The Appeals Court on Koh Samui convicted yesterday 21 March 2024 the Danish former resort manager Stig Wulff and his wife to two years and five months in prison for submitting illegal documentation in connection with the transfer of shares in the resort, in which the Dane was previously a managing director, from himself and his British partner to his wife.
The sentence was a confirmation of the sentence which the Criminal Court on Koh Samui first metered out to the Danish-Thai couple. In Thailand, when the lower court and the appeals court reach the same verdict, the case can under normal circumstances not be appealed once again. “Under normal circumstances” means that there may still be room for an exception.
The court permitted, however, the lawyer of the Dane, Suwatchai Sawasdi, to post bail for his release during the time until the second case against the Dane will be finished in court on 30 April 2024. While the first case was a criminal case, this second case is a civil case for loss of property against both the loan giver, who took possession of the resort when a loan from him was not paid back, and the Danish man, together. In this case, the former partner of the Danish man demands that his ownership of the resort is restored or similar compensation for losing the ownership of the property.
“I have reason to hope that a Buddhist foundation, which has sympathy for Stig and his case, will interfere and purchase the resort from the loan giver and thereby provide funds to compensate Peter enough for him to drop the charges against Stig,” says his lawyer.
“In that case, I can appeal for the court to change the sentence of Stig and his wife to a suspended jail sentence,” he explains.
After the court appearance, the Dane and his lawyer left Koh Samui for Nakorn Ratchasima. This is where Stig has been living since he was bailed out by a basket of friends and family members in Denmark after a dramatic time in Bangkok Immigration Detention Center, because his visa had expired during the trial in the first court.
(Edited 22. March 11.45 to clarify charges.)
