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TELENOR

Norway minister defends Telenor’s Thai apology

Norway's Industry Minister Monica Maeland has defended the embarrassing apology forced on state-owned phone company Telenor by Thailand's military junta, saying the situation for the company is "very challenging".

Published: 18 June 2014 14:14 CEST
Norway minister defends Telenor's Thai apology
DTAC's offices in Thailand. Photo: Telenor
On Tuesday, Telenor issued a lengthy apology to the junta, saying it "regretted" that it had “damaged the public image” of the junta by disclosing its request to block access to Facebook at the time of the country's military coup in May. 
 
“Thailand requires unity among its people and its many foreign friends who are operating in the country,” the company said. “We will continue to strengthen our dialogue with the people of Thailand for the betterment of the country.”
 
The abject apology was not enough to stop the country's new military rulers from abruptly shelved a planned auction of 4G capacity on Wednesday, in a blow to Telenor's subsidiary DTAC, which unlike its rival True Corporation, cannot yet offer 4G services. 
 
Maeland conceded that it was "natural to be critical" of the way Telenor had handled the situation. 
 
"It is unusual that a company is asked to apologise for the fact that they have acted with transparency," she said. "But this is a difficult situation that the company's management and board must deal with."

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THAILAND

Thai court sentences Spanish man to death for grisly murder

A Thai court sentenced a Spanish man to death on Friday for the grisly murder of a fellow Spaniard whose dismembered body parts were discovered in Bangkok's main river last year.

Published: 21 April 2017 10:28 CEST
Thai court sentences Spanish man to death for grisly murder
Artur Segarra walks handcuffed and surrounded by police officers after he arrived by helicopter at the Tha Raeng police aviation base in Bangkok on February 8th 2016. Photo: AFP

Artur Segarra, 38, was convicted of kidnapping and killing 40-year-old David Bernat in an effort to steal tens of millions of baht from the businessman, according to a verdict read out at Thailand's Criminal Court.

“Forensic evidence such as blood stains and fingerprints on (Segarra's) electric grinder had DNA that matched the victim,” the judge said, adding that CCTV footage and testimony from Segarra's maid and girlfriend also implicated him in the killing.

“Therefore the judge sentences the defendant to death on the grounds that he committed premeditated murder in order to steal the victim's money.”

While death sentences are still on the statute books in Thailand it is rare for prisoners to be executed. The last execution was in 2009.

Segarra's lawyer, Jessada Piyasuwanvanich, told reporters his client would likely file an appeal and “fight the case to the end”.

Segarra, who had denied all the charges, appeared calm while the verdict was read and translated to him in Spanish.

When he arrived at court he held his hand up to show the words “Luke 23:34” written in ink on his palm. The Bible citation is a reference to Jesus's final words on the cross.

The macabre murder came to light last January after Thai police began hauling body parts out of the city's Chao Praya River. It took them several days to identify the victim.

Segarra was arrested in neighbouring Cambodia several weeks later.

It is not uncommon for foreigners to get swept up in Thailand's criminal underworld.

Earlier this month an Australian man was sentenced to death for the murder of a former Hells Angels member found beaten and naked in a shallow grave in Pattaya, a popular Thai beach town known for its raunchy nightlife and links to organised crime.

In September, Thai police arrested three Americans in Bangkok after discovering the frozen body parts of another foreigner inside their freezer.

The men were charged with multiple offences and are being held in prison while they await trial.