BANGKOK – A Thai criminal court delivered a shocking verdict on Monday dismissing a case against five men, including a senior police officer, charged with murdering a Saudi businessman. In a blatantly flawed judgment Bangkok's Criminal Court ruled that there was not enough evidence to try the case. Saudi Arabia has long suspected conspiracy in the 1990 disappearance of businessman Muhammad Al-Ruwaili and the murders of four members of Saudi Arabia's diplomatic staff in Bangkok. There was enough evidence to link the slayings to the theft of $2 million worth of royal jewels from a palace in Riyadh, many of which were never recovered. Monday's ruling cleared charges against former police Lt. Gen. Somkid Boonthanom and four other officers. All had been facing charges of premeditated murder and the illegal detention of Al-Ruwaili. In 2010, the Thai police planned to promote Somkid to be an assistant national police chief, prompting strong criticism from Saudi Arabia, which said the move could jeopardize efforts to restore normal diplomatic relations. Somkid later declined to accept the promotion. In 1989, $2 million worth of gems and jewelry were stolen from a palace in Riyadh by a Thai gardener, Kriangkrai Techamong, who shipped the loot back home to Thailand. Kriangkrai was arrested soon after the theft but he had already sold many of the stolen gems, including a priceless 50-carat blue diamond. Some of the jewels were eventually returned to their owner but Saudi Arabia later complained most of the returned gems were fake. – Agencies
