On Thu, 26 Mar 2009 21:18:27 +0000, Larry wrote:

Bruce In Bangkok wrote in
:

I've sailed in this area for ten years and my experiences with the
local fishermen and people living on the islands has been that they
are pretty nice people. The time I ran into a coral reef and went
aground the local fishermen came out and helped and when we finally
got off I offered to pay them and they refused to take anything. My
own feeling is that was an isolated incident.



Thank you. That's a thousand times more than I can find about it. Much
appreciated. The fishermen are blameless, except for the illegal
immigration. Half my neighborhood are illegal immigrants, now.

There probably will be little else published about the murder if the
three Burmese have confessed as the police state. With the finding of
the body they will be charged with murder.

The Thai legal system is such that once charges have been lodged with
the court and the court has reviewed the evidence and agreed to hear
the case the defendants appear before the court and the charges are
read whereupon they have the right to plead innocent or guilty.

If they plead guilty they will likely be given an immediate life
sentence. If they plead not-guilty they will be tried but in the event
that they are found guilty, a likely scenario given their confession,
they will receive the death sentence.

It is true that the death sentence will probably not be carried out if
the criminals show any remorse over the affair but it could be. If
they are convicted and given a death sentence which is later commuted
it will be to life imprisonment.


The latest news:

Murdered yachtie's body found in sea
By: BangkokPost.com
Published: 27/03/2009 at 02:21 PM


Police on Friday found the body of a UK yachtsman who was murdered by
Burmese pirates three days ago near an island in the Andaman Sea.

The remains of Malcom Robertson, 64, whose throat was cut and his body
was thrown into the sea, were found near Koh Rawee, Pol Col Wirat
Saeng-orn, superintendent of the Yala provincial police said.

His wife Linda, who says she ''trussed up naked like a chilcken'' by
thekillers when her husband was killed, testified before the
provincial court on Friday because she has to leave Thailand.

Police earlier claimed that the three workers confessed they boarded
the yacht on Monday to steal an inflatable dinghy but were blocked by
the owner.

Police alleged the three slashed Robertson's throat and tossed his
body overboard. Mrs Robertsoln says they forced her to sail them to
the mainland. The yacht was spotted by officials from Koh Petra Marine
National Park, who detained them.

Cheers,

Bruce
(bruceinbangkokatgmaildotcom)