Phuket jet-ski crash: Aussie tourist Keating pleads guilty, reduced sentence, expedited trial likely

Yutthawat Lekmak

 

Thomas Keating (in blue shirt) during seven hours of by Karon Police yesterday (Feb 9) entered a plea of guilty to reckless driving causing death. Photo: Premkamon Ketsara

 

PHUKET:-- Australian tourist Thomas Keating yesterday accepted a plea of guilty to the charge of reckless driving causing death for the jet-ski accident last Sunday that killed his girlfriend of two years, Emily Collie, 20, in a move that police say will expedite proceedings against him.

 

Mr Keating was formally charged at Karon Police Station yesterday, with strong support from his family as well as from the family of Ms Collie.

 

“During the seven hours while investigators questioned him, he accepted a plea of guilty,” Karon Police Chief Col Sanya Thongsawad confirmed to The Phuket News this morning (Feb 10).

 

“In his statement to police, he explained that on Sunday Feb 5, 2017 he and his girlfriend rented jet-skis at Karon Beach,” Col Sanya said.

 

“A big wave surged while they were zigzagging, causing the two jet-skis to collide,” he explained.

 

“Mr Keating was very sad while recounting all this to the investigators,” Col Sanya said.

 

Explaining the seven hours taken to question Mr Keating, Col Sanya said, “When we were first questioning him with his lawyer, he rejected the charge. At 12:30pm, we took a two-hour break for lunch.

 

“He returned with his lawyer at 2:30pm and during the following three hours he accepted the charge,” Col Sanya said.

 

Col Sanya noted that the guilty plea is now very likely to expedite the case through court.

 

Full Story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-jet-ski-crash-aussie-tourist-keating-pleads-guilty-reduced-sentence-expedited-trial-likely-60983.php#I61s9BFL8ovipl4i.97

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2017-2-10

It's a shame he is being shaken up by the BIB, clearly an accident so why have to go through all this.
Yet a Thai national who drags a policeman half way down the street into his house is still yet to be charged with anything.

Didn't take too long to find a couple of babes!!

Looks like the face of a man who knows he is innocent, but is being told his best option is to plead guilty to a crime he didn't commit. 

 

Third world country with a third world justice system.

I don't really believe there is any intention of putting him behind bars in a Thai prison, If this had happened in Australia, would he be facing a manslaughter charge?

Money is the answer. Thailand always find ways to get money from any activities what ever it is.

In this farang case well they will issue a fine for the incident and perhaps retain him over his time limit so an overstay will be added to  this.

Thais need to take note...this is how a man faces adversity...he doesn't run away...he doesn't lie...he just deals with the situation...

 

 

18 hours ago, Centrum said:

Didn't take too long to find a couple of babes!!

they are hot but im guessing its his lawyer or interpretor

18 hours ago, NamKangMan said:

Looks like the face of a man who knows he is innocent, but is being told his best option is to plead guilty to a crime he didn't commit. 

 

Third world country with a third world justice system.

Yes and they might just have a surprise for him at his trial. The trial may be expediated but his stay here unfortunately might be delayed. 

Sounds like they have made a deal here and he will probably not serve any time 

 

Lets wait and see 

Everyone needs to understand the law in Thailand. Do some research and you will see its not only for farangs but for Thais as well. It's not a trumped up charge for extortion..

"Karon Police Chief Colonel Sanya Thongsawad told local media the police had no choice but to press charges of reckless driving against Mr Keating.

"By law in Thailand, when an incident results in the death of a person, police are required to formally press a charge," Col. Thongsawad said."




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19 hours ago, 2008bangkok said:

It's a shame he is being shaken up by the BIB, clearly an accident so why have to go through all this.
Yet a Thai national who drags a policeman half way down the street into his house is still yet to be charged with anything.

The Thai man that you refer to has been charged with numerous offences.

3 hours ago, mettech said:

Money is the answer. Thailand always find ways to get money from any activities what ever it is.

In this farang case well they will issue a fine for the incident and perhaps retain him over his time limit so an overstay will be added to  this.

That doesn't happen, Immigration has a process for extending visas for those detained by the police or courts.

19 hours ago, NamKangMan said:

Looks like the face of a man who knows he is innocent, but is being told his best option is to plead guilty to a crime he didn't commit. 

 

Do you mean he didn't collide with the girl's jetski, while zigzagging, causing her death?

2 hours ago, hdkane said:

Thais need to take note...this is how a man faces adversity...he doesn't run away...he doesn't lie...he just deals with the situation...

He can't run away, he hasn't got his passport.  This is how a man arrested and detained by the police faces adversity, a Thai in the same situation would be doing exactly the same.  There's now no mention of the reflected sunlight blinding him, are you sure "he doesn't lie"?

"Karon Police Chief Colonel Sanya Thongsawad told local media the police had no choice but to press charges of reckless driving against Mr Keating. REALLY astounding. 
 

Quote  "By law in Thailand, when an incident results in the death of a person, police are required to formally press a charge," Col. Thongsawad said." unquote  Please do not insult our intelligence. Too many cases have gone by the board with nothing done. 

45 minutes ago, realenglish1 said:

Sounds like they have made a deal here and he will probably not serve any time 

 

Lets wait and see 

In another thread you were condemning a Thai widow for not wearing black clothes to signify her grief, how come you haven't mentioned it in this case of this person whose actions killed his girlfriend?  Let's wait and see, eh?

1 minute ago, gdgbb said:

In another thread you were condemning a Thai widow for not wearing black clothes to signify her grief, how come you haven't mentioned it in this case of this person whose actions killed his girlfriend?  Let's wait and see, eh?

He is not Thai 

1 minute ago, elgordo38 said:

Quote  "By law in Thailand, when an incident results in the death of a person, police are required to formally press a charge," Col. Thongsawad said." unquote  Please do not insult our intelligence. Too many cases have gone by the board with nothing done. 

"Too many cases have gone by the board with nothing done." 

 

Are you sure, can you name one?

13 minutes ago, gdgbb said:

Do you mean he didn't collide with the girl's jetski, while zigzagging, causing her death?

She might have collided with him.

2 minutes ago, realenglish1 said:

He is not Thai 

Just what I thought, double standards on your part.  

1 minute ago, Don Mega said:

She might have collided with him.

That couldn't have happened without his colliding with her, though.

7 minutes ago, gdgbb said:

"Too many cases have gone by the board with nothing done." 

 

Are you sure, can you name one?

Red Bull Heir May Face Manslaughter Charge: Bangkok Hit-And-Run 

5 minutes ago, gdgbb said:

Just what I thought, double standards on your part.  

Double Standard Give me a break If you are Farang in Thailand you have to pay more than Thais for many venues

That is a double standard

 

This is culture Black is not required from the West But it is in Thailand

 

4 minutes ago, gdgbb said:

That couldn't have happened without his colliding with her, though.

Are you saying both were the cause of the accident ?

1 minute ago, elgordo38 said:

Red Bull Heir May Face Manslaughter Charge: Bangkok Hit-And-Run 

This did not go by the board It was a payoff straight and simple

 

They have enough money to buy their freedom

 

1 minute ago, Don Mega said:

Are you saying both were the cause of the accident ?

No.

Just now, realenglish1 said:

This did not go by the board It was a payoff straight and simple

 

They have enough money to buy their freedom

 

...and the case is still ongoing against the driver.

Just now, gdgbb said:

...and the case is still ongoing against the driver.

Ongoing yes ongoing to the junk heap

He will never be brought to trial 

He is in Hiding