Life sentence sought for Thai girl

TANGERANG: A prosecutor asked the Tangerang District Court on Monday to jail a Thai woman for life for allegedly attempting to smuggle 850 grams of heroin into Indonesia from Thailand.

Prosecutor Hasran Harahap asked that Nonthanam M. Saichon, a 21-year-old masseuse, be jailed for life as she was guilty of shipping the drug from Bangkok last year.

Hasran said the defendant had ignored a government campaign to fight drug abuse, and could ruin the lives of many Indonesians.

The defendant told the court that she had accepted an offer to smuggle the drug because she needed money to pay for medical treatment for her sick parents.

The defendant apologized to the Indonesian people and begged the judges to give her a light sentence.

Nonthanam was arrested minutes after she arrived at Soekarno- Hatta International Airport from Bangkok on Sept. 1, 2001. Customs officers became suspicious as she looked nervous. They later found the drug in her underwear.

The court adjourned the session until March 6 when defense lawyer Husin Tuhuteru will present his arguments.

Over the past two years, the district court has sentenced 16 people to death for smuggling, including one person found in possession of 450 grams of heroin. --JP