Thai Examiner
Bhumjaithai political overlord in Prachin Buri to spend life in prison after death sentence is commuted by court
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Ex-minister Sunthorn Wilawan, 87, gets life after his adopted son and political lieutenant was shot 22 times at his Prachin Buri home. The court found Sunthorn personally fired three shotgun rounds as a once-powerful alliance ended with a foul murder
Key facts
- Warning message fails to implicate eighth defendant as court awards Chaimet’s family ฿801,400 damages
- Ex-minister Sunthorn Wilawan, 87, gets life after his adopted son and political lieutenant was shot 22 times at his Prachin Buri home
- The court instead awarded ฿801,400, carrying annual interest of 5%.
- Former cabinet minister Sunthorn Wilawan, 87, will spend life behind bars for joining the brutal killing of his adopted son and longtime right-hand man
- Chaimet Sitsanitphong was shot 22 times inside the Prachin Buri powerbroker’s home after their political alliance collapsed
- Sunthorn personally joined fatal shooting as court sentences four men to death before commuting terms
Summary
Former cabinet minister Sunthorn Wilawan, 87, will spend life behind bars for joining the brutal killing of his adopted son and longtime right-hand man. Chaimet Sitsanitphong was shot 22 times inside the Prachin Buri powerbroker’s home after their political alliance collapsed. The court initially sentenced Sunthorn and three aides to death. Crucially, forensic evidence showed the veteran Bhumjaithai figure personally fired three shotgun rounds.
Former cabinet minister and Prachin Buri political powerbroker Sunthorn Wilawan was sentenced to death for murder on Thursday. However, the Criminal Court immediately commuted his sentence to life imprisonment after considering mitigating circumstances.