Thread: Swedish Kim Face the Death Penalty in Thailand

another greedy bludger...got what he deserved

Swedish Drug Trial Starts Today
29.11.2010

Thomas Lykke PedersenToday, Monday 29 November, the case against Swedish Kim Roger Eriksson will go to court for the first time, and Kim may be facing the death penalty.

On the 14th of July Kim Roger Eriksson was arrested for possessing 53 grams of pure meth- amphetamine. Furthermore police found a home laboratory and chemicals used to produce drugs of that kind.

The public prosecutor has raised the case under the Narcotics Law of 1979 and according to the case files, reviewed by ScandAsia, they will charge Kim Roger Eriksson not only with possession of the drugs but also with producing with the purpose of sale.

Charges which, if proven, will most likely result in the death penalty.

When arrested in July, Kim claimed that he was only interested in learning how to produce the meth-amphetamine so he could later re-sell that knowledge.

ScandAsia will follow the case closely and be present in the court room when the case opens this afternoon.

scandasia.com

No loss.

If he pleads guilty, he won't get the death sentence, right?

Do they execute farangs here? If not then may as well go not guilty and hope for a technicality or good presentation, or even a gullible juror like they do in the West when they're guilty as fcuk.

I think Singapore has the right idea and doesn't fold against Western hand wringers.

Originally Posted by keda

Do they execute farangs here? If not then may as well go not guilty and hope for a technicality or good presentation, or even a gullible juror like they do in the West when they're guilty as fcuk.

I think Singapore has the right idea and doesn't fold against Western hand wringers.

I think I'm rite in saying correct me if I'm wrong, they have never carried out the death sentence against a European farang

He should plead guilty = only 40-50 years in the slammer.

I'm not sure what worse? Ice Man or Real-estate Sales Man?

Swedish Drug Case to Wait Six Months
Gregers Moller
30.11.2010

It will be another six months before the start of the hearing of the witnesses in the case against Kim Roger Eriksson, the Swedish man charged with manufacturing with the purpose of selling “ice” amphetamine in Thailand.

The Criminal Court in Bangkok today, Monday 29 November, scheduled the hearing of the drug case against Kim Roger Eriksson to be in another six month. The days set aside for the trial are 14 - 17 June 2011. In today’s meeting, the list of witnesses were handed over to the judge - six witnesses for the prosecution and six witnesses for the defense.

The key witness for Kim Roger Eriksson's defense team is the Swedish man, Thomas Ilius, who according to Kim's testimony was teaching him how to produce the drugs. Kim has from the very beginning explained how this man left his house only 10 minutes before the Thai police and the American DEA raided the laboratory and claimed that he must have been working closely with the American DEA all along for two years before the arrest took place.

“We don’t think he will come, but we call him as a witness and we will have other witnesses testifying to his existence in order to prove that it was Thomas Ilius who was teaching me how to produce the substance - I was not producing the drug in order to sell it,” Kim Roger Eriksson explained to ScandAsia while the lawyers and the court officials were busy with the paperwork.

Kim was led into the court room barefoot with chains on his feet. He was handcuffed on his right side to another prisoner, a young Iranian man who was caught with 124 grams of heroin in capsules in his stomach.

The Iranian man’s case was dealt with first. He had no lawyer so one was quickly produced. The interpreter tried to communicate with him in English but he did not understand much.

Eventually he confirmed that he pleaded guilty, “No, not fight.”

He was told that he would not get his sentence until another court meeting, but he didn’t get it until Kim pulled him down on the bench and told him in simple terms to "sit, wait, next time!"

Kim and the Iranian were both dresses in prison clothes, a pinkish shirt and brownish, long shorts. Kim had the number 9041 printed on the back of his shirt. Below his knees he wore what looked like a sweat band with an image of a dragon to ease the feeling of the cold metal ring and chain. His head was shaved down to 1 cm short hair and he had a short, one week old beard.

Kim was in good spirit while telling about his case which he felt was going well. Apart from calling the mercurial Thomas Ilius as their witness, his defense law team would produce the Thai man who sold him the lab equipment and the other man, who sold him the chemicals, his wife, who is currently staying in Sweden with her six month old daughter, their former maid and one more witness apart from Kim himself.

The strategy is to blow the case up as big as possible in order to get court assistance in finding the key witness Thomas Ilius and forcing him to appear in court.

