Ministry hopes to negotiate easy term for Thai couple
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The Foreign Ministry is planning to negotiate a reduced jail term and an eventual pardon for the Thai couple facing long prison sentences over drug charges in Myanmar, ministry deputy spokesman Sek Wannamethee said Tuesday.
Chumponnative Thanom Jansamut, 52, faces an 18-year jail term, while his accomplice, Surat Thaniresident Kalaya Thawo, 49, faces 15 years. The two are among the 92 Thai citizens arrested in July for illegal entry, encroaching on Myanmar territory and clearing land on the other side of the border.
While the three-and-a-half-year sentence on 83 of the detainees had been lifted, the remaining nine are still in prison and seven of them face an addition seven years for possession of war weapons.
Sek said that if negotiations fall through, Thanom would end up serving 28-and-half years in prison because he faces both charges of illegal entry and possession of war weapons, while Kalaya would serve 18-and-a-half years if the term for illegal entry is included.
The Nation
