Execution or Life Imprisonment

Southern Thailand and the islands

To Execute or Life Imprisonment.

Yes
6
43%
No
8
57%
 
Total votes: 14

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Astana
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Execution or Life Imprisonment

Post by Astana » November 29, 2006, 3:25 pm

Men escape death for Thai murder

The fishermen confessed to the student's rape and murder
Two Thai men who murdered tourist Katherine Horton have had their death sentence commuted to life in jail.
Bualoy Kothisit, 23, and Wichai Sonkhaoyai, 24, had appealed over the sentence for the killing.

The 21-year-old from Cardiff was with a fellow Reading University student when she was attacked New Year's Day on Koh Samui's Lamai Beach.

A Foreign Office spokesman confirmed the two men will no longer face the death penalty following an appeal.

A spokesperson said the appeal verdict will be officially read out at Surat Thani Court in Southern Thailand on Thursday.

Miss Horton was attacked as she made a mobile phone call on the beach where she and a friend had rented accommodation for a New Year's holiday before returning to Reading University for their finals.

We respect the judicial procedure that happens in Thailand

Ian Horton, Katherine Horton's father

The trial of the fishermen, who were arrested within days of the murder, heard she was beaten with a parasol pole of a beach umbrella, raped and later dumped out at sea, where she drowned.

The men who had been drinking and watching pornography before they launched the fatal attack both admitted the rape and murder charges.

The judge at the court in the southern Thai province of Surat Thani sentenced both men to death by lethal injection, saying their crime had "terrified people".

The men immediately appealed against their sentences.

International media attention on the murder coming as it did in the wake of the tsunami which devastated the country's tourism industry had prompted the then Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to call for the "harshest possible punishment" for the men.


Katherine Horton was on holiday with a friend

Making their appeal, the pair's lawyer claimed they were convicted solely on DNA evidence and that they confessed to her murder "out of a sense of remorse".

He said they were appealing on grounds that the death penalty was "too harsh" and that their conviction was secured without eyewitnesses.

Their lawyer Prompatchara Namuang said at the weekend: "The court commuted their death sentences on the ground that they had voluntarily confessed their crime."

Prosecutors would challenge the court's decision and bring the case to the country's supreme court by 7 December, he said.

Ian Horton, the father of the murdered student, said: "We respect the judicial procedure that happens in Thailand.

"We are not involved in that and we have never been involved in that.

"If the judicial procedure results in a commutation of the death sentence, so be it.

"If it results in the carrying out of the death sentence, then so be it," he said.

Mr Horton said the family were "uniform on this", adding "We would just like it all to calm down now."



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Mainer
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Post by Mainer » November 29, 2006, 3:49 pm

I do not understand the poll. Execute who? Imprision who? Me or someone else? Are you referring to this particular case?
[/quote]

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Astana
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Post by Astana » November 29, 2006, 4:00 pm

Yes, I am referring to this case, which to me is self-evident. If I was referring to another case or you I'd have said so.

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Doc
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Post by Doc » November 29, 2006, 4:01 pm

I personally have mixed emotions on the death penalty - also called the "ultimate penalty."

If you want someone to suffer - then natural life in prison - virtually every prison in the world - is the place to put them. I say, let them suffer. It ain't no picnic in prison.

However, if I were to find myself in a position where I committed some crime and was being sent to prison for a long time - then I would be in favor of the death penalty for myself. This is based upon the premise that if one knows that they are going to be dying in prison - then why not sooner than later. Ultimately dead is dead - and it beats the hell out of suffering.
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Astana
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Post by Astana » November 29, 2006, 4:12 pm

Yep, I don't believe these guys will have particularly nice time in prison, however IMHO, and having a daughter myself I'd want to see them executed since it was not only murder but also aggravated rape and where the victim was left to drown.

Clearly, they did not show one ounce of humanity towards the victim, although admittedly they did confess to the crime. Moreover, I am not an advocate for the execution for every crime but in this case I feel it is justified.

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Post by Doc » November 29, 2006, 4:30 pm

Moreover, I am not an advocate for the execution for every crime but in this case I feel it is justified.
I have problems assuming the role of judge, jury and executioner.

Granted, it was a henious crime, but executing those responsible does nothing other than perhaps save the taxpayers / government some money. It isn't going to bring the girl back.

Typically, the execution of the perpetrator does not bring "closure" to the family. Similarly, it is not a proven deterrent to crime either.

I witnessed an execution in Texas a few years ago. The guy that was executed opted for the execution by dropping all his appeals against the death sentence. Prior to the execution, the family was all clamoring for the execution to take place - and complaining that it took so long. After the execution they said that it wasn't quite what they expected - and were actually quite repulsed by what had happened. Watching someone forcefully die is so much different than watching death scenes on TV.

Let's not forget that there was a lot of political pressure placed on this particular crime. The capture and trial of those responsible took place exceptionally fast. Is it appropriate to take two more lives just to feed political hysteria?
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BKKSTAN
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Post by BKKSTAN » November 29, 2006, 4:57 pm

:lol: Personally,I favor capital punishment!I disagree that is not a deterrent,although,it is not in many cases.

I believe that society has a right to not only be relieved of these killers,but to not have to bear the costs of housing and feeding them the rest of their lives!

As far as this particular case goes,although I think that the death penalty should apply to the crime,This is Thailand and they give lesser sentences for confessing to the crime!So I can't argue the fairness of the sentence,nor to I think it makes a difference that she was a falang!

