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Aussie woman in prison for stealing bar mat: Thailand
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3MB



Joined: 26 Mar 2009

PostPosted: Tue May 19, 2009 5:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thats funny, really. Watch how you act in Thailand? Stealing a doormat is punishable by 3 years in jail. Thailand is the land of fake smiles and crooks. There are so many thieves there who try to con you at every step. It seems as if ripping off a foreigner is some kind of a national past time. What utter hypocrisy that the land of thieves and crooks, pimps and whores is trying to imprison a woman for taking a DOORMAT. I hope this kills their tourism industry.
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Ruthdes



Joined: 16 Oct 2008
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Wed May 20, 2009 1:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.theage.com.au/national/guilty-barmat-mum-on-the-way-home-after-highlevel-intervention-20090520-bfp8.html

Quote:



Melbourne mother of four Annice Smoel, who had been facing a jail term in Thailand after being charged with stealing a bar mat, is on her way home after the Governor of Phuket intervened to resolve the matter.

Mrs Smoel said she was lookiing forward to seeing her faur daughters before she and her husband caught a flight due to touch down at Tullamarine about midday.

Speaking to reporters in the office of a Thai immigration official, Ms Smoel was wary of making any comment before her passport was returned to her, but she said she was looking forward to being reunited with her daughters.

"I'll probably cry ... and hug them,'' she said.

Husband Darren added: "Yeah, not the best thing I've ever had to deal with, but talk to our solicitor. He'll tell you how it's been.''

Governor Wichai Praisa-nob, who was under pressure from the Thai foreign and tourism ministers, made a personal appearance at a surprise court hearing yesterday, and even paid Mrs Smoel's fine, according to local media.

Alan Morison, a journalist with the The Phuket Wan news website in the Thai resort town, said it was highly unusual for the Governor to turn up at a court hearing and then pay the fine of the accused.

He said the Governor had received calls from the Foreign Minister and the Tourism Minister about the case.

"It appears it was a clear attempt by the Government to expedite the matter as it was quite damaging to Phuket tourism," Mr Morison said.


The website said Ms Smoel had pleaded guilty to theft and was given a six-month suspended jail term and a 1000 baht ($38 ) fine in a court ruling yesterday.

"The governor has apologised to me and been very kind. He seems like a lovely man."

The maximum sentence for the theft charge is a year's imprisonment and a 2000 baht fine, but her guilty plea had been taken into consideration.

A Thai facing the same charge would have to wait weeks or months for a similar court hearing, the Phuket Gazette said.



So apparently there was a belated realisation that this kind of thing is not really good for tourism in Thailand...
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bassexpander



Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

PostPosted: Wed May 20, 2009 3:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's good to hear.

But I think the damage has already been done to Thailand.

3MB was absolutely spot-on correct about Thailand. I totally agree.
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mistermasan



Joined: 20 Sep 2007
Location: 10+ yrs on Dave's ESL cafe

PostPosted: Wed May 20, 2009 3:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

i'm so old i remember when california was regarded as paradise. too many people changed that right quick. sadly thailand is on the same list.

oh well...off to sri lanka!
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thomas pars



Joined: 29 Jan 2009

PostPosted: Wed May 20, 2009 5:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I once read the if you get in trouble in Thailand the "officials" will pass you up the chain of command while each insists on a bribe. the idea is to bankrupt not just you but your entire family. They do this to thais and foreigners alike. It really is a horrible place. Let them keep acting this way and well see how many come to their "land of smiles"
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rokgryphon



Joined: 12 Apr 2005

PostPosted: Wed May 20, 2009 7:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Look, it was her own fault, she could have been out within a couple of hours had she been calm about it. When you run off you are bound to get into extra trouble. http://www.phuketgazette.net/news/index.asp?id=7389

I live just up the street and tourists do come here and think they can get away with anything.

http://www.phuketgazette.net/news/index.asp?id=7386
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Robot_Teacher



Joined: 18 Feb 2009
Location: Robotting Around the World

PostPosted: Wed May 20, 2009 7:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

thomas pars wrote:
I once read the if you get in trouble in Thailand the "officials" will pass you up the chain of command while each insists on a bribe. the idea is to bankrupt not just you but your entire family. They do this to thais and foreigners alike. It really is a horrible place. Let them keep acting this way and well see how many come to their "land of smiles"


