Somchai Khunploem begins serving long-delayed prison term | Bangkok Post: news

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Kamnan Poh officially starts serving prison term

Looking frail and fatigued, the man once dubbed "the godfather of the East" began serving his prison sentence on Friday after admitting to the Criminal Court that he was the defendant convicted in a corruption case involving the 1992 sale of land in a forest reserve for use as a garbage dump.

Criminal Court chief judge Thawee Prachuablarb said the prison sentence handed down to Somchai Khunploem in the Khao Mai Kaew corruption land case, in Bang Lamung district of Chon Buri, took effect today.

He received a sentence of five years and four months for the offence after the Supreme Court ruled in absentia in 2006 that he was guilty, upholding lower court judgements. Somchai had fled before the court ruling.

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  • waters

    ThailandPost : 505

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    Discussion 16 : 02 Feb 2013 at 10.1316

    I suspect that there's a nefarious and unexplained reason why Kamnan Poh was arrested, and it has nothing to do with 'honour bound police'. It involves politics, and a message is being sent by some politically shadowy figure. Expect that some time soon we'll see a cabinet re-shuffle that'll be more pleasing to the fugitive and his cronies.

  • bangmodken

    ThailandPost : 1,305

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    Discussion 15 : 02 Feb 2013 at 10.1115

    D8 : Maybe it's because of his close relations with the current government and it's coalition parties. Maybe it's because he's a former Thai Rak Thai politician. Or maybe it's because his son is married to leading member of the ruling party. Plenty of reasons to hush it down. Especially given the fact that the Country is run by another convicted criminal fugitive.

  • mogy71

    ThailandPost : 386

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    Discussion 14 : 02 Feb 2013 at 09.1114

    'the CSD has given investigators 15 days to gather evidence before deciding whether police will take action on those who helped him by illegally giving him shelter while a fugitive from the law' - why 'before deciding' ? If you aid and abet, you're guilty. What's to decide!! Maybe cos it might set a precedent and have certain members of the police force and government shaking.

  • bkk-farang

    ThailandPost : 2,327

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    Discussion 13 : 02 Feb 2013 at 09.1013

    I wonder how difficult the life of prison guards must be when they are supposed to control a well-connected criminal. What if he misbehaves? Should they shout at him and maybe use a little force to show him the right way? How about if the special prisoner asks them to tie he’s shoes and they refuse?
    And think about what would happen if the prisoner is transferred to a prison in his home province where his relatives are superiors of the warden. That must be a very difficult job.
    And all this is obviously not only the case for Kamnan Poh but for any well connected criminal who is already in jail or who should be in jail.

  • tpubon

    ThailandPost : 7

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    Discussion 12 : 02 Feb 2013 at 07.4212

    Being on the run for all those years, you would think there would be more prison time for him. It seems that you can take your chances and run but if you get caught you just serve the original time. Adding a couple of years for each year on the run may not keep you from running but when caught you would pay.

  • mitrapaap

    ThailandPost : 912

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    Discussion 11 : 01 Feb 2013 at 23.1511

    "His family has applied for his transfer to a prison in Chon Buri, citing the inconvence of travelling from Chon Buri to visit him in Bangkok, and because the province was his hometown"

    What do these people think who they are? Oh, excuse me, if you don't mind, it takes a full hour drive from Chonburi to Bangkok, that is so inconvenient, would you mind to transfer him to a jail in Chonburi so he will feel more at home?

    There are people in Bangkok travelling more than this every day - to work.

  • nns

    United StatesPost : 199

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    Discussion 10 : 01 Feb 2013 at 22.3710

    'Two days will be deducted from the time still to serve because he has already spent two days in prison since being arrested on Wednesday.'
    This signifies the Thai perspective on relevance in both the judicial and news reporting standard.

  • Hypocrisy

    AfghanistaPost : 136

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    Discussion 9 : 01 Feb 2013 at 21.289

    Disc.8 nontawat, you pose a good question, the silence is quite deafening! politically speaking, in my opinion, this is now a minefield, the term damage limitation comes to mind, this has now opened up a Thai paradox, which they arguably cannot come to terms with! The International community are looking on! Thailand's Judiciary is now exposed to the world media as are the Thai police and they don't look that good! There's no winners in this scenario.

  • nontawat

    ThailandPost : 3

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    Discussion 8 : 01 Feb 2013 at 20.368

    I wonder why no one from the government has officially come out to congratulate a certain police unit for job well done by capturing a high profile fugitive - one of the last man standing Don.

  • Hypocrisy

    AfghanistaPost : 136

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    Discussion 7 : 01 Feb 2013 at 19.207

    Amazing Thailand! When you think it can't get much worse, it gets a lot worse, this absolutely stinks.

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