A Thai police sergeant charged in the shooting death of a Calgary man was remanded into custody Wednesday.
Leo Del Pinto, 25, died in January after being shot twice in the northern Thai town of Pai. His friend, Carly Reisig, was also shot but survived.
Sgt. Uthai Dechawiwat, off duty at the time of the incident, was arrested and charged with premeditated murder. However, he remained at his job and was transferred to another district.
On Wednesday, Dechawiwat was transported about 800 kilometres from northern Thailand to Bangkok, where he was denied bail and remanded into custody, said freelance reporter Andrew Drummond.
Drummond reported that the trial will be held in Bangkok rather than in northern Thailand.
Del Pinto's family in Calgary has been leading a high-profile campaign to ensure that the shooting be treated seriously in Thailand and that the judicial process be transparent.
Leo Del Pinto, shown in an undated family photo, was shot in the torso and face in northern Thailand. (Ross Fortune) Ernie Del Pinto, Leo's father, said he has mixed feelings on hearing of the officer's jailing.
"Just because he goes to jail is not a closing to me. Closing to me is when the trial ... is done then it's going to be some sort of a close. I've been waiting for this for the longest time," he said.
"It's eight months too late. It should have been done eight months ago, but I'm happy with the results of today's report."
He said the family plans to fly to Thailand for the trial.
Shortly after the shooting, Dechawiwat said he was trying to break up a fight and was struggling with Del Pinto for the gun in self-defence when it accidentally discharged.
Local police collected witness statements in the tourist town that corroborated Dechawiwat's version of events.
But two witnesses stepped forward with a different account. They alleged Reisig was pistol-whipped and then shot in the chest.
According to the two, the gun was then turned toward Del Pinto while he had his hands in the air, Drummond reported.
The witnesses are in protective custody.
In February, Thailand's human rights commission published a report suggesting police botched their investigation into the shootings.
http://www.canadaeast.com/front/article/449804
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