Molesting Phuket taxi driver gets suspended sentence

[andreandre]

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.

First sentence of OP says; The black taxi driver arrested ...ie an illegal taxi driver, not a dark skin colour...

[hellodolly]

"The judge then decided to suspend the sentence because the offences – abduction, molestation and driving under the influence of alcohol and methamphetamine, were all first convictions"

I didn´t know in Thailand you could get away with abduction, molestation IF it is your first time.

There is only thing we can do. Share this fantastic news to all the newspapers in your country. I am sure when newspapers write about it the thai embassies will pick upp the news and maybe, maybe next time the judge will think twise before deciding to suspend the sentence

Well if the news papers around the world get a hold of it which they won't the country will be over run with first time tourist's looking for perverted sex.

[LomSak27]

Good to see how Phukets Promises to clean up the Island are working out.

Why would anyone believe any promises they made have any basis in reality?

[SSSlongtime]

best worn other chinese tourist ,dont come ,judge should be given new job ,like sweeping the streets ,seems to be a shortage

[Maggusoil]

If this is any indication of the direction of the Thai and Phuket government in regards to tourists and or

any foreign nationals, then it is sickening.

A suspended sentence for proven assault against a young girl also gives us a ver clear impression

of how the Thai system regards women in general.

[Hecate]

What happens the first time you kill someone? What a waste of everyone's time and money to let this creep out to do it again. It's lucky no one was killed if he was driving drunk and under the influence of meth.

[SOTIRIOS]

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

...I hope so...enough is enough....

[Halion]

Yet another shining example of how the justice system operates in this social and morally corrupted society. Allowing this pervert to escape with a suspended sentence is criminal in itself.

Without adequate deterents there will be no change in the behavioural patterns of such individuals.

Should he decied to repeat this crime i can only hope that he picks the Judges daughter for his next exploit.

[Trouble]

I do not know exactly what the girl was subjected to as far as molestation but it is outrageous to give a suspended sentence for what appears to have happened. Problem with Thailand is there is a complete lack of a civil society. It is a country where almost anything goes. In a country like China where the word from on high could close down tourism by the Chinese to Thailand , if I was the guy in charge there would be no more tourists going to Thailand until the situation in Thailand was straightened out. I hope it is China that fixes the problem. There is crime and violence in all countries but the fact that in Thailand the courts do not seem to hold people responsible for their crimes is quite appalling to me and hopefully the Chinese will put on the pressure. Certainly Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam are all countries with less crime against tourists. Maybe people will start going to these destinations instead. Vietnam and Cambodia both have beaches which rival those in Thailand.

[newermonkey]

Ah... now I understand Thai law...

I can Rape, Pillage and Murder, if its my first time and I admit guilt I get off scott free?

Oh... I forgot, I am a farang, very different laws would apply.

(FYI... if this was China "I know its not" but he could be facing a death sentence)

[zyphodb]

Absolutely crazy, an obviously well connected Taxi Driver, he should be LYNCHED.....

[shaurene]

"The judge initially sentenced Paitoon Kruain to 26 months in jail and a fine of B21,000, but both were halved because he had pleaded guilty.

The judge then decided to suspend the sentence because the offences abduction, molestation and driving under the influence of alcohol and methamphetamine, were all first convictions."

Are you kidding me?

"abduction, molestation and driving under the influence of alcohol and methamphetamine. "

The judge should do 26 months for being a moron.

This will disgust the tourists and wonder how safe they are. All the countries that know their citizens visit Thailand should all put a warning out "Thailand not safe and recommend not to visit Thailand and lets see what the government comes up with. Wow, what a way for us to feel safe knowing if Falange people cause the slightest problem they would be carted off, disgusting state of affairs.

[chooka]

Does he still keep his licence to drive a Taxi?

Never had one and now not allowed to get one for 5 yrs so I guess it is just business as usual.

[oldsailor35]

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.

Wake up KunMatt, the guy is only being sarcastic by reflecting on the RTP attitude. Edited October 5, 2013 by LivinginKata
insult removed

[oldsailor35]

Well does it really matter seeing as how the "Better Class" of tourist expected to be attracted here by the government, probably will not use common taxis.

