MangoKorat

Before making your comments and attempting to be sarcastic, maybe you should have read the entire thread - especially the statement supplied by another member from North Yorkshire Police where it appears they know nothing about any extradition request - despite what is stated in the report. Here, in a post by MicroB yesterday: A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “We are aware of the detention in Thailand of David Armitage, the husband of Lamduan Armitage. We understand it relates to his visa status and residence in Thailand and is entirely a matter for the Immigration Service of the Royal Thai Police. “Should Mr Armitage be deported, we understand that he will have a choice as to where he goes, which will include return to the UK. Should that occur, we will again make every effort to speak to him about the investigation." Noboby is trying to be a defence lawyer in support of a fellow countryman, they are simply pointing out the law and the fact that the UK police have been hampered by a lack of evidence in this case from the beginning. Whilst it seems highly likely that this man killed his Thai wife, there must be evidence and the right person must be convicted. In a case last year, a man spent 17 years in prison for rape based on dodgy evidence. Eventually, DNA evidence proved the rapist was a different person.

Circumstantial evidence does not carry the same weight as direct evidence, especially when there is no direct evidence. For example: you may commit a crime within a building. I may see you walking down the street afterwards and bear witness to that. If there is no evidence that you were actually in the building and no further evidence exists - a conviction would be highly unlikely and almost certainly appealed successfully as unsafe. Circumstantial evidence is mainly used to back up direct evidence. Juries are more likely to take account of circumstantial evidence than judges are - which is why such convictions are often dismissed at appeal. Juries decide most criminal cases, judges rule on appeals.

Quite. Reports supporting that view have been on TV all day - in fact Trump stated that he would be calling Starmer within 24 hours.

As far as I know, there are legal options that he can pursue in Thailand. I'm pretty sure he will be able to appeal against his residency being revoked. If that is the case then surely a judge will ask what evidence there is to support Immigration's claim. If North Yorkshire Police cannot come up with enough evidence to support a request for extradition, then how can Immigration claim he is a threat? Its all very confusing and it would be good to know what the facts are.

Not a critcism of your post at all but the quote from North Yorkshire Police does not mention extradition at all - quite the contrary in fact. The article here states: He was subsequently detained at the Immigration Detention Centre in Suan Phlu, Bangkok, for extradition proceedings under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) between Thailand and the United Kingdom. It would be useful to know what the actual position is.

Based on the stories and reports about this case that has returned to the news several times over the past few years - there is a high likelihood that this man is guilty. However, for a prosecution to be successful, at least in the UK, there has to be evidence. Several other cases that have come to light over the last few years where evidence had been on the 'light side' at trial have resulted in reversals on appeal - albeit on some occassions much later. That is one problem with the jury system but now there's a far higher chance that a judge will give some direction to the jury. In some cases that direction is to acquit. Nobody wants to see a guilty man go free but there must be evidence or there can be no justice. I suspect that the UK police want to interview Armitage in the hope that he'll crack - yes they do that. If they have evidence, they will (or should) have to present it to the Thai courts in order for them to consider extradition.

I travel from Suvarnabhumi or Bangkok to Pak Chong and back regularly using the same taxi guy who lives near Don Mueang - 2500 inc tip and he's happy to stop for coffee. My driver doesn't speak much English but he's reliable and punctual. I'm guessing that his charge to Korat would be around 3000. Its a while since I've been to DMK but I presume they have a 'Meeting Point' - my guy doesn't speak much English but he'll happily meet your friend there or send a photo of where he is waiting if your friend uses LINE. PM if you want his number.

Election? 😃😃😃. What election? The result was known before the ballot boxes were delivered. Why won't Lukashenko allow OSCE observers to oversee the election? Why do you bring this down to left and right? Opposing the tyrant Lukeshenko, a thoroughly despicable excuse for a human being, responsible for the deaths and impisonment of thousands doesn't make someone left. Believe it or not, the people of Belarus simply want true democracy where they choose their leader. That doesn't make them lefties, it just makes them people who want to choose their own destiny, not live in fear of Putin's puppet. Democracy in Belarus is just a sham, anyone who looks like even the slightest threat to Lukashenko is eliminated one way or another. He knows very well that if he allowed fair and free elections, he would be history. Two of the 'opposition' leaders that have been 'allowed' to take part in the election have openly stated that they are Lukashenko supporters. Why is it, do you think, that so many people who oppose him have to live in exile.

Are they? Funny, I thought this was a place where we discussed things.

My Thai home is very close to Khao Yai National Park. Although I don't live there permanenty yet, I've had it for over 10 years and have spent a lot of time there. I will be moving there permanently within 2 months. It all depends on what you are looking for but I've travelled to many places in Thailand and my area suits me well - I love it there. Depending on how close to the park you choose you can get the best of both countryside and city - with travel between the two being very easy and fast. My home would be considered as rural yet I'm 5 minutes from a 7/11, 7 minutes from Makro and 10 minutes from Lotus's (Tesco). There's bars, restaurants, hospitals. markets, night clubs etc. in Pak Chong - 15 minutes away. The new M6 Bangkok - Nakhon Ratchasima motorway should be fully open soon and construction of a high speed rail system between Bangkok and Nong Nong Khai is underway. That will provide travel to Bangkok in 55 minutes. The downside of these new transport systems is that land prices have risen dramatically since they were announced and there has been a lot of new development. Things seem to have calmed down now but be prepared to pay at least 1 mill for a small single house plot close to a road with electric close by - the guy next door to me is a little optimistic and wants 2 mill for a single plot. Its been for sale for quite a while 😃. Crime? My house was broken into during Covid as so many were but I suppose being empty for much of a 10 year period sort of invites that. I've increased security and so far have not had any more problems. Other than that, I've never had any problems locally. I have a lot of Thai friends in the area and have been made very welcome.

