Phuket court sets June date for Aussie tourist Keating’s trial

[snoop1130]

Phuket court sets June date for Aussie tourist Keating’s trial

Tanyaluk Sakoot

 

Aussie tourist Thomas Keating (in blue shirt) arrives at Karon Police Station on Feb 9. Photo: Premkamon Ketsara

 

PHUKET:-- Fears have been raised that Australian tourist Thomas Keating will be stuck in Thailand for a further four months until the Phuket Provincial Court hears the evidence against him at a court hearing scheduled for June.

 

Mr Keating has already entered a plea of guilty to the court to the charge of reckless driving causing death for the jet-ski accident that killed his girlfriend of two years, Emily Collie, on Feb 17.

 

However, according to the Phuket Provincial Court public register, Mr Keating must present himself in court at 10am on Friday, June 23 to hear the verdict for or against him, The Phuket News learned today (Feb 24).

 

A court official explained to The Phuket News today (Feb 24) that although Mr Keating has entered a plea of guilty – the court will still have to receive the evidence against him and then hand down its verdict.

 

“Presently, Thomas Keating has been released on bail by the court, but his passport is being held by the court and he can’t go out of the Kingdom of Thailand during this time,” the court official said.

 

“Sorry, we cannot give more information,” the official added.

 

The official declined to reveal the amount of bail posted to release Mr Keating.

 

However, the extra four months delay in the trial does not concur with the understanding explained by Maj Patiwat Yodkwan of the Karon Police as recently as Monday this week (Feb 20).

 

Full Story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-court-sets-june-date-for-aussie-tourist-keating-trial-61160.php#4VUumjXf15VhfMHa.97

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2017-2-24

[stevenl]

I hope this is a misunderstanding.

sent using Tapatalk

[madmitch]

Ridiculous.

 

Whatever happened to the tourist court system that was announced a couple of years ago?

 

The Thai legal system is really not doing the country's image any favours at the moment!

[sweatalot]

1 hour ago, madmitch said:

Ridiculous.

 

Whatever happened to the tourist court system that was announced a couple of years ago?

 

The Thai legal system is really not doing the country's image any favours at the moment!

Nor is it justice.

It might be the law - but not justice

 

Could the Aussie embassy issue a new passport?

[ChrisY1]

26 minutes ago, sweatalot said:

Nor is it justice.

It might be the law - but not justice

 

Could the Aussie embassy issue a new passport?

The embassy will not issue another PP while he has a current one.....my guess would be that he will get very little assistance from the embassy at all

[Psimbo]

So much for the so-called 'Tourist Courts' that were supposed to deal with things quickly.

 

Bring back the gov that expedited  'Beermatgate' in the Aussie Pub (and paid the fine) in Patong a few years back. She was back in Aus and complaining that the cops hadn't accepted her bribe within the week!

[off road pat]

5 hours ago, madmitch said:

Ridiculous.

 

Whatever happened to the tourist court system that was announced a couple of years ago?

 

The Thai legal system is really not doing the country's image any favours at the moment!

It's a old scam,...while he can not leave the country he can not do any visa runs, and will be overstaying....!?!?!? and hey will charge him accordingly !!!

Edited February 24, 2017 by off road pat

[wakeupplease]

What on earth is the Australian press doing

For god sake wake up Australia

Make yourself useful give this email a bashing on your view and help this guy will you

[email protected]

[stevenl]

It's a old scam,...while he can not leave the country he can not do any visa runs, and will be overstaying....!?!?!? and hey will charge him accordingly !!!

No, they will not.

sent using Tapatalk

[Briggsy]

There are now more parties on board this gravy train that need to be paid.

[Thechook]

12 hours ago, madmitch said:

Ridiculous.

 

Whatever happened to the tourist court system that was announced a couple of years ago?

 

The Thai legal system is really not doing the country's image any favours at the moment!

I think that tourist court thingy died after a couple of weeks just like the crime reporting at 7/11.  

 

I feel sorry for the guy as he obviously loved his partner and has the full support of her family.  He is stuck in Thailand and won't be able to say goodbye to one he loved until nearly 6 months after the incident that is if they don't lock him up

[Nip]

8 hours ago, off road pat said:

It's a old scam,...while he can not leave the country he can not do any visa runs, and will be overstaying....!?!?!? and hey will charge him accordingly !!!

The court issues a directive to Phuket immigration to provide him with a court visa for the duration of the trial and he is black listed so even if he has his passport he is not permitted to leave Thailand... legally that is.

