Pletnev said the charges were the result of a misunderstanding. Pletnev, the founder of the Russian National Orchestra, was arrested on Monday at a restaurant in Pattaya and brought to court on Tuesday to face rape charges, said police Lt. Col. Omsin Sukkanka. He was released on 300,000 baht ($9,000) bail, ordered to report to the court every 12 days and banned from contacting witnesses in the case.
He could face up to 20 years in jail and a fine of up to 40,000 baht ($1,200) if found guilty. In telephone interview with The Associated Press, Pletnev described what happened to him as a “misunderstanding.” “I have no idea how the charges came about. But I more or less know where they came from,” he said. Pletnev said he only learned of the charges through newspapers. A business associate who gave only his first name, Sompong, said Pletnev was a victim of blackmail, but did not elaborate.
