The Appeals Court today upheld a sentence of two years and nine months and a fine of THB200,000 for Kananek Patchimsawat, a high-profile businessman and socialite, for possessing a tiny amount of crystal meth and drug paraphernalia.
On the night of Feb. 12, 2015, Kananek was busted with 0.676 grams of crystal meth at his room at MeStyle Place Hotel in Bangkok’s Huai Khwang district. The police received a tip there was drug use on the premises and simply knocked on his door.
Kananek, now 66, was originally sentenced to five years and six months in prison and a fine of THB400,000 in May 2015, but his sentence was cut in half due to his confession.
He was previously released on THB350,000 bail since the lower court’s ruling. He was present at the Appeals Court this morning with his lawyer.
After the court upheld the verdict, Kananek said he would appeal to the Supreme Court and applied for bail, putting up a THB450,00 asset as a bond, Thai PBS reported.
Kananek’s son, Kanphitak or “Mooham,” was arrested in July 2007 for throwing a rock at a bus driver after the bus cut in front of him. He then rammed his Mercedes into a bus stop, killing a woman who was waiting for the bus in front of Sukhumvit Soi 26.
The case caused national outrage after the court handed him a suspended jail term in 2013 on the grounds of “mental illness.”
Later in September 2015, the Supreme Court revoked the suspended term and sentenced Kanpitak to two years and one month in prison for attempted murder, murder, and assault.