[timewilltell]

9 hours ago, off road pat said:

It's a old scam,...while he can not leave the country he can not do any visa runs, and will be overstaying....!?!?!? and hey will charge him accordingly !!!

Actually he will be eligible for extension and a court visa. Of course no one will tell him so he will unwittingly forget to do the extension or assume that the court and immigration authorities will work together on the matter which they don't.  And so he will get his fine and be blacklisted when he leaves.

[Old Croc]

15 hours ago, madmitch said:

Ridiculous.

 

Whatever happened to the tourist court system that was announced a couple of years ago?

 

The Thai legal system is really not doing the country's image any favours at the moment!

I was wondering exactly that with the fiendish fish feeder.

She should have been in and out of that court the next morning with a 200 baht fine and sanity would have prevailed!

 

However, I think the charge against the jet ski guy is more serious than the offenses the tourist court was established for.

Still, considering all circumstances, and the guilty plea, this matter should have been resolved early, and not at the usual Thai snail's pace. 

Edited February 25, 2017 by Old Croc

[Lokie]

This has nothing to do with real 'justice' is all about 'Da Money'

 

They will have their pound of flesh and the blood money and nothing will be changed regards Jet Ski Modus Operandi (is just another Income stream for Thailand) 

[FredNL]

This reminds me to a story of a German friend (Fritz) from 2014, when visiting Pattaya he got scammed by some old & ugly fat Thai freelance streetwalker. He was visiting 2 eldery German (gay) friends, living in Pattaya. The Thai freelance streetwalker spoke to him on Beach road and then followed them into a bar on Soi 3. She was trying to get on his lap and was demanding a drink.

 

When he told that he wouldn't get her a drink and was feeling uncomfortable with her around and asked her to leave, she went out and came back 10 minutes later with 2 Pattaya's finest and another ugly fat human being. She accused him that he was rude and insulted her as a f**king ugly fat wh*re. She had some other friend that said she witnessed the occurrence, when she wasn't seen arround. Even later on the cctv of the beer bar, the friend wasn't recorded until she arrived with the 2 Pattaya's finest and the ugly fat streetwalker. 

 

Fritz got arrested, taken to the police station. The ugly fat streetwalker demanded 100,000 THB because she lost face. Fritz denied any wrong doing and had his witnesses testifying his story. Fritz stayed in jail for 2 days and was taken to court. Bail was set on 300,000.- THB and his passport was taken. Every 3 months he had to visit the immigration office with papers from court, using an agent that charged him 15,000 THB every time (6 times). His Thai lawyer charged him for over 200,000 THB. 14 months later he was due in court for 2 days, one day for the prosecuter and one day for the defence. The defence showed the CCTV footage that he was set up. The trial was postponed for another 3 months as one the witnesses of the prosecuter didn't show up (the other ugly fat human being). 3 months later, she also didn't show up. 1 month later the court had its verdict. A 2,000 THB fine was issued, Fritz got arrested at the court room until he paid the fine. He was then turned over to immigration police and deported, after he paid for his one way ticket (150,000 THB by Thai Airways as Lufthansa wasn't allowed) to Frankfurt. He has got a 5 year ban stamp in his passport.

 

Back in Germany, he lost his job (his 4 weeks holiday turned out to be a 20 month "holiday") and he got officially fired 18 months earlier. Not having any income he couldn't pay his morgage and the ex-wife's alimony, his house was sold by auction several months earlier. Right now, he's still waiting for the bail to be returned. His travel insurrance wouldn't pay anything because he was convicted of a crime (he didn't commit).

 

Something like this, could be the future of this poor Australian fellow.

 

 

Edited February 25, 2017 by FredNL

[sweatalot]

18 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

The embassy will not issue another PP while he has a current one.....my guess would be that he will get very little assistance from the embassy at all

he don't have a current one. It has been stolen by Thailand

[farcanell]

18 hours ago, sweatalot said:

Nor is it justice.

It might be the law - but not justice

 

Could the Aussie embassy issue a new passport?

They can issue a concurrent passport.... (I have one already.... completely different numbers... not linked to primary passport for foreigne scrutiny purposes) but they probably won't as it could be construed as a conspiracy to enable the man to flee jurisdiction, which could be a diplomatic nightmare.

Edited February 25, 2017 by farcanell

[NamKangMan]

20 hours ago, madmitch said:

Ridiculous.

