foreign media in Ramsey case slowly realize that Thai senior officials are anything but credible or reliable sources

Judge for yourself the behavior of Lt. Gen. Suwat Tumrongsiskul, senior Thai official entrusted with running Thailand's notorious Immigration Department. Personally, I find his behavior embarrassing, though typical of the ludicrous bureaucrosaurs who are still in positions of power here. I'm sure Suwat sees nothing wrong with his buffoonery - after all, he's just being himself - but it's fascinating how dumb it looks on the world stage.

The Thai tradition of presuming guilt may backfire in lots of exploded face when it turns out that Karr wasn't even in Colorado during the Ramsey killing. Another good reason to withhold smug pronouncements until someone is actually convicted of a crime.

"The tickets for John Mark Karr's departure are ready," Thailand's immigration police chief, Lt. Gen. Suwat Tumrongsiskul, told reporters. "He is leaving for the United States on Sunday evening." [ed. what tickets? He's going to flown out on a Thai Airways flight? Did they have to go to a travel agent and buy him a 'prisoner' fare? I somehow doubt that]

A U.S. Embassy official, speaking on condition of anonymity, could not confirm Karr's departure date, saying that authorities were working through legal paperwork to expedite his deportation.

On Friday, Suwat recanted details he gave of Karr's confession — details that raised suspicions that Karr was lying to gain entry to a sensational killing that fascinated him.

Suwat initially said Karr confessed to sexually assaulting the girl and giving her drugs. But her autopsy showed no signs of drugs. He also told reporters that Karr had claimed to have picked up JonBenet at school, though her death came during the holiday break.

On Friday, Suwat confirmed to the AP his account of the sexual assault. But asked if Karr gave the girl drugs, Suwat said the suspect described the encounter as "a blur." Suwat said the part about JonBenet being picked from school was based on his recollection of watching a documentary about the case.