Thai heroin appeal fails

Press, 29 May 1982, Page 22

Thai heroin appeal fails

NZPA staff correspondent Hong Kong

An Auckland woman, Miss Andrea Resetar, aged 27, has failed in her second appeal against her conviction on a charge of drug trafficking in Thailand.

According to a New Zealand Embassy spokesman in Bangkok, the Thai Supreme Court earlier this month rejected Miss Resetar’s appeal and- she will be expected to serve out her 33 years and four-month sentence for trafficking in heroin. An earlier appeal was rejected by the Appeals Court, and the spokesman said in a telephone interview yesterday that no further avenues of appeal were open to Miss Resetar. He said that Miss Resetar’s best prospects of an early release now seemed to depend on her behaviour and the possibility of being included in some future amnesty.

About 10,000 prisoners, including 133 said to be foreigners of European descent, are being released from Thai jails under a Royal amnesty this month marking the bicentenary of the reigning Chakri dynasty. The spokesman confirmed, as earlier reported, that Miss Resetar was not included in the amnesty, adding that the Supreme Court had confirmed her sentence.

He said those foreigners serving sentences for drugrelated offences affected by the amnesty had been convicted before penalties for drug offences were increased substantially in 1979. No New Zealanders had been involved in the am-' nesty

The spokesman said that in certain circumstances the Thai Government had arranged prisoner exchanges with other Governments and that Miss Resetar herself hoped that such an arrangement could be made for her. He described such an exchange as “very, very remote” and said it had not been the subject of any official discussion. The Thai Government was also reluctant to enter into such an arrangement in cases involving drug offenders. Five Thai nationals were at present serving sentences in New Zealand jails. He said Miss Resetar had been putting on weight-in jail and was much healthier than when she was sentenced just over a year ago. She had regular visits from a number of people.