The Thai appeals court upheld an August 2002 Criminal...

The Thai appeals court upheld an August 2002 Criminal Court decision to sentence Maj. Chalermchai Matchaklam to death for murdering Yasothon province governor Preena Leepatanapan, 59, whose body was found in a Bangkok hotel in March 2001.
The court also sentenced to death Sgt. Suwat Kamngao and Sgt. Manit Srisangad, both of which had previously been acquitted, after prosecutors alleged they were gunmen working for Chalermchai.
The decision came after forensics experts re-examined the crime scene and the cars and houses of the defendants. The court also sentenced Angkhanang Sunthronvipak, an alleged mistress of Preena - who first confessed to his murder but later named Chalermchai as the killer - to three years and eight months in jail for possessing stolen objects.
She had earlier been given the same sentence for illegal possession of a gun and embezzlement, charges that were dropped during the appeal process.
Chalermchai collapsed in court after the decision was read, and his lawyer vowed to take the case to Thailand's Supreme Court.
Prosecutors earlier told the court the murder resulted from a dispute between Chalermchai and Preena over plans for a company linked to Chalermchai to build a dike and develop land in northeastern Yasothon province. Preena had also promised to invest in an illegal pyramid scheme run by Chalermchai, but later reneged, police had said.