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Charges Against Pian Keesin to be Formally Withdrawn

Wednesday, October 8, 2014
PHUKET: Charges against the former Mayor of Patong, Pian Keesin, will be formally withdrawn by the Phuket Prosecutor at the request of police, taxi task force chief investigator Major General Paween Pongsirin said today.

Khun Pian was found dead at one of his homes in Phuket City yesterday. Charges against the 70-year-old and his sons Prab and Puen were due to be heard for the first time in a preliminary hearing at Phuket Provincial Court today.

Major General Paween, who has been investigating links to the taxi ''mafia'' and beach vendor extortion for several months, told Phuketwan today that the cases against the Keesins would be delayed as a mark of respect.

''This appears to be just a tragic coincidence,'' the major general said. ''It would not be proper for us to take the case further until after the cremation.''

Khun Pian is due to be farewelled in a ceremony at a Patong temple on October 18.

Major General Paween said the charge against Khun Prab involves the alleged importation of a car from Malaysia without the payment of tax.

The Toyota vehicle, valued at about three million baht, bore the number plate of a vehicle that had already been registered, the major general said.

Comments

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Am I reading this correctly? The recently deceased man who has been a powerful figure in Patong for FORTY years, seeing it change from a sleepy town with gravel roads to what we see today had NO criminal part to play? Was he asleep at the wheel and didn't notice? Is this just the Thai way of 'dealing' with issues? I would say 'unbelievable' but unfortunately, it is par for the course. Which is EXACTLY why we have the absolute mess we see before us.

Posted by Mr Man on October 8, 2014 14:30

Editor Comment:

If you think there is some benefit in bringing a dead man before the courts, Mr Man, then please tell us where this has happened elsewhere and what sentences the dead are now serving. Your guesswork is based on assumptions and tinged with bigotry.

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There is a precedent: In Italy you can still take a dead man to court, at least for libel.

Posted by Sam Wilko on October 8, 2014 15:52

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You can sue the estate of the deceased which is the similar or in Thailand sect 112 allows a third party to file a case on behalf of the deceased for an offence that did not even occur during the life of that person.
The latter being a dead person bringing you before the courts.

Posted by Manowar on October 8, 2014 16:10

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With all due respect to the deceased, I do believe that this can of worms called Corruption in Patong should be opened. It can hardly be done without including the actions of the most powerful man in Patong in the court proceedings. Don't hide the truth just because one key player is no longer available for questioning.

I have my own theory about why he passed away just before he had to appear before the court but I will keep it to myself.

Posted by Herbert on October 8, 2014 16:38

Editor Comment:

Nobody is suggesting that the name of Pian Keesin is somehow obliterated from all records, Herbert. But clearly, he cannot answer charges. Unless and until the autopsy tells us something different, natural causes would appear to be the cause of Khun Pian's passing. The rest is guesswork, and in the circumstances, disrespectful guesswork.

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@ Mr Man in the circumstances be somewhat difficult for him to defend himself or its the best evasive maneuver I have seen to evade a court case.

Posted by slickmelb on October 8, 2014 17:01


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