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A Cautionary Tale
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
PostPosted: Sun Oct 07, 2012 12:46 pm    Post subject: A Cautionary Tale Reply with quote
I was not in the UK when all this was being reported in the media. I first heard about it yesterday. A cautionary tale for anyone going to Thailand - or elsewhere -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandra_Gregory

Last edited by scot47 on Sun Oct 07, 2012 4:20 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Shroob



Joined: 02 Aug 2010
Posts: 1339
PostPosted: Sun Oct 07, 2012 12:55 pm    Post subject: Re: A Cautionary Tale Reply with quote
scot47 wrote:
I was not in the UK when all this was being reported in the media. I first heard about it yesdtertday. A cautionary tale for anyone goingf to Thailand - or elsewhere -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandra_Gregory


'Gregory appeared in the 2006 British documentary series Banged Up Abroad where she tells about the experience.'
I saw that show (and the others in the series). To be honest, she deserved it. Drug smuggling is obviously wrong and against the law.
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Tudor



Joined: 21 Aug 2009
Posts: 339
PostPosted: Sun Oct 07, 2012 1:21 pm    Post subject: Re: A Cautionary Tale Reply with quote
Shroob wrote:
scot47 wrote:
I was not in the UK when all this was being reported in the media. I first heard about it yesdtertday. A cautionary tale for anyone goingf to Thailand - or elsewhere -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandra_Gregory


'Gregory appeared in the 2006 British documentary series Banged Up Abroad where she tells about the experience.'
I saw that show (and the others in the series). To be honest, she deserved it. Drug smuggling is obviously wrong and against the law.


Having read her book several years ago, I seem to recall that she was quite ill and stuck in Thailand so she agreed to smuggle a small amount of drugs to Japan to raise money for her airfare back to Britain.

Yes, what she did was wrong and incredibly foolish, but desperate people do desperate things. But, yes, a cautionary tale indeed - there hardly seems to be a week go by in Indonesia without some foreigner getting arrested for smuggling drugs into the country. Amazingly, I know a lot of teachers who partake in recreational drugs here including some that do so in their homes. Of course, many think that all they have to do if they get busted is grease a few palms and it'll all go away - Gregory and many others like her have found to their cost that that isn't always the case.
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Shroob



Joined: 02 Aug 2010
Posts: 1339
PostPosted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 1:26 pm    Post subject: Re: A Cautionary Tale Reply with quote
Tudor wrote:
Shroob wrote:
scot47 wrote:
I was not in the UK when all this was being reported in the media. I first heard about it yesdtertday. A cautionary tale for anyone goingf to Thailand - or elsewhere -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandra_Gregory


'Gregory appeared in the 2006 British documentary series Banged Up Abroad where she tells about the experience.'
I saw that show (and the others in the series). To be honest, she deserved it. Drug smuggling is obviously wrong and against the law.


Having read her book several years ago, I seem to recall that she was quite ill and stuck in Thailand so she agreed to smuggle a small amount of drugs to Japan to raise money for her airfare back to Britain.

Yes, what she did was wrong and incredibly foolish, but desperate people do desperate things. But, yes, a cautionary tale indeed - there hardly seems to be a week go by in Indonesia without some foreigner getting arrested for smuggling drugs into the country. Amazingly, I know a lot of teachers who partake in recreational drugs here including some that do so in their homes. Of course, many think that all they have to do if they get busted is grease a few palms and it'll all go away - Gregory and many others like her have found to their cost that that isn't always the case.


While that may be the case, I've still little sympathy with her. Why didn't she take out health insurance? When you live abroad it's part of the process. Either you take out private health insurance or have it through your employer.

Also, having enough money for a ticket home should hardly bank. From Thailand a one way ticket should cost no more than �600. A responsible person should ensure they always have enough money to get home.
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Tudor



Joined: 21 Aug 2009
Posts: 339
PostPosted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 2:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
So you were never young and foolish then Shroob? Whilst I've never had anything to do with drugs, I was a big drinker back in my younger days, and it still amazes me that I never seriously hurt myself, someone else, or ended up in a prison cell with some of the reckless stunts I pulled whilst under the influence. This is probably why I try to avoid being too judgemental of other people's lapses.

There but for the grace of God go I...
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biliana



Joined: 19 Aug 2012
Posts: 53
Location: Vietnam
PostPosted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 2:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Tudor wrote:
So you were never young and foolish then Shroob? Whilst I've never had anything to do with drugs, I was a big drinker back in my younger days, and it still amazes me that I never seriously hurt myself, someone else, or ended up in a prison cell with some of the reckless stunts I pulled whilst under the influence. This is probably why I try to avoid being too judgemental of other people's lapses.

There but for the grace of God go I...


A thoughtful post Tudor.

I agree in many things you say, however she was 28 and teaching kids at the time of her arrest. Mature enough I would think.
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Tudor



Joined: 21 Aug 2009
Posts: 339
PostPosted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 2:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
biliana wrote:
Tudor wrote:
So you were never young and foolish then Shroob? Whilst I've never had anything to do with drugs, I was a big drinker back in my younger days, and it still amazes me that I never seriously hurt myself, someone else, or ended up in a prison cell with some of the reckless stunts I pulled whilst under the influence. This is probably why I try to avoid being too judgemental of other people's lapses.

There but for the grace of God go I...


A thoughtful post Tudor.

I agree in many things you say, however she was 28 and teaching kids at the time of her arrest. Mature enough I would think.


Well, yes, you'd think so wouldn't you. Fortunately, I grew out of my self-destructive phase in my mid-twenties and I'm so glad I did - I cringe now when I see colleagues and acquaintances in their 30s and 40s getting into the same scrapes that I used to in my 20s.

Either way though, I couldn't help having some sympathy for Gregory when I read her book, notwithstanding any fecklessness on her behalf.
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