Thread: Murder verdict. Court seizes Kamnan Poh's B15m bail bond

A case that was leftover from Thaksin's days, Kamnan Poh being the father of one of Thaksin's ministers. 8 years and the thing is still not over. 8 years of being free, while clearly guilty of murder. And people wonder why justice takes so long here. Yet another powerful, rich figure, who has avoided justice. Here is some background from the time....

"Kamnan Poh," - Father of Minister Sontaya Kunplome, Released on Bail | Asian Tribune

"Kamnan Poh," - Father of Minister Sontaya Kunplome, Released on Bail

Thu, 2003-04-17 05:00 — admin

Bangkok, April 17, (TNA) A most influential local politician, Somchai Kunplome, widely known as 'Kamnan Poh', who is father of Tourism and Sports Minister Sontaya Kunplome, was released on a Bt10-million bail today, according to a T.V. news report.

'Kamnan Poh' was set free on the Bt10-million government-bond bail by the Criminal Court here after being questioned for hours by investigative officers at the Royal Thai Police's Crime Suppression Division, said the news report of iTV.

He surrendered himself to the police this morning after being accused of masterminding the murder of another local leader, Mr. Prayoon Sitthichoti, known as Kamnan Yoon.

The court said that Kamnan Poh's requested release on the bail was approved, as he handed himself over to the police and was unlikely to escape or to intimidate witnesses.

However, the court barred him from leaving the kingdom and ordered that he report to the police on April 27, said the T.V. news report.

'Kamnan Poh' has recently been thrust into the media spotlight over allegations that he is responsible for the murder of ‘Kamnan Yoon’, of the eastern province of Rayong.

The murder case followed last year's assassination of Pol. Lt. Col. Chaiyan Vichaidit, a senior police officer, who was said to be Kamnan Poh's right-handed aide.

Kamnan Yoon was allegedly behind the death of the senior police officer.

The police have affirmed although 'Kamnan Poh' is father of the Tourism and Sports Minister and is the most influential local leader in the eastern Chonburi province, they will never bow to any social pressure and will, instead, treat all parties fairly.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has given the green light to authorities concerned to take appropriate actions on the case based on verified evidences, saying that there will be no political interferrence on the case as many have feared.

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

Kamnan Poh being the father of one of Thaksin's ministers.

I think he is also related to the Mayor of Pattaya.

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

Kamnan Poh being the father of one of Thaksin's ministers.

I think he is also related to the Mayor of Pattaya.

Indeed, seems to be the case...interesting thread here on Jet Ski scams in Pattaya this year and the Mayor's brief interest, which stopped very soon after the publicity died...


JetSkied June 22, 2011 | 8:13 pm

The Mayor’s father is Somchai “Kamnan Poh” Kunplome, Thailand’s largest crime boss, who was sentenced to 25 years for plotting the murder of his rival, yet he still walks free to this day.


Read more: The Mayor of Pattaya is Listening | Thailand Land of Smiles

15m baht for his freedom is probably peanuts to an important official involved in corrupt practises.

The Thai Justice system, yet again falling well short of the mark

Kamnan poh is the Godfather of Chonburi. Palonchon, the family political party, swept Chonburi in the last elections (winning every seat), one son is in the Cabinet, another the Mayor of Pattaya. The expat press in Pattaya also eats out of his hand. He had a falling out with Thaksin some years back- over this case as I understand it- but his party is now in the governing coalition. If rumor is to be believed, his movements are far from restricted too. I very much doubt there is anyone in Chonburi who would dare to arrest him. Post coup rumors of his demise in Chonburi proved to be quite premature.

Fugitive politician's absence in court will cost daughter Bt15m - The Nation

Fugitive politician's absence in court will cost daughter Bt15m

The Nation November 30, 2011 1:01 am

The daughter of influential businessman and fugitive local politician Somchai Khunpluem who has been on the run from two convictions sentencing him to more than 30 years' jail, was yesterday ordered to pay Bt15 million for the father's failure to attend the reading of his final verdict.

