A petition has been submitted to the Australian Embassy in Bangkok seeking fair treatment for the Thai flight attendant accused of drug trafficking in Australia, as one public figure claims Thai agencies have found no evidence linking her to a drug trafficking network.
Sonthiya Sawasdee, a former adviser to the House Committee on Legal Affairs, Justice and Human Rights, submitted the petition yesterday, July 2. An Australian Embassy representative received the letter.
Sonthiya claimed information gathered by Thai agencies over the past two days indicated the 26 year old was not involved in a drug trafficking network and believed she had been misled and used by a transnational drug trafficking network.
He also said checks into the flight attendant’s background and financial records showed she had received student loans and regularly supported her mother financially.
According to Sonthiya, investigators had also found no evidence that she knew two of the 12 suitcases she was carrying contained heroin.
Sonthiya said he believed Australian authorities would arrest the intended recipient of the heroin within four to five days, while Thai investigators would identify those responsible for sending the drugs from Thailand.
He acknowledged that claiming ignorance of the drugs alone would not automatically exempt someone from criminal liability. However, he argued that proving intent is a key element in criminal proceedings in Thailand, Australia and many other countries.
If it can be shown that the flight attendant had no intention of transporting drugs, he said the Australian court could consider a reduced sentence or acquit her, depending on its findings.
DailyNews reported that Sonthiya also urged the Thai government to work with Australian officials by providing a legal team and sharing information gathered during the Thai investigation for use in court.
With the next court hearing scheduled for September 14, Sonthiya said he believed investigators in both countries would identify those responsible for sending and receiving the drugs before proceedings begin.
He acknowledged the flight attendant may have breached aviation regulations by acting as a shopping courier for others, but argued she had done so to earn extra income to support her family, and called for the case to be considered fairly.
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