No reprieve for police officers’ sons with long sentences for killing disabled man

The six men and a woman -were also ordered to pay Bt500,000 compensation to the mother of the victim.
However, Anantachai Chaiyadej, who represents the victim’s family, said he would appeal the verdict, claiming the sentences should all have been harsher.
“They should have been convicted of premeditated murder, the charge that investigators failed to press against them,” he said. 
Four of the defendants were found guilty of murder, but not of premeditated murder.

Anantachai has another connection to the case as his office is near the bakery where the victim, 36-year-old Somkiat Srichan, worked and in front of which he was fatally stabbed. 
The attack occurred on May 1 last year when the seven defendants attacked the bakery after a dispute that started earlier in the day. 
The dispute arose after the convicts ridiculed Somkiat for his physical disabilities and Somkiat reportedly responded by insulting them. 
CCTV footage showed the brutal attack, which led to severe public condemnation of the perpetrators. 
Somkiat’s mother Thongkham Srichan, 67, has refused to cremate his body as she sought justice for him. 
“I will consult my relatives as to whether now is an appropriate time for the cremation to take place,” she said. 
Initially, there was widespread speculation that the defendants would get off lightly given that some of them were the sons of policemen. 
Convicted of murdering Somkiat were Phirapon Yospong-anan, 22, Akradej Tassana, 23, Monmanas Saengpho, 22, and Arin Yospong-anan, 18. 
 Jatuporn Jansopa, 19, Mek Pornkraisorn, 20, and Monmanas’ girlfriend Natnicha Ritlamlert, 19, were found guilty of abetting the killing. 
Akradej, Jatuporn and Arin were also convicted of trespassing. 
All except Natnicha were fined Bt1,000 for carrying weapons in a public place. 
The prison sentences were 19 years for Akradej and Arin, 18 years for Phirapon and Monmanas, 13 years for Jatuporn, and 12 years for Mek and Natnicha.