Thai lawyers smell hashish
Earlier we reported on Thailandblog about the Dutchman Johan van Laarhoven who has been locked up in a cell in Bangkok since July 2014. The former owner of the coffee shop chain 'The Grass Company', with businesses in Tilburg and Den Bosch, is suspected of money laundering, among other things.
The last session against the Tilburger will take place in Bangkok at the beginning of next month.
Our team
Thai lawyer Suprawat Jaismut and his right-hand man Khaninnat Iamtrakul want to pull out all the stops to get their Dutch client acquitted. The well-known Dutch criminal lawyer Gerard Spong has invited his two Thai colleagues to the Netherlands to visit Van Laarhoven's former coffee shop in Den Bosch. Spong wants to show them that coffee shops in the Netherlands are tolerated. Van Laarhoven counted down the money for the trip.
Spong: “It's about being on the safe side. We have explained everything about the tolerance policy for soft drugs in Thailand. They have all the papers. Still, by bringing the Thai lawyers here, we hope that they now understand it better. To convince the Thai judge that everything is well organized here, you have to see it for yourself.”
The Thai delegation is amazed when they see visitors smoking weed and a number of people paying at the cash register. Jaismut stands next to them for a photo, holding in his hand the August 20 Bangkok Post with photos of the Erawan shrine attack. He brought the newspaper from Thailand today. It is the newspaper that also knows the Thai judge and proof that he visited the coffee shops himself.
"I'm impressed. No one looks criminal and everyone is happy. I sometimes had doubts about all the documents I read, because I couldn't imagine that you could just buy drugs here.”
He then grabs some joints and scans them at the cash register to see whether they are actually in the system and whether everything that goes in and out is recorded.
In September, both lawyers will put their best foot forward to exonerate Van Laarhoven. They bring photos from Den Bosch and Amsterdam. Spong: “Now we have to wait and see. We shall see.”
Source: Brabants Dagblad 22 August 2015
Omroep Brabant broadcasted a documentary at the end of July with a reconstruction of the Johan van Laarhoven case.
For those interested, watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FyJLrNNF6Q
Watched the documentary.
interesting!
But weapons and drugs were found during that raid on his villa in Thailand, right?
Then the man has such and such a problem.
Mister Sprong, who likes to get attention in the Dutch media. Preferably on every talk show. .
Does he really think that the Dutch legal system will have any influence on the Thai judiciary? The person in question (criminal) has gone to Thailand to enjoy his criminally earned money. Too bad it's a little different. Whoever burns his ass must sit on the blisters
Dear Hank Hauer. Your reaction doesn't reflect much of what it really is and how it feels in your gut. A lawyer is hired with the intention of doing everything possible to exonerate his client. A client is entitled to that and fortunately this applies to everyone! More money, better lawyer, simple as that.
Criminally earned money? Nonsense!!! The best man had permits and was therefore doing business legally as is customary in the Netherlands! Whether or not he paid taxes on everything is something else! And he should be prosecuted for that, but this has nothing to do with criminal money. He has made a lot of money with his business and whether he has made mistakes remains to be seen. Those are the facts and one must respond to them!
Criminal? Has yet to be seen, or do you already know the verdict?
Respect to Gerard Spong..!
If he takes on a case, he will in all cases do the utmost he can and will do everything to assist the person to be defended, as this example again shows.
It's great to know that there are still people you can rely on in this day and age!
awesome!!!
only I don't have the money to pay Mr Spong and with what the man charges per hour you can also expect something ...
Know such a case of Dutch know-it-all. The way we do it, everyone should do it.
Drugs yes. Look at everyone looking happy in the shops.
Show the Thai representative the schoolchildren who come to buy some soft drugs between classes. But above all, show the soft drug addicts in the clinics and let them have their say. Only then can everyone decide whether it is all so innocent and that we should be proud of this.
It is crazy that an ordinary drug dealer pays for this trip for the Thai and Dutch lawyer with drug money. Does Van Laarhoven need to build up a drug position in Bangkok?