Thailand's Michael Wansley Murder Case: Suspect Arrested by Phairath Khampha 27 August 2002 Thai police on August 20, 2002 arrested the suspected gunman behind the 1999 murder of Australian auditor Michael Wansley after the suspect left his jungle hideout to visit his girlfriend in Bangkok. While on the run, Pichet Khaewsamduang had narrowly escaped attempts to kill him after the police placed a 300,000 baht bounty on his head while he was hiding in Trang, said assistant police chief Maj-General Priewphan Damapong. "A friend attacked him with an axe while another waited to shoot him. Luckily, the gun didn't work and he ran away," Priewphan said. Pichet was captured at a four-storey shophouse in Lat Phrao Soi 71. He was later presented to a news conference, during which he denied involvement in the murder. "I am a man with no connections, so I decided to escape when they named me as a suspect in the murder," he said. Mr Wansley, 58, was murdered on March 10, 1999 while leading a team of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu insolvency experts drawing up a restructuring plan for a debt-ridden sugar mill. The three were accused of masterminding the murder of Wansley who had been shot dead on March 10 while on his way to audit the books of the sugar mill. Public prosecutors had three members of the hitman team -- Somchai Jaihao, Chalong Phinphong, and Hassanai Sathawan -- as witnesses against the three executives. This is a common way for Thailand's economic and political elite to deal with people who come too close to certain ugly truths--in this case the mill owners corrupt activities and the stealing of the large amounts of money that had been loaned to the mill for restructuring its debts. Four suspects in the case were still on trial - three executives of the sugar company and a former police officer who allegedly served as their link to the alleged gunman. They were charged with conspiring to kill Wansley because he had uncovered fraud at the sugar mill and refused to keep silent about it. Mill-owner Pradit Siriviriyakul was charged with masterminding the murder. The case is dragging on and on because the culprits are high-level members of Thailand's economic and political elite. This means that the prosecutors and judiciary have to protect their own, thus ensuring the case drags on, hoping it will eventuall yfade away on its own. "The Australian Embassy, which has been monitoring the case, is happy with the latest development," Priewphan said. "We believe we have a strong case against Pichet." According to police, Pichet spent his childhood days with the now-defunct Communist Party of Thailand, so he had plenty of options when it came to hideouts. He was also suspected of involvement in two murders in Trang following the Wansley killing, police added. The Nakhon Sawan Court also read the Supreme Court's decision, which approved the request for the transfer of the trial to the Criminal Court. As for the fourth defendant, Sompong Buasakul, the suspected gunman who allegedly shot Wansley, the Supreme Court has yet to make a decision on October 19, 1999 whether his case should be also transferred to Bangkok to be held at the same court with the trial against the three executives, the Nakhon Sawan Court said. After learning about Pradit's release, dozens of people who had come to the court to support Pradit, shouted with joy, and several even embraced him. Trial venue transferred to Bangkok Thailand's Supreme Court had ordered the trial into the murder of Michael Wansley moved to Bangkok. The order was in response to a petition by Adam Wansley, the victim's son, who said he feared for his own safety having to travel back and forth between Bangkok and Nakhon Sawan to attend court hearings. There were people associated with those on trial who wished to see the younger Wansley done in, too. Boonphan Sitthiwiriwan, the mill's human resources manager, and his adviser and brother Somchoke remain in jail on charges of colluding in the murder. Mr Wansley, of Melbourne, died when a gunman riding pillion on a motorbike fired eight rounds from a pistol into his van as he drove to work at the mill. Motorcyclist Somchai Jaihao had already been convicted and sentenced to life in jail. Murder witnesses to be protected Thailand's Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai instructed the Interior Ministry to take precautions against any possible intimidation of witnesses in the case of the murder of Australian auditor Michael Wansley after the prime suspects were released on bail. This is because it is common in Thailand for defendants of murder cases to make the prosecution witnesses disappear permanantly, often with the cooperation of police officers--if the price is high enough. Wansley's son had written to the Australian Embassy in Thailand and the prime minister to express his concern over the temporary release of the suspects by court approval of their lawyers' request. ''I have not seen the letter myself yet, but I have instructed the Interior Ministry to prevent intimidation of the witnesses,'' Chuan said on October 29. He said he thought Justice Minister Suthas Ngernmuen was aware of public reaction to the release of the suspects and should bring it to the attention of the Supreme Court president. ''I also asked the interior minister to monitor the behaviour of the suspects, because I don't want witnesses to be intimidated,'' the prime minister added. A senior judge of Region 6 Appeals Court, Samer Intarasak, on October 29 criticised Wansley's son, Adam, over the complaints to the Australian Embassy, saying they should have been made to the court. Of course, Thai courts are usually bribed so Wansley's son had good reason not to trust them. ''It is useless to write a letter of complaint to the embassy. If he wants to appeal against the bail of the suspects, he should file a complaint with the court,'' Samer said. He said Wansley's son could complain to the embassy or Thai government only if he suspected irregularities in the granting of bail. He had good reason to suspect so, as defendants in such a murder should not have been released. Thai public reaction generally has been the same with people put off by the courts' decision to release the defendants. But then again, the defendant command a very large wealth. ''I would like to ask why he made the complaint to the embassy. That indicates that [he suspected] irregularities in the work of judges,'' Samer said. ''If he has evidence that the suspects have intimidated witnesses, the court will immediately revoke bail anyway.'' The judge said the case should not affect relations between Thailand and Australia. ''The case has nothing to do with relations between the countries. Thai courts are independent, and nobody can interfere in their affairs,'' Samer said. ''We are not under anyone's thumb: it's up to us whether to grant bail or not.'' Nevertheless, it is common public knowledge that court decisions can be externally influenced in Thailand, usually with substantial amounts of money quietly being made available to the presiding judge. A source at the Interior Ministry said the minister, Sanan Kachornprasart, had an appointment to hear Wansley's complaints through the Australian ambassador in November 1999.