The high-profile case against long-time Samui expat resident Crispin Paton-Smith moved a step forward this week with a court date finally set for the end of August.

Paton-Smith, a former member of the British Army, was arrested last July in Pattaya in one of the biggest media-covered arrests in recent years.

Along with two other expats living on Samui charged in the same case, Paton-Smith was accused of a long list of offenses, including being officers in a secret society, attempted murder, money laundering, extortion, drug trafficking, human trafficking, racketeering, prostitution, bribing government officials, illegal land sales and transfers, rape, fraud and illegal weapons trading.

Charges against the other two expats have since been dropped, but in a court hearing on June 5 the trial date in Paton-Smith’s case was delivered and the original list of allegations against him was reduced to two charges: forming a secret society with intent to make criminal activity and attempted extortion.

The two charges are in relation to Paton-Smith’s involvement with well-known international biker gang the Banditos. The Thai government has been working in conjunction with Danish officials who claim that the gang has been involved with serious criminal activities in other parts of the globe.

The attempted extortion charge is said to be due to business dealings gone bad with other gang members also living on Samui.

Paton-Smith had been living on Samui for 13 years with his wife and child before his arrest and was the owner of a successful diving operation on the island as well as a popular publishing company.

The widespread media coverage of his arrest, along with the other two expats and four Thai nationals from the island, shocked the community and led to further investigations of possible illegal land dealing and other suspicious activities involving land offices.

Accusations were made against some of the men that land was being illegally obtained and sold on the island.

Paton-Smith has a number of supporters and a website has been set up to gather further backers demanding for justice to be served and for his release from Bangkok’s Special Remand Prison on the grounds that his remaining two charges are usually bail permitting.

“This court hearing has been a step forward in regards to the legal proceedings in this case, which has had many setbacks and hearings without a trial date being assigned in his case,” said one of the attendees of the court hearing.

A total of 57 people are expected to testify in the case from August 27 to November 2.

HAPPY: Lee Sung didn’t just win; he also set a course record.

One swung low: Korean Lee Sung beat local hotshot Prayad Marksaeng by just three strokes to win the third annual Bangkok Airways Open at the Santiburi Samui Country Club from June 7 to 10.

Lee lifted the tourney trophy and collected the top prize of US$47,550 (1.55 million baht) of the US$300,000 (about 9.79 million baht) prize purse in his first win on the Asian Tour golf circuit.

Lee, who was born deaf, turned pro in 2000 and played with the support of his brother and caddy Lee Sung-joo, who he communicates with by lip reading.

“I’m quite happy and will definitely call my dad [Lee Keng-kun]. My dad usually caddies for me but he is tired and decided to rest this week,” said Lee.

The par 71 golf course saw heated competition from many high-ranking Western and Asian competitors. Seoul-born Lee scored a course record 62 in the third round and completed the tourney with a 16-under-par 268.

Prayad finished three strokes behind in second place and Thai youngster Priom Meesawa finished in third place tied with Taichiro Kiyota from Japan.

Other players in the tournament included reigning champion Lin Wen-tang from Chinese Taipei, Filipino Gerald Rosales, Australia’s Adam Blyth, American Anthony Kang and Dutchman Guido van der Valk.

The event has become a favorite of some of the players who enjoy the challenging yet scenic island course. The tournament has grown in popularity over the past three years and will continue to be held on Samui.

Before the tourney there was a Pro-Am meet followed by a golf clinic conducted by Heartland Golf School. The entire event was hailed as a success.