On august 31, 2001, the Criminal Court sentenced 12...

On august 31, 2001, the Criminal Court sentenced 12 men and five women to death on speed smuggling charges in six separate drug cases.Pateutoh, 34, and Shi,18, both from Burma, Chatupol Wajasatsil, 41, and Charnchai Areekuakul, 18, were sentenced to death for smuggling 400,000 speed pills from Burma into Tak's Mae Sot district on August 23, 2000.The court refused to commute Shi and Charnchai's death penalty even though were only 18, saying they had committed a crime which was a threat to humanity and set a bad example for other youths.Singkham Suwanrit and Puangkaew Sirisopa from Laos were condemned for smuggling 359,840 speed pills from Laos into Phon Pisai district, Nong Khai, on April 20.Chanin Somjit and Waewduan Srisiwaset were sentenced to death for having 200,000 speed pills in their possession in Nakhon Luang district, Ayutthaya, on July 24, 1999.In another case, the court sentenced Phutsorn Phutthawongwan to death for attempting to smuggle speed pills from Chiang Mai to Nakhon Sawan. The woman was arrested while trying to escape from a train at Khun Tan station in Lampang with 200,000 speed pills.In the fifth case, Chaiyasith Koomsati, Ubol Tharasit, Supalak Promniwat and Sitthichai Chantharat were sentenced to death for having 100,000 methamphetamine tablets in their possession with intent to sell. They were arrested on September 30, 1998, while delivering the drugs to undercover police posing as buyers.In the sixth case, the court gave death sentences to Rachen Jiakkachorn, Charoon Surin, Nonglak sae Li and Thawatchai Thadsamalai who were arrested with 60,000 speed pills in Fang district, Chiang Mai, in January 2000.The sentences handed down late on August 31 follow the July 25 sentencing of 19 drug dealers to death, the largest number ever handed the maximum penalty in one day.

(Sources: Bangkok Post, Reuters 01/09/2001)