 

Whatever happened to the tourist court system that was announced a couple of years ago?

 

The Thai legal system is really not doing the country's image any favours at the moment!

 

 

"Whatever happened to the tourist court system" - this is the "tourist court system."  He's a tourist, and they "caught" him.  

[NamKangMan]

20 hours ago, stevenl said:

I hope this is a misunderstanding.

sent using Tapatalk
 

 

 

Yes, a "misunderstanding" designed to extract more money out of mum and dad. 

 

[stevenl]

11 minutes ago, farcanell said:

They can issue a concurrent passport.... (I have one already.... completely different numbers... not linked to primary passport for foreigne scrutiny purposes) but they probably won't as it could be construed as a conspiracy to enable the man to flee jurisdiction, which could be a diplomatic nightmare.

It would be interfering in another country's justice system, so of course they will not issue him a new passport.

 

Also, these days passports are checked on name and dob, even with a new passport he would still be recognised as who he really is at any border. So unless the embassy issues him a new passport with different name and dob he has to stay in Thailand.

[farcanell]

1 minute ago, stevenl said:

It would be interfering in another country's justice system, so of course they will not issue him a new passport.

 

Also, these days passports are checked on name and dob, even with a new passport he would still be recognised as who he really is at any border. So unless the embassy issues him a new passport with different name and dob he has to stay in Thailand.

I got a concurrent passport when the immigration officer at Phuket wrote in it that I had entered the country too many times on my main passport.

 

i then started using my concurrent passport for about six months, until I got around to getting a retirement visa..... no issues

 

that said.... perhaps she (immigration officer) was relying on the fact that she had written in my passport, and not flagged it, per say.

 

but... as I said, I doubt they would issue travel documents for the reason you also state

[off road pat]

1 hour ago, FredNL said:

This reminds me to a story of a German friend (Fritz) from 2014, when visiting Pattaya he got scammed by some old & ugly fat Thai freelance streetwalker. He was visiting 2 eldery German (gay) friends, living in Pattaya. The Thai freelance streetwalker spoke to him on Beach road and then followed them into a bar on Soi 3. She was trying to get on his lap and was demanding a drink.

 

When he told that he wouldn't get her a drink and was feeling uncomfortable with her around and asked her to leave, she went out and came back 10 minutes later with 2 Pattaya's finest and another ugly fat human being. She accused him that he was rude and insulted her as a f**king ugly fat wh*re. She had some other friend that said she witnessed the occurrence, when she wasn't seen arround. Even later on the cctv of the beer bar, the friend wasn't recorded until she arrived with the 2 Pattaya's finest and the ugly fat streetwalker. 

 

Fritz got arrested, taken to the police station. The ugly fat streetwalker demanded 100,000 THB because she lost face. Fritz denied any wrong doing and had his witnesses testifying his story. Fritz stayed in jail for 2 days and was taken to court. Bail was set on 300,000.- THB and his passport was taken. Every 3 months he had to visit the immigration office with papers from court, using an agent that charged him 15,000 THB every time (6 times). His Thai lawyer charged him for over 200,000 THB. 14 months later he was due in court for 2 days, one day for the prosecuter and one day for the defence. The defence showed the CCTV footage that he was set up. The trial was postponed for another 3 months as one the witnesses of the prosecuter didn't show up (the other ugly fat human being). 3 months later, she also didn't show up. 1 month later the court had its verdict. A 2,000 THB fine was issued, Fritz got arrested at the court room until he paid the fine. He was then turned over to immigration police and deported, after he paid for his one way ticket (150,000 THB by Thai Airways as Lufthansa wasn't allowed) to Frankfurt. He has got a 5 year ban stamp in his passport.

 

Back in Germany, he lost his job (his 4 weeks holiday turned out to be a 20 month "holiday") and he got officially fired 18 months earlier. Not having any income he couldn't pay his morgage and the ex-wife's alimony, his house was sold by auction several months earlier. Right now, he's still waiting for the bail to be returned. His travel insurrance wouldn't pay anything because he was convicted of a crime (he didn't commit).

 

Something like this, could be the future of this poor Australian fellow.

 

 

I heard a couple of similar story's, but this one tops them all....heavy !!!!

Best regards

[Baerboxer]

41 minutes ago, NamKangMan said:

 

 

Yes, a "misunderstanding" designed to extract more money out of mum and dad. 

