THE king of the Eastern Cape’s AmaRharhabe tribe, Paramount Chief Maxhoba Sandile, has agreed to add his weight to an appeal to the King of Thailand to grant a royal pardon to a former Miss South Africa semi-finalist, Vanessa Goosen, who comes from Port Elizabeth.

Goosen is serving a 30-year sentence in Bangkok for drug smuggling.

She was arrested in possession of 2,7kg of heroin at Bangkok airport in 1994. Goosen’s first pardon application was turned down in 2001.

King Sandile’s lawyer, Mpumelelo “Bond” Nyoka, said Thai law stipulated that applicants had to wait two years before submitting a second pardon application.

He said he had met king Sandile – head of the western half of the amaXhosa nation – and his royal spokesman Prince Burns-Ncamashe at the great place at Mgqesha on Monday.

Mr Nyoka said he would also be getting a letter from an Eastern Cape mayor. “This is strong support from high- profile personalities,” he said.

Mr Nyoka said the letters would support Goosen’s application for a pardon.

He said he would travel to Thailand on March 20 and the letters would be submitted by Goosen to the Thailand correctional services, which would forward it to the justice department, the prime minister and finally to the King of Thailand.

Prince Burns-Ncamashe was unavailable for comment.