LAOTA, SON GET 16 MONTHS FOR HAVING ILLEGAL FIREARMS

Court Rejects Drug Case Against Them

Suspected drug baron Laota Saenlee and his two sons have been acquitted of
drug charges, but he and one of his sons have been sentenced to one year
and four months jail for illegal possession of firearms.

Laota, 64, and his sons Wicharn, 28, and Sukkasem, 24, had been charged
with drug trafficking, illegal possession of firearms and radio
transmitters. They were arrested on June 12 last year at their house in
Chiang Mai.

The three defendants were implicated by Somsak, alias Dam Pimpimai, another
drug suspect, who had alleged that Mr Laota and his sons were involved in
the heroin trade. He had accused the three of selling 336 grammes of heroin
to a police undercover agent on May 16 last year. He claimed that Mr Laota
had sold the drug for 200,000 baht.

The Criminal Court saw inconsistensies in the testimonies of the witnesses
and found the evidence weak. Mr Somsak and the police officers who appeared
in court as prosecution witnesses made conflicting statements about the
sting operation and the source of money which had been used to buy the drugs.

The court dismissed the case to give the benefit of the doubt to the
defendants. However, it found Mr Laota and Mr Sukkasem guilty of illegal
possession of firearms and sentenced them to two years in jail. The
sentence was commuted to one year and four months because the defendants
confessed to the charges. Mr Wicharn, the other defendant, was acquitted of
all charges.

Rerm Chao-angthong, Laota's lawyer, said Mr Laota's relatives were
satisfied with the ruling and would not lodge an appeal. Mr Somsak has been
accused of making false allegations.

A source said Mr Laota's relatives had given amulets made from chicken
bones to Mr Laota and his sons before they went to the courtroom to hear
the verdict. They believed the amulets would help the defendants escape
punishment.

The three will remain in detention pending the prosecution's appeal.