As it was eluded to,this case was a political football with Thaksin dictating the sentence!Also unfair! :roll:

I didn't vote because I don't understand your poll question!

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BKKSTAN
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Post by BKKSTAN » November 29, 2006, 5:02 pm

:lol: I want to add that not only am I in favor of capital punishment,I believe that the victims of any crime shouild decide the fate of the perp. within restitution and final sentence guidelines supplied by a law!

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Post by Roadman » November 29, 2006, 5:05 pm

The poll question needs rewording - I presume the yes vote is for execution and not life imprisionment?

I would vote "no" to execution.

An eye for an eye would only be applicable in my case if the killer was caught in the act - it would be quite natural for one to seek revenge in the heat of that situation and I would have no trouble agreeing with a father, brother or husband "butchering" or beating to death anybody they caught raping or killing their loved ones.

However those are the raw emotions that given time, should settle down and let more rational thought dominate.
To take a life for a life shows that we are no better than they are.
Prison is where they belong, and even then I would differ that life where remorse and overall change is shown should not be life to death.
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Astana
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Post by Astana » November 29, 2006, 5:46 pm

I have problems assuming the role of judge, jury and executioner.
I think by the subject's very nature the assumption of roles is an extremely difficult and highly emotive medium to traverse, but in the end the choice is bare faced, to execute or imprison.

It is one of those subjects where it is very difficult to sit on the fence, however the political intrusion did not help but simply amplified the incident into media frenzy.

It will be interesting to ascertain what happens for example to the guy that killed the girl in Pattaya recently, if only for comparison purposes.

Confusing Yes and No...

I didn't want to put 'for' or 'against' in the poll because I wanted it to centre on this particular case, 'yes' for execution and 'no' for life imprisonment.

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Post by banpaeng » November 29, 2006, 7:05 pm

Don't want to be argumentive, however you do sound like you have an axe to grind as teh emotion in your writing is pervasive.

laphanphon

Post by laphanphon » November 29, 2006, 8:06 pm

Personally,I favor capital punishment!I disagree that is not a deterrent,although,it is not in many cases
have to agree there, also think it is a deterrent, but we will never know how much, since most people don't go on the record saying they didn't kill someone because of death sentence. but that, and very long sentences and a weak christian belief has helped me keep some demented thoughts in check :D

unfortunitely in a country such as thailand, you never know who confessed willingly or unwillingly. but these guys aren't saying they were cohersed, so have to believe they confessed willingly, and their appeal is a bit of a joke. because it was an open and shut case and you didn't need witnesses and made it so easy for you to convict us, give us a break, please. that said, the rule and common use of it, confess and avoid death sentence is an accepted practice here. mixed feeling there, like to see them killed, but dying in prison isn't any better, so i think it should go to the parents/survivors to decide, which they apparently have no opinion on. the system will have to go on as is.

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Post by ady » November 29, 2006, 10:21 pm

so they confessed out of remorse?

yes, plenty of time for remorse now boys,
this is your life from here on.

life is a double edged sword and her family
have had the decency to say so.

hate does not mend the loss.
what happens next?

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BKKSTAN
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Post by BKKSTAN » November 30, 2006, 12:14 am

I don't know if remorse had anything to do with their confessions!

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Post by rickfarang » November 30, 2006, 12:48 am

Generally, I dispise the death penalty being imposed by a court.

In a case such as the one above, I would propose a third possibility in the case of a convict who was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole (and I am thinking about descriptions of Thai prisons I've read over the years). In that case, it might be merciful to allow the convicted criminals, themselves, to choose whether they would prefer execution or life in prison.

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Post by ady » November 30, 2006, 12:53 am

quite so
what happens next?

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Astana
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Post by Astana » November 30, 2006, 12:14 pm

banpaeng wrote:Don't want to be argumentive, however you do sound like you have an axe to grind as teh emotion in your writing is pervasive.
I guess moderation isn't your strong point, as I found the comments in the following thread more jaundiced and axe grindingly negative.

Finding a balanced approach is difficult at the best of times, wouldn't you agree. :lol:

http://www.udonmap.com/udonthaniforum/v ... highlight=

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Post by wokkawombat » November 30, 2006, 1:13 pm

I am having trouble understanding the wording of this poll.

If I vote yes am I agreeing with the death penalty being imposed or life imprisonment being imposed? Vice versa if I vote no.


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Post by treehugger » November 30, 2006, 8:22 pm

Some time ago, when on a visit to UK, individual Fahad of Saudi Arabia was asked why Saudi continued with the death penalty when it was clear that it was definitely not a deterrent. He replied that it definitely prevented repeat offenders.

Check out the number of repeat offenders in UK and USA prisons.

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Post by banpaeng » November 30, 2006, 10:54 pm

Astana wrote:
banpaeng wrote:Don't want to be argumentive, however you do sound like you have an axe to grind as teh emotion in your writing is pervasive.
I guess moderation isn't your strong point, as I found the comments in the following thread more jaundiced and axe grindingly negative.

Finding a balanced approach is difficult at the best of times, wouldn't you agree. :lol:

http://www.udonmap.com/udonthaniforum/v ... highlight=
You know you are right on the moderation, however I am not able to judge a man if I have not been there. I am guessing you must have been there at the trial and heard all that was said or done. If so you have your opinion.

If we could correct all the wrongs that the press put out there for us to see, we would be great people. Sorry I am not great, only human.

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