CRIMINAL COURT: `WEI AIDE' DODGES DRUG CHARGE

Laota And Son Found Guilty Of Firearm Possession, As Key Witness Fails To Show

The Criminal Court yesterday dismissed drugdealing charges against Laota
Saenlee ­ an alleged aide of drug kingpin Wei Hsuehkang ­ and his two sons,
citing flawed evidence.

The charges were dropped after an unidentified informant, who allegedly
witnessed drug deals between Laota and an undercover police officer, failed
to show in court for crossexamination.

The informant was said to have arranged the meeting between Laota and the
police officer.

Two prosecution witnesses also gave contradicting statements about the
informant's occupation while the prosecution failed to clearly identify the
source of the Bt200,000 allegedly used to buy illicit drugs during the
sting operation, the court ruled.

One of Laota's sons, Wicharn, was cleared of all charges but Laota and
another son, Sukkasem, were convicted of illegally possessing firearms,
which they had pleaded guilty to.

Laota and Sukkasem were each sentenced to one year and four months in jail.

The three men were arrested at their home last June after being implicated
by another drug suspect, Somsak Pimpimai.

The lawyer for the Saenlee family insisted that his clients were wrongfully
implicated but expected public prosecutors to appeal the decision.

Laota and Sukkasem remain in detention pending the appellate process.

Wei, a top commander in the United Wa State Army, a proRangoon outfit
deemed the world largest armed drugtrafficking group, has been sentenced to
death in absentia by a Thai court.

The US State Department also put up a US$2million reward on his head
following Wei's conviction for trafficking heroin to the US.

The former chief of Chiang Mai's Ban Huai San, Laota was twice awarded as
best headman, ironically, for his efforts to combat illegal drugs on the
Burmese border.

Authorities later accused him of being a financial middleman for drug baron
Wei.

Laota admitted he used to be an opium trader, with links to the legendary
Khun Sa, a Shan opium warlord who surrendered to Rangoon in 1996 in return
for a generous amnesty.

But the northerner maintained that his hands have been clean for decades.