POLL: Thailand & Death Penalty

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The British denizens are probably aware of this case, but I'm not sure about the rest of the world.

Background
On New Year Day, a 21 year old British student was raped and murdered (drowned) on a beach in Thailand. Two fishermen were arrested, DNA evidence was processed extremely quickly and they admitted to the crime. The trial finished yesterday, with the prisoners being sentanced to death (subject to appeal probably). It may or may not be worth noting that the students mother did not want the murderers to be executed.

The death sentance was called for by Thailand's Prime Minister because of the damage the event had caused to the countries reputation.

So the question:

Are you more likely, indifferent, or less likely to want to visit Thailand if this death sentance is carried out?

Poll Information
This poll contains 1 question(s). 23 user(s) have voted.
You may not view the results of this poll without voting.

Poll Results: Thailand & Death Penalty (23 votes.)

Thailand & Death Penalty (Choose 1)
* More Likely - 4% (1)
* It doesn't make a difference - 83% (19)
* Less Likely - 13% (3)

 

I wasn't going to visit Thailand anyway, it's not a country that appeals to me particularly since the Tsunami and all the bird flu stuff. I think they were completely right to give them the death penalty, I just wish that the British authorities would bring in the death penalty too

 

Thailand is not high on my list of countries to visit. I am indifferent.

If the main reason for the imposing the death penalty was because the crime makes Thailand look bad I think that is wrong. Doesn't make the death penalty itself wrong just the reason for it.

 

@Nakia

That's pretty much how I summed up the situation. I have to admit to having slight concerns about the speed of the trial as well, but that's probably just my westernised experience of hugely expensive and lengthy trials. I'd be interested to know if the men continue to accept the guilt in the appeal process because they looked quite surprised when the verdict was read out.

 

Perhaps someone promised them a lighter sentence if they were to plead guilty? Sometimes people do that even if they are innocent, out of fear, because they don't believe they will be acquitted, so they want at least to make lighter.

The trouble with lengthy trials is that one judge is conducting many, many trials at each given moment, so he can't possibly remember all evidence and testimonies. For example, in Poland, it lasts ages, and courts are always behind. In the States, though, they seem to prefer to start and finish on the same day, if possible.

I think it would require quite a lot of hypocrisy to speak against death penalty in the civilised world but take joy in executions in exotic countries, wouldn't it? I'm not a big fan of rapists and murderers leaving prison.

 

I can't imagine any circumstance where I would want to go to Thailand, so I can't say this changes my chances of going in the least, as there is a 99% chance that I'd never go there anyway.

Yeah, unless you're talking about a major crime, it usually is over in a single day. Things like murders, rapes, bank robberies, etc. can drag on for many days, sometimes even weeks, but for more common crimes, there's really no need for them to last more than a few hours.

I mean, say your rob a convenience store. A couple of hours later, you are arrested by the police, and are found to look just like the person on the survellience camera. You also happen to possess the amount of money that the convenience store said was taken. Furthermore, you happen to also drive the same color and type of car that the clerk reports the perpetrator used. In cases like this, why would there be any need for the trial to drag on for more than a few hours? You call your witnesses (of which there will only be one or two beyond the clerk in all likelihood), show the evidence, and that's it.

 

I doubt I will ever get to Thailand, but GO TEAM!

I'm all for removing scum from the face of the earth. I don't care if they confessed or who doesn't want them killed. Tootie is GONE -- it's about time. That old man -- good, he should have been allowed to die a couple of years ago to save the taxpayers money (you should never try to revive a death row prisoner).

 

I have a couple of mates who go to Thailand every year to spent their hard earned cash on hookers. that says it all i guess, whenever people mention they go to Thailand, others automatically assume they go to get laid.

Thailand= one giant whorehouse. At least that's how everyone here regards it. Personally i'm not interrested in hookers, or spending money just to get some, so chances are that me visiting Thailand in this lifetime are pretty much nihil.

One other good reason for me not to go there, is their policy on drugs.

