WOMAN WHO HAS HUSBAND KILLED GETS DEATH PENALTY

[huahinsimon]

BANGKOK POST
Woman who had husband killed gets death
Published: 7/05/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News
The Criminal Court has sentenced a woman to death for masterminding the murder of her husband to gain 2 million baht from his life insurance policy.


Khai: Hired killers
The court yesterday handed down the death sentence to Khai Suksamphan after finding her guilty of hiring four men to kill Sawaeng Boonmee, a 56-year-old foreman, in Bangkok on May 29, 2008.

The prosecution told the court Khai had purchased life insurance cover for Sawaeng from Thai Life Insurance Co. The insurance policy identified her as the beneficiary of two million baht in the case of his death.

In early April last year, Khai paid Manote Phumthaworn, Pongsak Hong-ngern, Kawee Watchoey and Sawaeng Phakham to kill Sawaeng.

The court yesterday also found all four men guilty of the murder.

The four men met Khai in Sukhothai province to receive 300,000 baht to carry out the murder.

On the night of May 29, 2008, Oranuch Lachan, allegedly acting as a decoy, made an appointment with Sawaeng at a restaurant on Phatthanakan Road in the Klong Tan area. There, the four men abducted Sawaeng and left with him in a taxi.

Manote, Kawee and Sawaeng Phakham stabbed the foreman to death in the cab with a cutter and stole his mobile phone and 15,000 baht cash.

Pongsak then ran the taxi over Sawaeng's body to make his death look like a road accident.

Khai denied she knew the four men but the court was not convinced.

The court commuted the death sentence against the four men because of their confessions. They were given 25 years in prison.

Manote, Kawee and Sawaeng Phakham were also sentenced to another year in jail for stealing the victim's mobile phone and cash. The court ordered the three men to compensate Sawaeng's heirs for the phone and the cash.

The court acquitted Ms Oranuch on the grounds she had not been aware of the murder plot. She said she had intended to get into the taxi with the victim but Manote stopped her.

[norm]

So it took almost a year for justice to be served. Wonder how long it will take for justice to be served on the HH attempted murder case?

Hope that is acceptable, since no names were mentioned.

[sweet pea]

I cant believe that it took so long for justice to be served. Thailand has a really bad problem with the law system, everythings back to front. I bet if she had known the right people and payed the police she could have got let off all together. In fact I have heard a story before when someone got 7 years in prison and payed the police to have his name registered in the prison although he was not! Is that justice!

[interested]

I personally think that a year is an acceptable period of time, it can take far longer in Europe, I know that it can take anything from 6 - 12 months in the UK, even if the accused pleads 'quilty'
It should follow that an 'attempt' at a similar crime should depending on the circumstances receive the same sentencing.
What should be borne in mind that this particular case is Thai Vs Thai, and it is not known what or who the victims connections were.