28 September 1999 :
On September 28, Visanu Chokthavee Sarp had his death sentence commuted to life imprisonment. A Foreign Ministry statement said Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong had approved a clemency appeal for Visanu. He appealed on September 21, admitting he had signed a sales/purchase footwear contract with the Vietnamese exporters, but denying he had any intention to cheat or swindle over the payment because he was only the broker and not the consignee.
