well are the biggest cause of violence and trouble.

steph and isaan brit,

so an aussie agency was were the report came from. good on them for reporting it.

and the most disgusting tourist i have seen, here and around the world, have been queen loving poms. had to bail a couple of them out a few times, literally. brainless f/wits.

[dai ru55]

wow mister or misses Backpack, you seem to be a real bible belt American. I think that the parents of the murdered girl have far more grace than you do. Ghandi already knew that an eye for eye would make the entire world blind! The Ceath sentence is barbaric and therefore only used in barbaric societies.

Of course the death sentence is only used in barbaric societies - that's why it's still used in parts of the US.

Those boys will get their desserts in the BKK Hilton. Hope they enjoy it at least as much as she didn't.

BTW: I have no problem at all with the death sentence for drugs.

Drugs... you mean all the drug dealers such as bar owners and the users such as piss heads, right??

[dai ru55]

Katherine Horton's mother, Elizabeth, didn't wish the death penalty for the rapists/killers as she believed her daughter wouldn't have wanted that either.

Mrs. Elizabeth Horton has at least her wish respected and can pass away in the future, knowing they're still in jail for the rest of their lives.

LaoPo

No you are wrong, Katherine Horton's mother, Elizabeth, expressed her daughters views on capital punishment not her own views. And Katherine Horton's mother, probably thought life imprisonment meant just that life in prison, not twenty years.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I think suffering will be moer if they stay in jail. Execution is absolution.

agreed.

[LaoPo]

Katherine Horton's mother, Elizabeth, didn't wish the death penalty for the rapists/killers as she believed her daughter wouldn't have wanted that either.

Mrs. Elizabeth Horton has at least her wish respected and can pass away in the future, knowing they're still in jail for the rest of their lives.

LaoPo

No you are wrong, Katherine Horton's mother, Elizabeth, expressed her daughters views on capital punishment not her own views. And Katherine Horton's mother, probably thought life imprisonment meant just that life in prison, not twenty years.

Am I wrong ? about what ? I didn't say it was Mrs. Horton's view...read better please!

Whatever the truth, since I never spoke to Mrs. Horton (maybe you did), I have the utmost respect for a Lady who went through h_ll, grieve and misery losing her daughter....talking to her on the phone :

"Mrs Horton heard a scream before the line went dead. Her daughter's battered body was found floating in Lamai Bay the next day by a jet-skier."

And if it were Katherine's views on 'capital punishment' (being so young) we will never know, but Mrs. Horton knows best, I think.

Let's not debate about about being right or wrong.....WHAT on earth are we talking about?; what do we know about losing a child that way

LaoPo

[pwills]

I believe the death penalty should be reserved for three crimes which I think are abhorant to most people, Rape, child molestation andthe selling of drugs. Only my opinion of course

[navajo]

What Bullshit! So they volunteer their confession after they planned to rape and beat her to death, and after they swam out to their boats, and after the DNA, at that time they volunteered their guilt. They deserve to die.

[navajo]

I think suffering will be moer if they stay in jail. Execution is absolution.

[navajo]

If it were a Thai woman that was raped, they wouldn't have bothered to search for the killer's at all; unless of course it was a farrang who committed the crime.

[navajo]

I didn't follow this story right to the end but I was under the impression that they had been executed already.

If it was a Thai woman they had raped they WOULD have beeen!!

Thailand once again enhances it's international reputation!

I doubt they would have been executed for it. Rape is very common here. Men get minimal sentences for it, and then are let out after a few years.

I would like to see a lot more Thai men executed in this country (as well as the Irishman in Jomtien for killing his GF) for their heinous crimes, but it does not happen very often.

Does anyone have statistics on the death penalty in this country?

But the lady was also KILLED, not just raped.

Futher more their is evidence that the death penatly does not work as a deterent, just look at america, 11,000 gun killings every year, more people in prison than any other contry in the world... (The land of the free)

[navajo]

If it were my daughter or son, I wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger and blow their butts away, but that would only be after I continually beat the sh-t out of them for a couple of hours. although it is true the death penalty does not deter murder in the first degree, these 2 scum bags never rape and beat someone to death anymore. They would be permaantly elimated from the gene pool.

[navajo]

Perhaps the reason the death penalty is not a deterrent for these types of crimes, is because it is not given often enough, because of the bleeding heart liberals; unless of course its their daughters, their children, that have been raped and beaten to death, murded, molested etc. They do seem to sing a different tune at those times.

[sriracha john]

While Thailand bills itself as the "Land of Smiles" with sunny beaches, there are regular incidents of foreigners involved in sexual assaults, drug offences and sometimes rape or murder.

