Red Bull heir to face justice?

[a447]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/la ... 11e55fa9b4

I won't hold my breath.

[fountainhall]

Sad to say it will never happen! Too many people have clearly been paid off - again. Otherwise the revoking of the passport would have taken place a few days earlier before he was able to skip Thailand once again on his private jet.

[jimnbkk]

True FH, but isn't he now stateless? Unless he's got other passports. How does that work? He could have other Thai passports? Or passports from other countries? How does Thaksin flit about?

[Smiles]

" ... How does Thaksin flit about? ... "

Errr ... $$$$$ (BBBBB)
Thailand's hardly alone when it comes down to 'passing-hands'.

[bobsaigon3]

Thaksin: One passport from Montenegro and possibly another one from Nicaragua. Probably a dozen other countries that offer citizenship for sale.

[fountainhall]

As bobsaigon3 points out, with the wealth this guy and his family have, like Thaksin he will have countries clamouring to give/sell him a passport. In fact, unless he's a complete moron, he's probably got a few up his sleeve already for just this sort of eventuality. And some will be from countries where extradition to Thailand will be more difficult.

Interesting comments from the New Yorker four years ago -

Vorayuth’s family fortune is equal to about 2.1 per cent of Thailand’s 2012 gross domestic product. The combined wealth of Thailand’s top four families is equal to about twelve per cent of the country’s G.D.P. In a nation where the daily minimum wage was recently raised to roughly ten dollars and the average yearly income is five thousand two hundred and ten dollars, Vorayuth’s family reportedly paid more than ninety thousand dollars to the dead police officer’s siblings to prevent a civil lawsuit. And, as some commentators have noted, a Ferrari like the one Vorayuth was driving retails for at least several times that sum.

Since Red Bull own one of the F1 racing teams, the fugitive is almost certain to be at one or more of the next races in the F1 calendar. That's where interpol, once they are formally notified of an extradition request, might stand a chance of finding him. If the law ever does catch up with him, a lot of people will be cheering!

http://www.newyorker.com/business/curre ... n-thailand

[a447]

Well, at least there is a chance he will have to live in exile. That would be punishment in itself, although near the punishment deserved.

[a447]

Oops! I mean nowhere near the punishment deserved.

[fountainhall]

Well, at least there is a chance he will have to live in exile. That would be punishment in itself, although near the punishment deserved.

I'm not sure living in exile with billions of $$s in a bank account is the sort of punishment I'd be unhappy with! In theory he'd have to live somewhere with no extradition treaty with Thailand. Since there are only around 15 WITH extradition treaties, that gives him a very wide field.

It's rather ironic that this case has garnered massive publicity in all media and especially in the Thai social media sites. Yet the guy and his family have managed to escape every time. Compare this with another hi-so case - this time of the former head of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Jutamas Sirawan. She was recently found guilty along with her daughter of having received US$1.8 million in bribes from a Los Angeles couple on the fringe of the movie business, Gerald and Patricia Green. This couple were then granted the rights to start up the pretty awful Bangkok Film Festival on a contract starting in 2003 and running for several years. In 2010 in the USA they were found guilty of bribery in relation to the Film Festival and had to spend a time in prison. Despite all the facts having come out, the Thai authorities consistently delayed taking action for years to the point where most thought the case would disappear. Yet, a couple of months ago, Khun Jutamas and her daughter were found guilty here. Jutamas (now 70) was ordered to serve 50 years in jail and her daughter 44 years. Bt. 62.7 million was also ordered confiscated. Bail for both was denied and appeals could take many years.

So the legal system can work - although the sentences are surely somewhat ridiculous given the nature of the crime. And given that the Red Bull heir killed a cop, presumably his sentence would be likely to be longer. Every incentive therefore for him to stay well away from the country.