If you’ve been following this blog you know That Harry Nicolaides was sentenced to three years in jail for violating Thailand’s Lese Majeste laws. He was arrested at the Bangkok airport in August upon arrival in the country and placed in a Thai prison for four months before his trial. Very quick and expeditious of the Thai government, and we all know that violations or perceived violations of the Lese Majeste laws are the Thai governments number one priority.
The Thai government more than proved that this week when a British national was sentenced to fourteen years in a Thai prison for raping 2 young Thai girls. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s excellent that they are jailing this creep of a pedophile…it’s just the way this case transpired that gives Thailand yet another black eye.
Eight years ago in 2001 Maurice John Praill, then age 69, was arrested for the rape of 2 young Thai girls . His case came to trial at the same time and he was found guilty of the crimes levied against him. The judge handed down a 14 year prison sentence. Now, I can hear you saying that’s great, so whats the problem here? The problem here is that this pedophile appealed his case immediately and was allowed free on bail until the conclusion of the appeal…this week!
Mr. Praill, the pedophile, was released back into the community he lived in, Pattaya, where he continued sexually abusing children in the community for the past eight years! Mr Praill has had six more charges of child sexual abuse levied against him in that time! After he got bail in the first case he was arrested again in 2004 for sexually abusing two girls aged 9 and 11. The last arrest came as he was having an 8 year old Thai boy brought to him at his Pattaya villa for sex.
Sudarat Sudarat, of Thailand’s National Child Protection Committee, described the Praill case as ‘scandalous’.
“He could have been abusing our children for twenty years yet nobody has put him behind bars. I am shocked they have let him go again.
”We have spoken to some of his child victims. They call him ‘The Ghost’ because of his frightening appearance.”
This case shows exactly where the priorities lie for the government of Thailand. Harry Nicolaides was arrested and jailed as soon as he entered the country. He remained in jail for 4 months until his trial. He was convicted and sentenced to 3 years in jail and he was summarily removed to that same jail where he is now. All of this for one sentence about a member of the Royal family in an obscure book that no one bought, much less read.
Mr. Praill on the other hand, who committed very real and violent crimes against Thai nationals, was allowed out on bail to continue his sick crimes against Thailand’s children.
Congratulations are in order to the Thai government for keeping Thailand safe from Harry Nicolaides at the expence of their own children!
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TOTALLY agree with this post. those lese magistrate laws are there so no one questions the illusion of the royal family.
my guess is that this will end up like the swiss guy- he’ll be pardoned by the king and deported after a few more months in jail.
Nomadic Matts last blog post..The Secret to Long Term Traveling
Your right Matt, they will release him in a couple of months. It’s just unconscionable that he was arrested and has been in jail since he landed in August and a freaking convicted pedophile walks free for 8 years and gets arrested 6 more times for sex crimes before he is jailed.
I totally agree with both of the above. Congratulations Thailand on keeping your children safe, makes a mockery of your embassies overseas warning paedophiles offending their children in Thailand….. fake messages!….. the human rights issues against the Burmese boat people, luckily this was recorded on camera, try and get out of that Thailand….Spent many years in this country and now advising friends and family to boycott the Land of Scams and human rights abusers!
Hi Talen,
I read your article with great admiration for delivering it so articulately.
Yes, this is preposterous – the way it is as you expounded.
Having lived and worked in Bangkok, I can immediately connect to all the ramifications of how the Thais condone serious crimes vis-a-vis lese majeste.
It is an anachronistic kingdom.
Windmills last blog post..All’s Well that Ends Well
Thanks for the kind words Windmill. I think the Thais will always have us scratching our heads on this point. It would be nice if one day the Royal family would say enough and have the lese majeste laws repealed. I have a feeling though the government still wouldn’t do it though.
To place lese majeste laws above the abuse of children is absolutely absurd and I hope Harry Nicolaides is pardoned soon. I also pray that “The Ghost” is turned into a spirit form after a very violent end.
Hoo Dons last blog post..Issan
Oh I so hope that the ghost gets violated hard in a Thai jail for a few days before he dies.
Thailand has become infamously known as haven for pedophile and cheap sex thrill-seeking foreigners. I hope the Royal Family will realize that, too, will tarnish their image, and will do something about it.
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