On October 31, a Criminal Court verdict will come down on a case that once captivated Thailand. If “Loong Phol” is set free, it can bring a trail-blazing defense strategy into sharp focus. But on the other hand, if his unprecedented use of social media fails to prevent a murder conviction, the celebrated defendant will have lost to old-style justice system and much of the country will drop its jaw.
The case has everything. A mother who lost her child and then, initially, could not leave her home because much of the world thought she did it herself. The girl’s uncle-in-law who became a police suspect and thanks to the media was engulfed in a groundswell of public sympathy. The man’s eventual fallout with the mainstream media because of negative reporting. Stories of extreme jealousy, of an unbelievable from-rags-to-riches journey, of superstitious beliefs of the locals and of…
