PROSECUTION EFFORT IN DRUG CASE LAUDED

No Decision Yet On Laota Saenlee Appeal

The public prosecution has done its best in the drug case against Laota
Saenlee and his two sons, said Justice Minister Pongthep Thepkanchana and
Attorney-General Rewat Chamchalerm yesterday.

On Tuesday, Laota, 64, and his two sons Wicharn, 28, and Sukkasem, 24, were
acquitted of drug charges by the Criminal Court. However, Laota and
Sukkasem were found guilty of firearms possession and sentenced to 16
months in jail.

Mr Pongthep said yesterday that all state officials concerned had already
tried their best to bring the three drug suspects to justice.

The prosecution would review investigative reports and other relevant
documents before deciding whether to appeal the court decision to acquit
the three men.

However, it was a common court practice to disallow presentation of any
additional evidence in the same old case going to the Appeals and Supreme
courts, he said.

The justice minister admitted that police investigators might not be able
to gather enough evidence to nail suspects in certain cases, despite their
best efforts.

Whether the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo) would take legal action
against the three suspects was a different matter from their court trial,
he added.

The Amlo could seize some of the suspects' assets for examination to see if
they had been acquired with drug money or through any other legal means.

Meanwhile, the attorney-general said he had studied a prosecution report on
the drug case against Laota and sons, and ordered Thavorn Panichaphan, head
of the Narcotics Litigation Department, to submit a copy of the court
verdict for him to consider before deciding whether to appeal the acquittal
verdict within 30 days.

Mr Rewat said Laota was fighting another case in the Criminal Court for
allegedly conspiring with former Lampang provincial councillor Phanom, or
Ood, Sap-anek, to trade in drugs.

The court had already set the day for examination of prosecution witnesses.