The Criminal Court judges told Jiraphorn that the four doctors' certificates issued five years ago submitted by her, claiming her father suffered from numerous illnesses, were not new and not enough to justify her request to postpone yesterday's session to next year.

The court ordered Jiraphorn to pay Bt15 million, or her assets worth Bt15 million that she had posted as Somchai's bail, would be seized.

The judges, who were supposed to read out a Supreme Court decision on his conviction for ordering the murder of a fellow kamnan based in Chon Buri's Muang district on March 9, 2003, granted the request from a co-defendant - Phassakorn Hommual - to postpone the session. Phassakorn had submitted a document explaining the reasons why he was unable to attend yesterday's session.

Phassakorn is a member of the Muang Saen Suk assembly, which issued the document affirming that Phassakorn was on a flood-relief assignment from November 25 until tomorrow and could not attend yesterday's session.

He and Somchai, better known as Kamnan Poh, are both based in Saen Suk.

The session was rescheduled to 9am on January 24 for both Somchai and Phassakorn to hear the final verdict on charges of being behind Prayoon Sitthichote's death.

Both Somchai and Phassakorn were found guilty of being behind Prayoon's death and sentenced to 25 years each in June 2004 by the lower court and Appeals Court.

Somchai has also been convicted of land-purchase fraud in connection with the construction of a garbage dump and sentenced to five years and four months in prison.

Originally Posted by sabang

Kamnan poh is the Godfather of Chonburi. Palonchon, the family political party, swept Chonburi in the last elections (winning every seat), one son is in the Cabinet, another the Mayor of Pattaya. The expat press in Pattaya also eats out of his hand. He had a falling out with Thaksin some years back- over this case as I understand it- but his party is now in the governing coalition. If rumor is to be believed, his movements are far from restricted too. I very much doubt there is anyone in Chonburi who would dare to arrest him. Post coup rumors of his demise in Chonburi proved to be quite premature.

Dark Reality to Vote Buying in Thailand | In Asia

Kamnan Poh is a founding member of the TRT and just one of many such godfathers that were behind it and its successor party’s ability to deliver votes.
TH

democracy at work if we are to believe sabang and friends,

Originally Posted by sabang

When you look at the seeds of the PAD in particular, but prominent anti-Thaksinite's in general, it is very often just crooks that fell out with him after they found out that their political support did not buy them immunity from justice.

you are probably correct here, but who cares about the PAD these days ? their only purpose is to fight Thaksin, a former dictator, and that's the only thing they are good for

why can't the reds push for a credible political agenda without their minion puppet Thaksin ? I am very skeptical of their true motives.

Originally Posted by sabang

Sondhi Lemonskull

ahahahah...the Chinless Chink....

Ucchhhh.....makes my skin crawl

he does look quite creepy,

Originally Posted by sabang

Originally Posted by Thaihome

Kamnan Poh is a founding member of the TRT

And one of the early ones to 'fall out' with takkie when he was exposed to Justice under the Thaksin administration. It's a wonder he didn't join another high profile miscreant, Sondhi "Thaksin is the best PM Thailand has ever had" Lemonskull, in becoming a founding member of the PAD, when he too realised he had to face the judicial music. Same same with that spectacularly failed TPI guy- is he still a Senator?

When you look at the seeds of the PAD in particular, but prominent anti-Thaksinite's in general, it is very often just crooks that fell out with him after they found out that their political support did not buy them immunity from justice in the brave new world. Under the good old Amat model, the opposite applied.

Wasn’t that falling out more about casino licenses then any wish to clean the TRT of the mafia style godfathers that still riddle Thaksin’s inner circle?
My understanding is that Thaksin had somebody in mind for the proposed Pattaya Casino and it wasn’t Kamnan Poh. Kmanan Poh was actually a client of Banharn at this time. Worth noting that 2003 was about the time that Thaksin was busy making Banharn redundant to his coalition by merging the New Aspiration Party into the TRT and making Chavalit deputy PM.
But if you want to think Thaksin was trying to clean up the TRT, go right ahead.
TH

Originally Posted by Thaihome

But if you want to think Thaksin was trying to clean up the TRT, go right ahead.

