Guilty until proved innocent

News > Investigative Report

Three teens falsely accused of a triple homicide and later acquitted are among the fortunate minority of those railroaded in a justice system quick to convict on the flimsiest of evidence

Published: 9 Sep 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: Spectrum

On her way to a Kalasin police station on July 11, Nuttha Phirommak's heart was breaking as she thought of the predicament her 17-year-old son, Tew, was in. Police there had detained him for murdering three people and injuring three others in a gun attack.

Ms Nuttha, a 37-year-old single mother, arrived at the station at about 8pm, looking on helplessly as police ushered her son out of an interrogation room.

Upon seeing his mother, Tew told her: "Mum, please don't worry. I didn't do it. I know nothing." He was then sent to the Juvenile Observation and Protection Centre in Khon Kaen. along with his cousin No, 17. Another cousin Petch, 20, was sent to Kalasin Prison.

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Ian
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Discussion 11 : 09 Sep 2012 at 09.3711
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Law and Justice should mean the same thing, unfortunately they rarely do, this disparity is most evident in backward, "banana republic" like countries.
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abbub
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Discussion 10 : 09 Sep 2012 at 09.3510
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I agree in essence with ROBINS D7 the world is full of corruption in the judiciary and police force. But also being America and having lived in various places, I can say Europe is not as bad as the US and the US is not nearly as bad as Thailand is.

In Thailand, where I have been married now for about 12 years I have learned almost no Thai person wronged will even bother going to the police unless they know the their adversary does not have more money to ay the police than they do.

In the eyes of most Thais there is little justice in the country and corruption is just as present as everywhere else in society. The Thai system favors the powerful and wealthy without shame, and there is greater disparity between rich and poor in Thailand. Add to the mix democracy is stifled again, and again and again and we return to the problem of a country with one foot still firmly plants in its feudal past.
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dougo
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Discussion 9 : 09 Sep 2012 at 09.089
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It's not a good idea to be partying at 3am.
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nowayout
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Discussion 8 : 09 Sep 2012 at 08.558
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Very unfare. One can sue another for millions in a defimation case (just for souring someones reputation). But when ones life is ruined for wrongly accused, jailed and scars left probably for life, you get 200 baht/day while in jail only. Pathetic.
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robins
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Discussion 7 : 09 Sep 2012 at 08.387
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Most of the problems you write about here are not limited to Thailand. As a retired American attorney, I know the assumption of guilt by an ignorant public is exactly the same there as you describe here, along with the disparity in the ability of the accused to afford quality defense counsel. Too many people watch the silly crime drama propaganda shows, like those on the Universal Channel or Fox Crime where the cops are never wrong and think they are experts in field. Believing the police really beat false confessions out of a detainees based on the claim by one group of detainees is both wrong and irresponsible. Also, in the West, there is no compensation fund for those wrongfully arrested and charged, and standing trial for a crime can cost the equivalent of millions of Baht (no exaggeration) for which you are not compensated, even if acquitted, and wrongful arrest lawsuits are much more difficult to win than most people think.
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rebel4ever
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Discussion 6 : 09 Sep 2012 at 08.006
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Most absurd is the Thai confession premium when suspects confess, their sentences are halved. What would you do when you don't get or are given a chance to prove your guilt? Choosing between 20 years or 10 years with a confession is not a difficult choice even when not guilty. It only makes the job for the police and courts easy and increases their success ratio. Not really, though....
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Lazarisbk
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Discussion 5 : 09 Sep 2012 at 07.325
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The kid should receive a minimum of at least 7.5 million baht compensation for his innocence.

The police involved should be removed to an inactive post at the PM's office.
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nicholas
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Discussion 4 : 09 Sep 2012 at 07.324
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Over 30 years as a Police Officer in the UK and I have yet to see Police acting with impartiality, the publicised confessions and play acting are a joke purely a sop to the public. As for rights, from what I hear little or no rights are afforded to those arrested , especially when their arrest is based on the almost lack of evidence at best it is probably circumstantial. Innocent until proven guilty is a sound bite the Thai police use, unfortunately that is all it is, if the officer at the scene thinks you are guilty , you are trouble despite possible eveidence to the contary. A sad face of Amazing Thailand.
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jepl
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Discussion 3 : 09 Sep 2012 at 07.273
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let's put it this way.

for poor people: guilty until proven innocent (even without evidence)
for the rich, famous and powerful: innocent even if guilty (with very strong evidence)
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felixqui
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Discussion 2 : 09 Sep 2012 at 06.172
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It is strange that any court ever accepts a confession as evidence when they are well known to be unreliable indicators of guilt. With such incompetence at that level, does justice have a chance in Thailand?

Perhaps what is desperately needed is an overhaul of the judicial system that has for decades put its stamp of official approval on the injustices of police and other officials.
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