Vintage Mercedes Benz case now in the hands of the OAG

[webfact]

Vintage Mercedes Benz case now in the hands of the OAG

 

 

BANGKOK: -- The Department of Special Investigation has already submitted its case file regarding the vintage Mercedes Benz allegedly belonging to Somdet Phra Maha Ratchamangalacharn or Somdet Chuang to the Office of the Attorney-General.

 

OAG spokesman Somnuek Siangkong said the DSI, in the case file, had recommended the prosecution of Pichai Veerasitthikul, owner of a garage; Mr Vasu Chittipattanakulchai of CT Auto Part limited partnership; Mr Kasem Pawangkanan of Odd 89 Enterprise; Mr Methanan Nitithitiwong: Mr Somnuek Boonparapai and Somdet Chuang, the acting supreme patriarch.

 

Meanwhile, Mr Wongsakul Kittipromwong, director-general of the OAG’s special cases office, said this case was of public interest and, therefore, a team of prosecutors was appointed to consider the case.

 

He added that the team had asked four suspects, including Somdet Chuang, Pichai, Vasu, Kasem and Somnoek to show up at the OAG this coming Friday to hear the OAG’s decision regarding the case.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/vintage-mercedes-benz-case-now-in-the-hands-of-the-oag/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2016-11-22

[colinthailand20005]

I don't understand the article does not make sense, what criminal charges are being filed?

 

The news article written in English is incomplete I think.

[ezzra]

1 hour ago, colinthailand20005 said:

I don't understand the article does not make sense, what criminal charges are being filed?

 

The news article written in English is incomplete I think.

 

Apparently, the cars worth a pile of monies, as only the 1953 Benz worth put at

$250,000, and none of them has shown records of proper taxes being paid for

them and were supposedly a ' gifts ' from followers...

[klauskunkel]

anyone care for a wager if ol' Somdet is going to show up?

[NongKhaiKid]

When will the Minister of Justice have to make a statement that he doesn't know what's holding up presentation of the case in court but he's not going to meddle ?

Edited November 22, 2016 by NongKhaiKid

[Srikcir]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

this case was of public interest and, therefore, a team of prosecutors was appointed to consider the case.

Why is "public interest" the controlling factor to prosectute an alleged crime? Shouldn't the LAW be the controlling factor and not public opinion?

 

This also raises the question of what constitutes "public interest" and how it's measured. There was no mention of a source (ie., survey, social media feedback, etc.) to identify and quantify public interest. Reliance on  public interest to motivate law enforcement introduces an arbitrary judicial process that becomes largely dictated by the authorities without regard to the mandates of the laws.

[Emster23]

This case is still out there? Could have started with a new Benz: it would be vintage long before decision or action taken

[humqdpf]

4 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Why is "public interest" the controlling factor to prosectute an alleged crime? Shouldn't the LAW be the controlling factor and not public opinion?

 

This also raises the question of what constitutes "public interest" and how it's measured. There was no mention of a source (ie., survey, social media feedback, etc.) to identify and quantify public interest. Reliance on  public interest to motivate law enforcement introduces an arbitrary judicial process that becomes largely dictated by the authorities without regard to the mandates of the laws.

The trouble with many legal systems is that they have to rely on the public interest. For instance, there are many laws or sections of statues that have not been repealed that are clearly wrong-headed and stupid (there was one in a Southern State of the USA that made it a felony to sell a lobster in a square box, for instance!). Even worse, many laws are so badly written so that they apply to many more cases than was originally envisaged or make innocent people into criminals.

 

Appealing to public interest is often a way of getting around some of these anomalies. However, public interest is not the same as public opinion - it could be that public opinion is for the prosecution of a crime but that it is not prosecuted on the basis of public interest.

 

There are also many cases where even though there was a clear breach of the law, the authorities may decide not to enforce the law in the public interest. For example, one man beats up another man because he has reason to believe that the other man may have interfered with his underage daughter. Feelings are running very high in the neighbourhood and not helped by the local police not having done their job to begin with and prosecutors decide not to charge the man with assault so as to prevent public unrest.

 

 

 

 

[Caveat Emptor]

2 hours ago, klauskunkel said:

anyone care for a wager if ol' Somdet is going to show up?

Back burner all ready and waiting for this one !

[Retiredandhappyhere]

This case reminds me of that child-hood game of "pass the parcel" and it is not the only one.  Several cases fit into this bracket. when one department tells us the case is being dealt with by another department and they cannot interfere. Etc, etc.