The Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence, imposed by two lower courts, on former deputy commerce minister Banyin Tangpakorn, for the pre-mediated murder of a wealthy construction contractor, Chuwong Sae Tang, to gain access to the victim’s 300 million baht in shares.
The Supreme Court’s verdict was read today by the Phra Khanong Criminal Court.
The case dates back to June 26, 2015, when a car, driven by Banyin with Chuwong seated next to him, crashed into a roadside tree while travelling on a small road off Chaloem Phra Kiat Road in Prawet district of Bangkok. Chuwong was crushed to death, but Banyin survived unscathed.
Banyin claimed that it was an accident, but a police investigation was able to establish that the crash was intentionally staged.
Seven days after the crash, Chuwong’s 300 million baht in shares were transferred to Banyin and his close aide using falsified documents.
On April 29th, Banyin was sentenced to 20 years in prison by the Criminal Court for falsifying documents related to the share transfer and was subsequently sentenced to death for pre-meditated murder.
File photo : Banyin Tangpakorn