“My mother has talked to him. He told her that he is on the run in Sweden and is sleeping in a different places every night. A friend of mine has also talked to him,” Kim says.

Kim's legal team consists of a Swedish business lawyer and a Thai law which has put four lawyers on his case. The case is actually two cases. One is the case about the drug charges against him. The other is about regaining control over the assets worth a total of 40 million Baht that were seized during his arrest.

The assets include one apartment, one house, land and a speedboat all registered in his wife’s name and invested in on behalf of investors whom he said he had a complete record of. So he expected to get these assets back regardless of how the outcome of the drug case was.

On Facebook a group is raising money to help him with his expenses, he said.

Life in the prison is strained by the fact that it is overcrowded so the situation is tense and there is a lot of agression. .

“When confronted by other prisoners, I have to stand up for myself otherwise i loose respect, but I also cannot be too aggressive. It is a balance,” Kim explains.

“The seriousness of my case helps me as it gives some extra status,” he adds.

The public prosecutor explained to ScandAsia, that they had raised the case under the Narcotics Law of 1979 and hoped to prove that Kim Roger Eriksson not only possessed drugs but also produced it with the intent to sell.

“If we win the case, there is only one sentence possible - that is the death sentence,” she said.

scandasia.com

Trial Begins Against Kim Roger Eriksson Sirawan
Steen Poulin Nielsen
14 June 2011

Today, June 14, the drug case against Kim Roger Eriksson Sirawan began at 10 o´clock in the Criminal Court Bangkok.


Mr. Kim Roger Eriksson Siriwan was escorted out the court by his prison guard by the end of the first day in his trial.

Mr. Eriksson Sirawan, a 30 year-old Swedish citizen living in Thailand, was last year in July arrested in the case. The Public Prosecutor is trying to prove that the Swede had manufactured 53 grams of methamphetamine, so called ´Ice´, and set up a laboratory facility in order to produce methamphetamine or ´Ice´ in his home in Rayong. If the court finds Mr. Eriksson Sirawan guilty as charged, death penalty or life time is a possible outcome.

His defense lawyer Chakrit Parameedireklap is trying to prove that Mr.Eriksson Siriwan was tricked by the police who used an illegal entrapment.

Mr. Eriksson Sirawan entered the courtroom dressed in beige prison clothes, his feet chained and with handcuffs and was seated on the front row. Despite his eleven month in the notorious Klong Phrem prison in Bangkok, Mr. Eriksson Sirawan appeared to be in a good shape, calm and relaxed.

His father, mother, sister and a couple of friends welcomed him and Mr. Eriksson Sirawan was visibly affected by the meeting. A few seconds later his wife Awatsada embraced him and placed their 14 month-old daughter Taeya in his lap, Mr. Eriksson Sirawan smiled through his tears when hugging and kissing his daughter.

Kim´s father, Jörgen Eriksson was seated at second row in the courtroom, just behind his son and the translator. The father was listening intensively during the questioning of the police witnesses.

“I think that the first part of the case went pretty good,” Kims father says.

“Even the police officer in charge of the operation told the court that an undercover agent was in use which makes the case an entrapment. The defense can prove that this agent is a Swedish citizen, a chemist. I am sure that this will help Kim to avoid death penalty or life time,” he added.

Also the defense lawyer, Chakit Parameedirektlap, was quite pleased by the start of the case.

“I think we had a good start. We got the information and the answers we were looking for when questioning the police involved in the case,” Mr. Parameedireklap says.

According to his father, Mr. Eriksson Sirawan is not too marked by the 11 month in prison.

“He has good friends giving him money and food but of course Kim has a hard time spending his time in useful ways in the Klong Phrem prison,” his father says.

scandasia.com

Originally Posted by Mid

I am sure that this will help Kim to avoid death penalty or life time,” he added.

Most positively...

If he was just going to sell the info, surely that counts as conspiracy which carries a higher sentence ?

Originally Posted by corned dog

Originally Posted by Mr Gribbs

Why would the DEA be doing "stings" in Thailand? I doubt he'll do more then a decade either.

Eer they've been working in thailand for a long time mate

Must be true. There was a large sign at the end of Beach Road Pattaya, stating rewards offered, by the DEA. for info. leading to arrest of drug dealers.
Not seen one in Bangkok yet, but maybe there is a sign somewhere.