Right around the same time, an ex Policeman turned bar owner near the Kwai river bridge shot a man from Liverpool that had just kicked his swarmy Thai ass because the drunken ex cop had made passes at the limey's girlfriend. The ex-cop then ran over the woman and shot her too. Just like in the Phillapines, these killers of tourists are usually released early. The victims don't reside there to complain when they see the return of the killer to freedom and the victims are looked at in a very envious way as a lower form of life. It would be interesting to see what kind of stuff the female backpackers encounter over there. A methed up, drunken Thai/Pinoy dude is dangerous, but get them riled on US made porn, you have some liquored up Apaches white, Mid-Alantic, redneck trailer trash.

equally repugnant and bigoted modification made...

[sleepy]

Rapists of British tourist escape death sentence

While Thailand bills itself as the "Land of Smiles" with sunny beaches, there are regular incidents of foreigners involved in sexual assaults, drug offences and sometimes rape or murder.

-- news.com.au 2006-11-25

Ozzies journos to the fore again!

What crap, and what a slur on Thailand. Most of the foreigners getting into trouble with drugs and stuff are Western and Ozzie dickheads going to Kah Pang Ngan, getting stoned and pissed and behaving as crassly as they do in their own countries. It's not the Thais making them behave so stupidly.

Very safe place Thailand and we don't need third rate news agencies putting this shit out at the start of the high season.

[ColPyat]

I believe the death penalty should be reserved for three crimes which I think are abhorant to most people, Rape, child molestation andthe selling of drugs. Only my opinion of course

Definately for the selling of drugs - they are far too expensive.

And i think we should give the death penalty for bad spelling, lousy grammar, low IQ, selling of pop corn, and anyone ho does not agree with me. Only my opinion, of course.

[keekwai]

I believe the death penalty should be reserved for three crimes which I think are abhorant to most people, Rape, child molestation andthe selling of drugs. Only my opinion of course

Definately for the selling of drugs - they are far too expensive.

And i think we should give the death penalty for bad spelling, lousy grammar, low IQ, selling of pop corn, and anyone ho does not agree with me. Only my opinion, of course.

I don't think I'd be too far wrong if I said that alcohol (a drug) causes FAR MORE social problems and diasters than .. say .. heroin does. So why don't we round up all publicans, bar owners and government liquor licensing depatment staff and shoot the lot of them? .. Only my opinion, of course.

[meemiathai]

I feel sad for what the victim had gone through.

Rapists should be executed!

Worse crime than a murder.

[Alreadyinuse]

I didn't follow this story right to the end but I was under the impression that they had been executed already.

If it was a Thai woman they had raped they WOULD have beeen!!

Thailand once again enhances it's international reputation!

Rubbish.

It is normal procedure here to grant convicted criminals a reduction of their sentence when they are cooperative. In such a case it is usual to commute the death sentence to a life sentence, which might be further reduced according to conduct while in prison.

One can expect that both will serve time of somewhere around 20 to 30 years.

And regarding such crimes against foreigners, generally the accused will face much harsher treatment by the courts than if the would have committed the same crime against Thais.

Commuting the death sentence to life actually did enhance Thailand's international reputation as most parts of the modern and civilised world have abolished the death sentence. Most of these countries do not even extradite people to countries in which they could expect the death sentence for their crime.

Well said

Cheers

[Cpt_M0ney_Sh0t]

While Thailand bills itself as the "Land of Smiles" with sunny beaches, there are regular incidents of foreigners involved in sexual assaults, drug offences and sometimes rape or murder.

Right around the same time, an ex Policeman turned bar owner near the Kwai river bridge shot a man from Liverpool that had just kicked his swarmy Thai ass because the drunken ex cop had made passes at the limey's girlfriend. The ex-cop then ran over the woman and shot her too. Just like in the Phillapines, these killers of tourists are usually released early. The victims don't reside there to complain when they see the return of the killer to freedom and the victims are looked at in a very envious way as a lower form of life. It would be interesting to see what kind of stuff the female backpackers encounter over there. A methed up, drunken Thai/Pinoy dude is dangerous, but get them riled on US made porn, you have some liquored up Apaches white, Mid-Alantic, redneck trailer trash.

equally repugnant, bigoted and much more accurate modification made...

[keekwai]

I feel sad for what the victim had gone through.

Rapists should be executed!

Worse crime than a murder.

I don't know about that! .. If I had a choice between the two I'd go for the rape. At least I'd survive so I could track the barstard down and blow his head off with a grenade launcher.

Seriously though .. castration would be a better option .. and I mean the whole tackle package! .. without anasthetic of course!