The Criminal Court sentenced ‘Baen-erm’, the person who spray-painted the walls of Wat Phra Kaew, to 1 year in prison without probation, but his testimony was useful, reducing his sentence by 1/3, to 8 months in prison, and confiscated the spray paint cans used as evidence.
At 9:30 a.m. today (4 July) at the Criminal Court on Ratchadaphisek Road, the court read the verdict in case number A.1264/2566, in which the public prosecutor was the plaintiff suing Mr. Sutthawee Sroi Kham or Bang-ern, aged 26, who sprayed paint on the wall of the Grand Palace or Wat Phra Kaew, as the defendant in the crime of jointly damaging, destroying, depreciating or rendering useless and scratching, writing, spraying paint or causing any message, image or mark to appear in any way on the wall next to the road or in a public place.
On March 28, 2023 at approximately 5:40 p.m., while police officers were patrolling the area of ??responsibility, upon arriving at the scene, they found Mr. Sutthawee spraying paint at the wall of the G
rand Palace on the Na Phra Lan Road side, Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang Subdistrict, Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok. The suspect’s group was filming the incident while Mr. Sutthawee was spraying paint. The police arrested and took the suspect, along with the spray paint can, into custody and sent him to the Phra Ratchawang Police Station for legal proceedings. The others escaped. The incident occurred at the wall of the Grand Palace on the Na Phra Lan Road side, Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang Subdistrict, Phra Nakhon District. This morning, Mr. Sutthawee, the defendant, and his lawyer traveled to hear the verdict.
The court considered the evidence and ruled that the defendant was guilty under the Ancient Monuments, Ancient Objects, Artistic Objects and National Museums Act B.E. 2504, Sections 4, 32, Paragraph 1, and the Cleanliness and Orderliness of the Country Act B.E. 2535, Sections 4, 12, 36. The defendant’s actions were a single act that violated multiple laws. He was punished under the Ancient Monuments Act, S
ections 4, 32, Paragraph 1, which is the strictest penalty. The offense was for damaging, destroying, depreciating or rendering useless an ancient monument and for scraping, writing, spraying paint or otherwise making visible any text, images or marks on a wall next to a road or public area. The defendant, Mr. Sutthawee, was sentenced to 1 year in prison. However, since the defendant’s testimony was somewhat useful, the sentence was reduced by 1/3 to 8 months in prison without suspension. The two spray paint cans used as evidence were confiscated. The other charges were dismissed.
Source: Thai News Agency
