February 26

Thais get death penalty for murder of drug pusher in Singapore

SINGAPORE, Feb 26  - Two Thai nationals have been sentenced to be hanged in Singapore after slshing a pimp and drug pusher to death in a turf war, a report said Tuesday.

 Thangthot Yordsa-Art, 34, and Dornchinnamat Yingyos, 21, were found guilty of attacking and killing another Thai, Saenphan Thawan, with knives, parangs, swords and metal chains after Saenphan threatened to have Thangthot's girlfriend "raped and silenced" for selling drugs in his area.

 Saenphan, 23, was a "mafia" figure who operated a drugs, gambling and prostitution den in an area of Singapore occupied by Thai squatters, the Straits Times reported.

 During the 11-day trial witnesses described Saenphan as "a fearsome man," and no one could operate on his turf without his approval.

 In sentencing the killers, Judicial Commissioner Choo Han Teck rejected their defence that Saenphan's death happened after a fight suddenly broke out.

 "One cannot proceed to pick a fight armed with dangerous weapons and say his victim fought him. It is immaterial whether (Saenphan) fought first or fought back," Teck said.

 He said the killers and four other unknown men had gone after Saenphan "fully and dangerously armed" to exact severe revenge.