Thai woman sentenced to death for hiding drugs in private parts, anus

Chonmanee Laphathanawat being led to her death
(Malay Mail)

A Malaysian High Court has sentenced a 30-year-old woman from the Rayong Province of Thailand, Chonmanee Laphathanawat, to death after she was found guilty of trafficking in 689.10gm of cocaine in 70 capsules hidden in her anus and her private parts, the Malay Mail reports.

Laphathanawat who was arrested at the Penang International Airport in Bayan Lepas in February 2013, and it took her four days to extract the drugs from her at the Penang General hospital.

Judicial Commissioner Nordin Hassan, heard that Laphathanawat had not felt well and was asleep throughout her journey from Brazil to Malaysia via Barcelona, Spain and Singapore.

Laphathanawat who was represented by a court-assigned defence counsel, K Thangeswaran, claimed she was forced by some people to swallow the capsules in Brazil with other capsules forcibly inserted into her private parts. She told the court she was unaware the capsules contained cocaine, thinking they contained gems.

She said she sought help from Penang airport police when she could no longer bear the pain in her abdomen.

Deputy public prosecutor Amir Hamdzah Othman said the lady failed to produce any witnesses or evidence to substantiate her claims.

Pronouncing the death sentence on her, Nordin said the defence had failed to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt, adding that Laphathanawat had failed to inform authorities in Barcelona or Singapore before her flight to Penang about her plight.

“She could also have checked the contents of the capsules in her private parts. Her ‘wilful blindness’ did not help her defence. I am satisfied that the prosecution has proven a prima facie case against her.”