Just wondering where the family name 'Sirawan' comes into this. Hardly sounds Swedish to me!... now if it were Swensen I might understand... But Sirawan????

Whatever.... this prior convicted drug manufacturer needs to go away for a long time....

Hang on... he was making steroids before...there maybe a connection with the Muay Thai hunched up monkeys with dangling wrists and inarticulate speech.

It's his Thai wifes surname, he added it to his own when he got married

I feel sorry for the parents.

Must be such a harrowing experience seeing your son in such a predicament whether he is guilty or not.

Drug laws in Thailand and many other Asian countries are overly punitive and provide little deterrence. Their only function is to punish dealers/manufacturers who compete against the police and military drug cartels.

This foolish idiot tried to do just that and will suffer tons of misery for it.

Drugs: Educate, Regulate, Tax. A truly civilized society recognizes the rights and freedoms of consenting adults.

Drug Case Against Kim Roger Eriksson Sirawan Postponed
17 June 2011
Steen Poulin Nielsen


Kim Roger Eriksson Sirawan in the Criminal Court Bangkok


Mr. Eriksson Siriwan on his way to the courtroom
photos Soffi Chanchira Larsen

Hope, fear, love and hope were all present during the day in the 7th floor courtroom on Ratchadapisek Road.

The drug case Thailand vs. Kim Roger Eriksson Sirawan, or prisoner no. 9041 as printed on his prison clothes, continued today, Friday 17 June 2011, in the Criminal Court Bangkok.

The day ended about 3 p.m. when the defense asked the court to postpone the trial. The defense has not been able to locate a certain important witness and they asked for more time to do so. The court accepted the enquiry and set the next day of the trial to be the 11th of August.

Mr. Eriksson Sirawan told his story

At about 10 a.m. today Mr. Eriksson Sirawan took his place in the witness chair in the middle of the courtroom given the chance to tell the his story what happened in the house in Rayong back in 2010. He told about the day in June where the dramatic operation took place leading to his arrest. The operation involved about 40 police forces and even some medias were present to film the operation. He explained how he was informed just after his arrest, that the operation was coordinated by the US, Sweden and Thailand, and that the American Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent told him "if you don't tell us everything, we will hand you over to the Thais and they will make an example of you".

Mr. Eriksson Sirawan told the agent that he did not know anything about any drugs. He told the court that, when arrested, he asked repeatedly "where is Thomas?". He asked the court to have a look at the footage previously broad casted on Thai Channel 3 and Channel 7.

”I understood immediately that this was a set up. A set up by Thomas Lilius,” Mr. Eriksson Sirawan explained the court.

Mr. Eriksson Sirawan accused the Swede Mr. Thomas Lilius to be an agent provocateur for the US DEA and the Swedish Police. He told the court that the defense was able to deliver hard proof that Mr. Lilius was paid by the Swedish Police.

The prosecutor asked Mr. Eriksson Sirawan about his intention setting up the laboratory in his home. Mr. Eriksson Sirawan explained that he believed it was to be used by Mr. Lilius to produce steroids, not drugs.

"Daddy"

A touching scene found place during the lunch break. Mr. Eriksson Sirawan was able to hold his daughter in his arms and the 14 month old Taeya spoke the magic word – daddy. For the first time, according to one of Mr. Eriksson Sirawan's friends. It was quite obvious that this incident triggered some emotions among his family and friends.

No complaints about Thai Police

Mr. Eriksson Sirawan told the court that he has only received a fair, polite and respectful treatment by the Thai police force, and that he was told by a Thai policeman investigating the case, that it all was a set up by the DEA.


NASU - The Swedish National Anti-Corruption Unit

Mr. Eriksson Sirawan told the court that NASU has provided evidence showing Mr. Lilius worked as an undercover agent and that the set up was planned by DEA and Mr. Lilius in Stockholm back in 2008. At present NASU is running an investigation on Mr. Lilius's involvement with the Swedish Police, he told.

He also told that a lot of lies was distributed about him on the Internet, that he was a member of a motorcycle gang and that he had earned a lot of money on drug dealing.

"They try to present Thomas Lilius as a special agent. He is not. He is a criminal used to do the dirty work for the police," Mr. Eriksson Sirawan said.