If either of your posts made any sense, I might be able to comment.

With a decent lawyer he may well be able to stay in Thaland. Note he is being considered as a threat so his residency permit has been revoked. What is the threat? With very little evidence against him in the UK, extradition may fail. The Thai authorities may also have difficulty in proving he's a threat. They've known about him for quite a long time and I don't think he's done anything wrong whilst he's been in Thailand that would make him a threat. Hence a decent lawyer may get this reversed. I'm not supporting this man in any way at all - I'm just looking at the legal perspective.

Elections are taking place in Belarus. With most oppostion leaders either in prison or exiled, I wonder who will win? 😁

Agreed, much like road safety proposals we hear every New Year and Songkran - the Thai government talk a lot but do very little. I just don't understand why the subject of tracking foreigners in one form or another seems to come up every few months. Its only my opinion but they should just leave it alone - criminals wll get in one way or another if they really want to, ways are always found. Drawing a parallel with car security - various measures have been taken and security upgraded over the years. Now the criminals break into your house and steal your keys - or worse, carjack you, car thefts are actually up. I think they just like talking about this. Nothing they do will actually stop tourists going somewhere other than they have stated - unless they propose introducing chaperones

There you go with the paranoia accusations again. Do you understand the word 'if' - or are you just one of those who skim reads and draws conclusions based on what they think they've read?

This is what makes me laugh. Fair enough, cocaine is illegal - as are most other drugs. How is it then that black guys have the nerve to directly approach you and offer an array of drugs almost right in front of a police box as they do in Sukhumvit? Not only opposite a police box - the whole area is on camera. It would not be possible without the 'permission' of a certain authority. Considering the above - which many members here will know is true - how can they charge/convict others for selling/possessing drugs. A case of 'do as I say, not as I do'.

I am/was a vaccine supporter but now I'm not so sure. I first got Covid in March 2020 - immediately after returning from Thailand so I almost certainly picked it up there. Obviously there was no vaccine available then but despite having every vaccine offered, I've had it 4 times since, including spending my entire New Year ill with it this year. A bit of a bummer as I had just arrived in Thailand for 2 weeks. We were told that the vaccine would not guarantee that we wouldn't get Covid but it would stop the disease affecting us as badly - this last bout has been the worst and longest lasting I've had. I'll never know if I would have been even worse if I hadn't been vaccinated but I'm beginning to wonder if its worth the risks it carries - small as they are.

Its not about 2 minutes spent filling in your details - if they introduce the previously proposed SIM card thing, it will be the reluctance to feel like they are being tracked that will make the difference. Remember, whilst many members here have a connection to Thailand - tourists have choices.

There was an article about that not so long ago - apparently storage of all the old TM6's was one of the main reasons they were discontinued.

I remember mine very well - even the reg no. A 1966 Austin Mini Van in Almond Green reg. EET 780D. Already very old and rusty when it was given to me by my brother at 14 years old subject to a promise not to drive it on the road - a promise I broke almost immediately. I even used to drive to school in it but had to park it out of sight of the teachers.

Well in the cases I know of I have no reason to think its anything else but true, my friends are not the type to lie. I don't doubt that there will have been cases where the application has been successful with only the normal fees. The problem is, how do you get around it once you are asked for a 'sweetener'? It must be remembered that the total proper fees for Permanent Residence are already around 200k baht.

Yes I will, I have no choice but tourists have. Tourist numbers are going up at the moment but that may not always be the case. Introducing things that have the potential to make tourists feel uncomfortable is maybe not the best way to boost figures especially when other S.E. Asian countries are looking to increase their tourism revenue.

No they haven't - they have just gone through the motions. They had no idea where most tourists actually went when they left the airport Nobody ever checked if you were actually staying where you said you were. There wasn't enough room on a TM6 to write most Thai addresses and there was no requirement for you to tell them where you were staying if you moved. They didn't check before and they won't check this time.

Quite the opposite - I just hate wasting my time doing things that I know won't have any effect/work. Much like the Covid thing I mentioned - getting my 7 day test done took 2 visits to a hospital quite some distance away. For what? The App didn't work and nobody checked if it had. I'd previously had visions of the police knocking on my door - they didn't. The old paper TM6 was just a joke - you could put any fictitious address you wanted on it - nobody checked. How will this one work? Youre asked to download an app probably but when? On entry? Will you be allowed to leave the airport until you've shown your registered? How will that stop you going somewhere else? Its a waste of time and it won't work.

Because English is the international language.