 

How odd. When I was in London, I had mates who went to the Netherlands every year to spend their hard earned cash on hookers. I guess the grass is always greener in some other country.

 

Yep, i guess when you eat the same type of crackers every morning at breakfast, you start longing for something more tropical.

 

Excuse me, but my mom is from Thailand. Luckily my family wasn't affected by the Tsunami, but I would like to visit there again anyway because that's where my mom is from. I know it's not the greatest place, the king doesn't do jack. hell, I didn't even KNOW there was a prime minister >.> I don't appreciate it being called a giant whorehouse, but I guess thats one of the reasons my mom came to the U.S. anyway.

 

Well, i'm not calling it a giant whorehouse, that's how people in this part of the world generally look upon Thailand. It's just a stereotype, just as some idiots think we here all walk around on wooden shoes and live in windmills.

 

I have always wanted to go to Thailand, and this incident will not stop me, as I don't think every Thai is a potential murderer/rapist. I am just glad those guys got what they deserved.

As for Pacman's comments, I don't think its 'one giant whorehouse'. Thailand has a great culture, ancient ruines to see, and of course fantastic food.

I just feel sorry for anyone that visits a foreign country just for the beaches and nightclubs and cares little for their culture.

 

Too right, Cúchulainn. When I go to a foreign country it's for the whole experience - the people, the food, the culture. Not to get laid or buy drugs. People who do that are the ones who encourage these practices to continue. Just because Thailand doesn't particularly appeal to me doesn't mean it's not a nice place to go, and by the same standards I don't want to visit somewhere like Africa for example. Nothing wrong with it, it just doesn't appeal to me.

 

Yes you are correct Shell. There are places I don't want to visit also, I just think its a shame when people use a country just for drugs or sex, and not care about its unique culture or people.

 

Erm...maybe that's because there are more people interrested in sex than there are those that are interested in culture ? When people want to see culture, they go to Athens, when they want to get laid, they go to Bangkok.

That's an expression i've heard several times before in the past.

 

Never intended to, and nothing has changed because of this. I know two things about Thailand: it's reputation of prostitution and Muay Thai. For the latter I am thankful.

 

Well, yeah, if you don't go to Thailand because of this incident it can mean three things: 1) that you fear rape and/or murder, 2) that you're so bothered by rapists and murderers being executed, 3) that you're worried by the speedy trial. Point #1 isn't overly good because rape and murder happens everywhere, so in this case it just shows how culprits are caught and punished. Point #2 doesn't put you in danger unless you go there to commit crimes. Point #3 is still not such a big issue if you intend to obey the law and the chance that you would be falsely accused and convicted on evidence from the moon isn't too high.

 

Personally I find the systematic culling of human beings by government to be just as evil as murder. The US even revives victims one week to kill them in the next. Is this civilised?

Not to say that these Thai individuals weren't disgusting (If indeed they actually comitted the crime), but the fact remains that no human has the right to take another life. If someone breaches that ethic then they are subject to punishment. But not death.
You see a sentence in prison is like torture and the culprit will begin to feel guilt at what he has done or at least regret what he has done. With death its all over. The only reason to execute someone is for the grim satisfaction of the victims family and friends.
How can you seperate yourself from evil if you punish murder with murder?

Thank god the victims mother, in this case, had the self repsect not to dive down to the level of these fishermen.

 

Would it be humane to let someone die in an accident just because he's sentenced to death? What if, let's say, a death penalty convict were allowed to die and then it turned out he had been innocent? How would everyone feel? It may actually be better to revive. Now, reviving someone and preventing him from a relatively painless death so that he could be hanged, drowned and quartered, that would be quite sadistic, I think.

There are other reasons, but they haven't really been proven to work. It's not always a great deterrent and it's debatable if it's equivalent to the crime and all.

That's a valid concern, but we still punish unlawful imprisonment with a prison sentence and it doesn't make us evil.

Myself, I'm against death penalty as a rule. But in some circumstances it's better to have the criminal executed than to let him loose, such as when you can't spare guards to keep him locked.