[123stop]

This is not acceptable. A travesty of this magnitude signals to all thai scum they can do whatever they like and as long as they cede their wrongdoings nothing will happen to them. The judge should be removed for this grave injustice and himself be subjected to the terms he imposed(no suspension), taken out of office, and lose all entitlements associated therein. The criminal should be made to serve 5X that sentence. This injustice must be brought before a higher official or the king, and corrected. Though utterly unbelievable, I do not find this uncommon as this here is Thailand I am told!!

[cup-O-coffee]

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.

Agreed. I am still confused how the judge read "repeated" and then handed out the sentence stating "first time" offense.

The scumbag basically molested this woman repeatedly, and I do not condone a few minutes between the molestations or even a few days, weeks, or months.

That woman is someone's daughter, sister and perhaps a mother or a wife.

Edited October 5, 2013 by LivinginKata
illegal suggestion removed

[thhMan]

Thailand has already lost many Tourists from other countries.

China will soon become another country to shun away from this backwards shithole that greets its guest with terrorists!

[123stop]

This is not acceptable. A travesty of this magnitude signals to all thai scum they can do whatever they like and as long as they cede their wrongdoings nothing will happen to them. The judge should be removed for this grave injustice and himself be subjected to the terms he imposed(no suspension), taken out of office, and lose all entitlements associated therein. The criminal should be made to serve 5X that sentence. This injustice must be brought before a higher official or the king, and corrected. Though utterly unbelievable, I do not find this uncommon as this here is Thailand I am told!!

[schbang]

"abduction, molestation and driving under the influence of alcohol and methamphetamine, were all first convictions."

It was his first time.....OMG...

[H1w4yR1da]

First offense, my arse! More like the first time he's been caught. Just look at his picture. What a piece of inbred scum.

This case reeks of money changing hands. I wonder what the resident Thai-apologists who infect this forum will say? All quiet at the moment.

[CraigSchuler]

Plain and simple....Somebody got paid! Shame on the judge and even more shame on Thailand.

[zaZa9]

How much does that cost?

[Equalizer]

It always puzzles me. If there is a high profile case and a judge has made a decision in the UK, the name of the judge is always available and exposed. IE, Judge doe has blaa blaa blaa. Here you never get a name of a judge on any case! Firstly abduction, molestation should be an automatic literal custodial offence. Methamphetamine, well lets put it this way, if you are a farang and you are caught with this substance i can guarantee the B21,000 he was fined would only buy you a paper towel in soi 9. And a few pointy fingers. What always seems to amaze me is the fact these people simply can not see just how blatantly obvious their discrimination is. I just can not work out how these people think, and they must think there is justification in their actions. Why? In the US or the UK if i went on trial for the same offence my barrister would bring up this case and the conclusion has to be the same otherwise there would be inconsistency in the law. If their was a different conclusion a law suit would arise. The law per say, and through law and convictions as they evolve are a reference to the perused convictions for the prosecution. Here one guy gets nothing the other guy gets life for the same offence! Absolutely bizarre. But the golf is great!!!

[stevenl]

Good to see this state of the art tourist court thingy they introduced to protect tourists is working well. A suspended sentence for these offences is a laughing stock and a shambles, beat tourists with a pole and get a 1K fine and 3 months suspended. Kidnapped and sexually assault a tourist get a suspended sentence. It is very very clear these tourist court a in favour of the thai offenders over the tourists.

These bullshite courts are nothing more than a gimmick and sideshow.

Yes, the ruling looks like a joke.

But please explain to me what the tourist court has to do with this.

[jimbobs1]

I am lost for words, what if it would have been his daughter this happenned to?

I despair

[ttthailand]

A new low !!! I am truly amazed. Tourists are fair game to all Thais.... I think it is clear that the Thai government and its legal system has zero respect for anyone who is not Thai.

[Carrerakiss]

I see this criminal won't be able to operate a legal taxi for five years. The way it is quoted, it makes it seem as though this is a punishment. Since he was already operating illegally, I really can't see that being banned from operating legally makes any difference to him at all.

Clearly the punishment handed down by the judge does not fit the crime. It happens in a lot of countries, but not all the time. Here.........

[ttthailand]

I would like to see this one hit CNN or BBC.

[LivinginKata]

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 drivers 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 drivers license in Phuket, Mr Konlayut said.

I find this really amazing. He never was licensed in the first place, so what does he care that he can't apply for 5 years. He will just start taxi driving again, most likely he was out working yesterday. Absurd. More like 5 years jail time would be more suitable for the number of offenses he commited - driving without taxi license, driving under the influence of drugs, abduction, assault. Just for starters.