 

 

Now if he'd has a millionaire Chinese-Aussie dad, who could fly in, meet with police, meet the prosecution lawyers and straighten this all out he'd be long gone.

 

Just like those two Chinese-American rich kids who seriously assaulted the Aussie lad. Whatever happened to their trial? Lost in the mist of time whilst they went off to Ivy league Universities, where one daddy made a nice donation to funds. 

 

 

[webfact]

Phuket jet-ski crash: Court expedites trial date for Aussie tourist Keating

Yutthawat Lekmak

 

Aussie tourist Thomas Keating (in blue shirt) arrives at Karon Police Station on Feb 9. Photo: Premkamon Ketsara

 

PHUKET: -- The Phuket Provincial Court has brought forward the trial date for Australian tourist Thomas Keating, who was previously set to be stuck in Thailand for a further four months awaiting trial.

 

 

 

As of last Friday (Feb 24), the court public register showed a trial date of June 23 to hear the evidence against Mr Keating, despite the devastated young Australian already entering a plea of guilty to the court to the charge of reckless driving causing death for the jet-ski accident that killed his girlfriend of two years, Emily Collie, on Feb 17.

 

A court official explained to The Phuket News that although Mr Keating had entered a plea of guilty – the court still must hear the evidence against him and hand down its verdict.

 

“Presently, Thomas Keating has been released on bail by the court, but his passport is being held by the court and he can’t go out of the Kingdom of Thailand during this time,” the court official said.

 

“Sorry, we cannot give more information,” the official added.

 

The official declined to reveal the amount of bail posted to release Mr Keating.

 

The new trial date now correlates with the understanding explained by Maj Patiwat Yodkwan of the Karon Police last week (Feb 20), when Maj Patiwat confirmed that Mr Keating had presented himself in court on Feb 17 and acknowledged the charge of reckless driving causing death made against him.

 

Full story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-jet-ski-crash-court-expedites-trial-date-for-aussie-tourist-keating-61211.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2017-03-01

[webfact]

Just now, webfact said:

Phuket jet-ski crash: Court expedites trial date for Aussie tourist Keating

Yutthawat Lekmak

 

Aussie tourist Thomas Keating (in blue shirt) arrives at Karon Police Station on Feb 9. Photo: Premkamon Ketsara

 

PHUKET: -- The Phuket Provincial Court has brought forward the trial date for Australian tourist Thomas Keating, who was previously set to be stuck in Thailand for a further four months awaiting trial.

 

As of last Friday (Feb 24), the court public register showed a trial date of June 23 to hear the evidence against Mr Keating, despite the devastated young Australian already entering a plea of guilty to the court to the charge of reckless driving causing death for the jet-ski accident that killed his girlfriend of two years, Emily Collie, on Feb 17.

 

A court official explained to The Phuket News that although Mr Keating had entered a plea of guilty – the court still must hear the evidence against him and hand down its verdict.

 

“Presently, Thomas Keating has been released on bail by the court, but his passport is being held by the court and he can’t go out of the Kingdom of Thailand during this time,” the court official said.

 

“Sorry, we cannot give more information,” the official added.

 

The official declined to reveal the amount of bail posted to release Mr Keating.

 

The new trial date now correlates with the understanding explained by Maj Patiwat Yodkwan of the Karon Police last week (Feb 20), when Maj Patiwat confirmed that Mr Keating had presented himself in court on Feb 17 and acknowledged the charge of reckless driving causing death made against him.

 

Full story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-jet-ski-crash-court-expedites-trial-date-for-aussie-tourist-keating-61211.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2017-03-01

 

[stevenl]

And the new date is ...

[canopus1969]

1 minute ago, stevenl said:

And the new date is ...

June 22nd       

[stevenl]

59 minutes ago, canopus1969 said:

June 22nd       

Reading the story I get the feeling the trial has started, but some more information in the article would have been nice.

[bokningar]

32 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Reading the story I get the feeling the trial has started, but some more information in the article would have been nice.

From the article

 

"The new trial date now correlates with the understanding explained by Maj Patiwat Yodkwan of the Karon Police last week (Feb 20), when Maj Patiwat confirmed that Mr Keating had presented himself in court on Feb 17 and acknowledged the charge of reckless driving causing death made against him.

“It will still take a further four or five days for the court to reach a decision in this case against Mr Keating as judges still have to examine all documents and evidence relating to the case,” Maj Patiwat said."

 

So 4-5 days more if this is correct.