Molesting Phuket taxi driver gets suspended sentence

[webfact]

Phuket illegal taxi driver, guilty of kidnap and sexual assault, walks free on suspended sentence
Phuket Gazette


Mr Paitoon will serve no prison time, but must pay a fine and report to the court every month for more than a year. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- The illegal Phuket taxi driver who abducted and sexually assaulted a teenage Chinese tourist while under the influence of drugs and alcohol walked out of Phuket Provincial Court a free man today after being handed down a suspended sentence.

Paitoon Kruain, 32, was handed a sentence of 13 months suspended jail time and a fine of 10,500 baht after pleading guilty to all charges against him.

The court initially sentenced him to 26 months in prison and ordered him to pay a fine of 21,000 baht, a court clerk told the Phuket Gazette this morning.

“However, because he pled guilty to all charges, the penalty was cut in half,” she said.

As this was his first offense, his sentence was suspended and he will not be required to serve time in prison, the clerk added.

“However, he must present himself to the court every month,” the clerk said.

Mr Paitoon picked up the Chinese tourist at Phuket International airport and kept her locked in his car for nearly five hours as he drove around the island while repeatedly touching her (story here).

The young woman held captive was freed from her ordeal only after Mr Paitoon’s car ran out of gas. When he got out of the car to push it, she fled and was assisted by passers-by.

Police quickly identified Mr Paitoon after the tourist gave accurate descriptions of the car, its license plate number and Mr Paitoon’s driver ID number.

After his subsequent arrest, he tested positive for ya bah [methamphetamine], leading to a Category 1 narcotics charge, in addition to a charge for consuming alcohol while driving.

He also paid a 2,000-baht fine for illegally operating a regular vehicle as a taxi (story here).

After the sentence was handed down in court today, Mr Paitoon was escorted out of the courtroom via the defendant’s exit.

Mr Paitoon’s mother, present in the court gallery today, said simply, “The case is finished.”

She had no other comment for the media.

Konlayut Jattutasri, chief of the licensing division at the Phuket Provincial Land Transportation Office, confirmed to the Gazette today that Mr Paitoon will be ineligible to apply to operate a legal Phuket taxi for five years.

“He cannot apply for a taxi driver’s license during the period of the full sentence handed down or for three years after that.

“By October 2018, he will have the right to apply for a taxi driver’s license in Phuket,” Mr Konlayut said.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Phuket-illegal-taxi-driver-guilty-of-kidnap-and-sexual-assault-walks-free-on-suspended-sentence-22422.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-10-05

[Valentine]

Disgraceful is putting it mildly. If it was the daughter of some hi so the guy would not be breathing freedom for a long time to come or death by "suicide".

[NongKhaiKid]

That's out of order, I thought Phuket was trying to improve protection for tourists? ( okay I know already ).

Repeated molestation over several hours should never have resulted in a suspended sentence. Quite frankly ridiculous.

A suspended sentence because it was his first offence but what a first offence !

This is most definately the way to reassure tourists but I suppose they are more interested in travelling on high speed trains.

[NongKhaiKid]

The Chinese embassy will have a s**t fit over this

This is the type of situation that results in severe, and embarrassing, Travel Advisories and since it involves China there's always the possibility of a travel ban no matter how limited.

I hate to say it but a Chinese travel ban might, just might, start to waken Thailand up.

[wealth]

so he gulped his first ya-ba on this day, the first day drunk, drove the first day illegally a cab and molested a customer? wow ...

what about retribution for the victim?

[ben2203]

Just going to pop out and rob a bank and molest a couple of beauties, will be my first offence so don't expect any problems if they catch me.

Yes, seems to apply to murder or manslaughter too. As long as its the first offence of course. Plead guilty and get a reduced sentence suspended or simply leave the country until the statute of limitations has expired.

If a Chinese man had committed these offences against a Thai girl, would the response have been the same?

Actually, probably, to be honest, or at least the girl would have been in the wrong somehow

[Andre0720]

The only logical explanation for this is that the judge must be the father of this taxi driver...

[johnlandy]

That's out of order, I thought Phuket was trying to improve protection for tourists? ( okay I know already ).

Repeated molestation over several hours should never have resulted in a suspended sentence. Quite frankly ridiculous.

