22 December 2009 :

the Thai Criminal Court sentenced Colonel Phisit Amornwisaisorradej and Lt-Colonel Surayuth Sangthep to death, but later commuted Sangthep's sentence to life in prison. When deciding on a verdict, the judges relied on the testimony of a key prosecution witness - convicted drug dealer Setthanant Sirijirasuk who himself is serving a life term for a separate case. Setthanant had been dealing drugs with both officers, who were part of a major network that involved fugitive drug lord Surachai Ngernthongfoo and convicted drug lord Supharb Siamsab. The officers were arrested in November 1997 and police later found 23 kilograms of powdered amphetamines, worth around Bt40 million, along with a drug lab at Setthanant's parent's home in Chachoengsao province. The verdict also listed four men - three unnamed and one called Prasert Sinbundit, suspected to be the key accomplice. All four are still at large. Meanwhile, Phisit was accused of transporting the drug using military vehicles, while Surayuth was responsible for providing the chemicals. The other key prosecution witnesses were a subordinate of Phisit and a maid at a rented house used as a drug lab by the defendants before they moved the operations to Chachoengsao.