I think he was trying to put socio-political and Judicial 'systems' in place more applicable to the late 20th, early 21st century than the demi- Feudalist model Thailand still represented at that time. I think his particular ethos was effectiveness, rather than 'cleanliness' however. His version of impartial 'Justice' remained selective.

I do not admire Thaksin, I believe I have made that quite obvious. Like yourself, I remain suspicious of his motives. I admire his prominent and self serving political opponents even less however. Change is incremental, and basically takkie was, and remains, on the right side of it compared to the faded yellow peanut gallery.

PT is a snake pit full of cobras,

Originally Posted by sabang

I do not admire Thaksin,

oh please

^He does not admire taksin; his posts are very clear about it. He just believes that taksin can be manipulated as a vehicle to get Thailand's left wing in to power and make everything nice and rosy.

Its a nice idea, and rather similar to that the iranian left wingers had when they worked with the islamists to over throw the iranian government in 1979. Unfortunately the thai left have as much chance of manipulating taksin as the iranian lot kumani.

Originally Posted by Butterfly

PT is a snake pit full of cobras,

Insert at will-

Democrat
PAD
UDD
'Judiciary'
Chart Thai
BJT
Amat
Military
Palonchon
SinoThai business establishment
Un-named Establishment

Etc, etc. The list is endless.
The argument- who's Cobra is 'best'.

Originally Posted by sabang

.... basically takkie was, and remains, on the right side of it compared to the faded yellow peanut gallery.

So you do think that Thaksin’s many times self professed goal of setting up a UMNO style single party government that would rule Thailand for generations was the right thing.
Big fan of Mahathir and his ability to play the populist race card, I take it.
Not too different than Thaksin’s form of regional populism.
TH

And the farang red rabble enthusiasts jabbering here ad infinitum, as they tediously do at every opportunity, actually thought the current regime was a triumph of " democracy " ?

Sometimes one really does wonder about the alleged superiority of the western educational institutions. Certainly, if one goes by the doltish apologists for the PT party they have failed miserably.

Originally Posted by Thaihome

Big fan of Mahathir and his ability to play the populist race card

This is scurrilous and unfounded Th- Thaksin did not play the 'populist race card', and why would he? He is sinothai like virtually every other politician in siam, as is his ex-wife. I admire the fact that Thailand has avoided this sort of race resentment, and the bloody riots these have lead to in virtually every other part of Asia (including Australia). I believe the pigheaded actions of the Amat this last decade (and beyond) would quite likely lead to this sort of ugliness if left unchecked. Fortunately however, they have been well and truly checked.

If you wish to check for racist rhetoric amidst the recent political turmoil, you will overwhelmingly find that it comes from the yellow leaning side. I hope it remains that way.

Originally Posted by sabang

Originally Posted by Thaihome

Big fan of Mahathir and his ability to play the populist race card

This is scurrilous and unfounded Th- Thaksin did not play the 'populist race card', and why would he? He is sinothai like virtually every other politician in siam, as is his ex-wife. I admire the fact that Thailand has avoided this sort of race resentment, and the bloody riots these have lead to in virtually every other part of Asia (including Australia). I believe the pigheaded actions of the Amat this last decade (and beyond) would quite likely lead to this sort of ugliness if left unchecked. Fortunately however, they have been well and truly checked.

If you wish to check for racist rhetoric amidst the recent political turmoil, you will overwhelmingly find that it comes from the yellow leaning side. I hope it remains that way.

Opps, seem you left out part of my post

Originally Posted by Thaihome

Big fan of Mahathir and his ability to play the populist race card
Not too different than Thaksin’s form of regional populism.

Makes your response sound pretty stupid and nothin more than unfounded personal attack, don't you think?

TH