The prosecutor

It seemed that the prosecutor was not that interested in the story about DEA and the Swedish Police. He focused on asking Mr. Eriksson Sirawan about the hard evidence, about the equipment and chemicals found in his home and Mr. Eriksson Sirawan did not argue about the findings. The prosecutor also asked if Mr. Eriksson Sirawan had any documentation that he, as claimed, was employed as a real estate supervisor with a monthly pay at 100.000 Baht. The defense told the court that such proof was available.

Aftermath

Mr. Chakrit Parameedireklap, one of Mr. Eriksson Sirawan's defense lawyers, told ScandAsia right after the trial was postponed:

"We presented all our witnesses except for the most important one. That is why we asked the court to postpone the trial. The prosecutor had no objections and we are happy that the court agreed to postpone the trial until August 11. Hopefully we will be able to present our most important witness by then," he said.

To be a witness to Mr. Eriksson Sirawan's struggle in the Criminal Court seemed to be tearing experience for his family and friends present during the four days.

"I was really hoping that we would have been able to bring Kim home with us today," his mother said.

Mr. Eriksson Sirawan's father seemed very touched when his son was removed from the courtroom by his guard. A hug to each person supporting him before he left called for tears from all involved. After a family talk in the hallway, ScandAsia talked to Mr. Eriksson Sirawan's father.

"I am very happy that the court seemed to accept all our evidence and that they allowed us two more month to collect more evidence to prove that my son is not the one to blame for all of this," Janne Eriksson said.

Tomorrow, Saturday, friends and family will return to Sweden. The next two month will be quite busy for all of them trying their best to assist Mr. Eriksson Sirawan.

Previous news in this case:

Trial Begins Against Kim Roger Eriksson Siriwan
Swedish Drug Case to Wait Six Months
Swedish Drug Trial Starts Today
Swede Arrested in Rayong for Drug Producing
Suspected Swedish Drug Manufacturer Detained in Bangkok
Kim Roger Eriksson's Former Boss Shocked at Arrest
First Hand Report of Kim Roger Eriksson's Interrogation
Swedish Kim Faces the Death Penalty in Thailand

scandasia.com

If he was indeed set up and framed with the heinous help of this other "undercover Swede", Thomas, then it should be imperative to seek arrest if not extradition of Thomas to stand trial as well and I'm sure, if all parties involved related to see the real culprit is sentenced appropriately, Thomas will squeal to save his hide and those in the Swedish Police as well as the DEA will face not only embarrassment, but this case will be flung out and Eriksson Sirawan be FREED... as he should but barred from leaving Thailand to protect him with safety.

Besides, he wants to set up a family right? He's safer under Thailand judicial system as a free vindicated person than to face again the carniving institutions back in Sweden...
I just hope he learns his lesson by staying away from any Lab and on anything to do with the drugs market... albeit steroids or deadly drugs in whatever shape, form or size.

Honestly, what a lot of fuss over nothing.

Quite clearly the chap is an idiot but it's equally apparent he was lured into the enterprise for purposes of entrapment.

This sort of prosecution is simply for domestic consumption and probably mounted to justify funding from whichever quarter is budgeted and they needed the statistic.

Quite why the usual suspects get into that holier than thou shit here is beyond me particularly when it is common knowledge and obvious to anyone with the meanest of intelligence the drugs industry in Thailand is inextricably linked with the chaps in brown. So why on earth do folk witter on as if this wretch actually did anything that was particularly bad?

Anyway, it's damn poor form to have a white chap shackled and reduced to chickenhead status. It's quite barbaric and unnecessary but probably good grist to that mill ground by the Thai that farang are nasty and the cause of all ills.

And you stupid twats heap even more opprobrium upon him like the vengeful old biddies you probably are.

Evidently TD is becoming more and more TV by the thread.

Originally Posted by thegent

Honestly, what a lot of fuss over nothing.

........... Evidently TD is becoming more and more TV by the thread.

Tsk, tsk... can't quite agree more on this soap saga for Sawadeeland ....

I don't watch TV much either... next to forums, too many other healthier traits to work on.

Originally Posted by thegent

Anyway, it's damn poor form to have a white chap shackled and reduced to chickenhead status

why? the chickenhead in question new the game he was playing

Originally Posted by Agent_Smith

Drugs: Educate, Regulate, Tax. A truly civilized society recognizes the rights and freedoms of consenting adults.

Exactly Agent Smith. As someone once put it my skin is the frontier of my own country and I am the sole customs post. I decide what gets in.