Oh kwap, it's a huge risk to be going to Thailand these days. I keep hearing it's the land of scams.
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Gaber



Joined: 23 Apr 2006

PostPosted: Wed May 20, 2009 8:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm tempted to get my self taken off the Thaivisa mailing list. Everything I hear from there just agrivates me. Thailand is a much nicer place to be than to read about.
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Lostone7



Joined: 08 Jun 2006
Location: SE Asia

PostPosted: Wed May 20, 2009 8:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

WOW Shocked

I was just there about 3months ago. LOL I think some poster got scamed by bar girls Wink and are bit angery OR stayed to long on Kho San road

I've seen the same issues as I always see other than people are a little more worried about money as many people are staying out becuase of the newspapers. Been going twice a year for ages Cool Heck, still keep my apartment there.


Thialand is great..............but, like anywhere act a fool long enough and someone will punch your card.

But, if you are all right Wink I'll let you know I headed back for a few months in a couple of weeks Cool
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Lostone7



Joined: 08 Jun 2006
Location: SE Asia

PostPosted: Wed May 20, 2009 8:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

WOW Shocked

I was just there about 3months ago. LOL I think some posters got scamed by bar girls Wink and are bit angery OR stayed to long on Kho San road

I've seen the same issues as I always see other than people are a little more worried about money as many people are staying out becuase of the newspapers. Been going twice a year for ages Cool Heck, still keep my apartment there.


Thialand is great..............but, like anywhere act a fool long enough and someone will punch your card.

But, if you are all right Wink I'll let you know I headed back for a few months in a couple of weeks Cool
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Kurtz



Joined: 05 Jan 2007
Location: ples bilong me

PostPosted: Wed May 20, 2009 8:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've been reading about this story on various forums.

Here's what happened in a nutshell.

Bogan Aussie Chick( BAC) from Montrose, Melbourne, Australia (which is about a 15 minute drive from where I grew up, a working class part of Melbourne) decides to go to Phuket with her friends, leaving her children at home in Melbourne.

BAC gets drunk with her friends.

Friends try to steal an expensive beer mat by putting it into BAC's handbag.

Undercover cops witness this, try to talk to BAC.

BAC does a runner to the beach, where she is caught and taken to the police station.

Drunken BAC starts abusing everyone, including high ranking policeman.

Her lawyers advised her to plead guilty to theft, she is given a tap on the wrists, and a small fine, deported and welcomed back.

My take on this.......

This is a typical low class Australian going to a foreign country, acting like a complete moron, getting drunk, being abusive, being culturally ignorant, acting superior and continuing the tradition of being a dumbarse Aussie abroad, and expecting the Australian Government to bail out their sorry arse.

Don't blame the Thai's, I doubt many Aussie cops would like to be abused by a drunk Thai who was involved in the theft of something.

Just goes to show you should read up on places you go to party at , as being an obnoxious drunk can get you in some serious trouble.
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Yu_Bum_suk



Joined: 25 Dec 2004

PostPosted: Wed May 20, 2009 11:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
as it was quite damaging to Phuket tourism


The old hand that feeds. Oh well, there's at least one bar in Phuket I won't be going to. This was probably the smartest thing he possibly could have done.
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Leslie Cheswyck



Joined: 31 May 2003
Location: University of Western Chile

PostPosted: Thu May 21, 2009 2:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

She went to Thailand to steal a placemat? And the bar owner paid $60 for it? Krike, I can get one at the dollar store for, well, a dollar.
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bassexpander



Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

PostPosted: Thu May 21, 2009 6:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't deny the facts of the case, and that she was a complete dolt.

What I take offense to is that they were seriously planning to give the woman 3 to 5 years in jail for all of this (and kept her without food for 4 days).

THAT is what I find upsetting, and makes me think less of Thailand.
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Sergio Stefanuto



Joined: 14 May 2009
Location: UK

PostPosted: Thu May 21, 2009 6:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

bassexpander wrote:
3MB was absolutely spot-on correct about Thailand. I totally agree.


Thirded.

These Buddhist countries' horrid human rights record just goes to show the worthlessness of that ethical system.

Take that, hippies and pinkos. Laughing
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