Absolutely ridiculous but hey! TIT

[krystian]

The local Justice system vs For farangs Justice system,,,

[Alwyn]

I wonder what Asean will make of this and Thailand's jovial approach to human rights? I also wonder what the outcome woukd have been if it had been a fekked up farang that kidnapped a Thai lady (not a bargirl slapper) and did the same? Jeez, people get banged up, fined and deported for 3 days overstay! But compared to Bangladesh where I had the mis=fortune to spend 6 months contracting, Thailand is quite sophisticated in it's judicial system. When a girl gets raped in Bangladesh it's not called rape - in fact it isn't rape. It's called "Eve teasing"...

[steelepulse]

This is a complete farce, plain and simple. This perp should be serving 5 years behind bars after admitting wrong doing. That 5 years of no taxi license sure won't stop him from operating illegally, just as hundreds of others do on a daily basis.

[uty6543]

The only logical explanation for this is that the judge must be the father of this taxi driver...

Or he was high on ya ba

[jacko45k]

The 19-year-old Chinese tourist gave evidence in Paitoon's trail weeks ago, before returning to China.

And she must now feel it was a complete and utter waste of her time and dignity.

[jaapfries]

It's time the Attorney General gets involved in these outrageous decisions by Royal Thai' Court "Judges" !

This is totally absurd and an absolute insult to the victim ! !

[unanimosity]

So what do you have to do as a first offense to loose your liberty ?

Say something about somebody that they take offense to, even if it is true..

[monty1412]

OK there it is lads.. for those of you without any prior conviction.. green light to go out and kidnap a chinese tourist for 5 hours and have your way... just remeber to say you were on drugs

What an absolute grace... I hope the Chinese consulate really gets mad at this and publish's a strong statement..

This is not justice to the poor girl.... whay should when someone is obviously guilty ( by virtue of the evidence) be rewarded with half what was unsatisfactory in first place.

A very poor endightment on the Thai judical system

[Cuban]

Can one expect such lenient treatment for the next Chinese tourist to come before the Thai courts?

[GeorgeO]

That's out of order, I thought Phuket was trying to improve protection for tourists? ( okay I know already ).

Repeated molestation over several hours should never have resulted in a suspended sentence. Quite frankly ridiculous.

I would go as far as to say he should have been suspended by his neck...!

[Briggsy]

In somebody's evil mind, thoughts like this will being trying to justify such a lenient sentence:

"That'll teach those damn jek to try and boss us around. We are Thai and we are proud to provide a sound and efficient public transport service on the paradise island of Phuket. We are the ones who decide what happens here and to whom.

It was obviously what the girl wanted. She led him on and was travelling alone and thus asking for it. "

[KunMatt]

In somebody's evil mind, thoughts like this will being trying to justify such a lenient sentence:

"That'll teach those dam_n jek to try and boss us around. We are Thai and we are proud to provide a sound and efficient public transport service on the paradise island of Phuket. We are the ones who decide what happens here and to whom.

It was obviously what the girl wanted. She led him on and was travelling alone and thus asking for it. "

Wow. That is a very revealing post of how your mind works. Get help.

[Emdog]

The one good thing about the fast track "Justice" system, is that this stuff floats up so much quicker. If I had my say in China, I would give Thailand a 13 months suspended sentence: no Chinese tourists for that long (at least). There are other places for them to go in SE Asia, and their money with them. This outcome under "law" is unacceptable on all levels.

[steffi]

Does he still keep his licence to drive a Taxi?

[Briggsy]

Does he still keep his licence to drive a Taxi?

I would be surprised if he had ever bothered to even apply for one in the first place.

[steffi]

Suspended sentences for first time murders, or wealthy family members who kill people with their cars.

[bkkflyer]

When first reading this, I also though it was an absurd sentece.

But when reading a bit deeper - it seems at least clear that it wasnt a rape, but she said "the driver had touched her leg".....

I find the sentence to be relatively "appropriate" - if there wasnt any actual real attempt to rape her.

[philliphn]

Why is that! Wasn't

[casindonet]

Is it even worth commenting on this news....thai style of justice = NO JUSTICE.

Sent from my GT-I9200 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[phantomfiddler]

Good God, so any thai is allowed to do anything they like to a tourist at least once and get away with it !!! Disgusting, and the judge should be tried for neglect of duty. VERY bad but to be expected, sadly.

[pomchop]

Hopefully the Chinese media will pick this story up and BLAST in across China and advise Chinese tourists to NOT GO TO PHUKET.

TAT must cringe when these stories come out of Phuket but obviously they either don't have the nads or the power or the connections to do a damn thing about it.....what a damn shame that a once beautiful and friendly island has turned into a cesspool of scams, crime, stupid judges, etc.

[Shagz]

absolutely disgusting !