A Minor Pot Bust Can Get You Permenantly Banned From Thailand?

[dblaisde]

Someone told me that even a minor pot bust can get one banned from the country for life. Is this true?

[gburns57au]

Someone told me that even a minor pot bust can get one banned from the country for life. Is this true?

YES

Another druggie saved........

[Briggsy]

And cost you in the region of 100,000 Baht or more.

[Boon Mee]

Someone told me that even a minor pot bust can get one banned from the country for life. Is this true?

See the movie "Brokedown Palace" with Claire Danes.

A bit more than a pot bust but the same idea...

[Nawtilus]

Exactly how minor is .....minor ?? exactly...

[Neeranam]

Someone told me that even a minor pot bust can get one banned from the country for life. Is this true?

Worse than that if you can't come up with the money they ask for.

[redrus]

Someone told me that even a minor pot bust can get one banned from the country for life. Is this true?

Come on, either you're a troll or you're blind. You can type so......

Harsh penalties were made aware to me before my first trip to LOS 10 years ago. From your details you say you're from Thailand.

But, with respect, do what you want to do. You take consequences. Surely you'd find out those consequences before you set off though.

redrus

[Tywais]

Drug Penalties

CATEGORY I dangerous narcotics such as heroin, amphetamine, methamphetamine, ecstasy and LSD

Possession: imprisonment of 1-10 years and a fine of 10,000 - 100,000 Baht

Consumption: imprisonment of 6 months - 10 years and a fine of 5,000 - 100,000 Baht

CATEGORY II ordinary narcotics such as coca leaf, cocaine, codeine, concentrate of poppy straw, methadone, morphine, medicinal opium and opium

Possesion: imprisonment not exceeding 5 years and a fine not exceeding 50,000 Baht

Consumption: imprisonment of 6 months - 10 years and a fine of 5,000 - 100,000 Baht

CATEGORY III narcotics which are in the form of medicinal formula and contain narcotics of Category II as ingredients

CATEGORY IV chemicals used for producing narcotics of Category I or II such as acetic anhydride, acetyl chloride, ethylidin diacetate, chlorpseudoephedrine, ergometrine, ergotamine, isosafrole, lysergic acid, piperonal and safrole

Possession: imprisonment not exceeding 5 years and a fine not exceeding 50,000 Baht

CATEGORY V 4 narcotics which are not included in Category I to IV - i.e. cannabis, kratom plant, poppy plant and magic mushroom.

Possession: imprisonment not exceeding 5 years and a fine not exceeding 50,000 Baht

Consumption: imprisonment not exceeding 1 year and a fine not exceeding 10,000 Baht

Please note, if you are found in possession of a lot of drugs, the police authorities will assume you are carrying with an intent to sell. The penalties for this are severe in Thailand. You can get life or even execution.

[Nawtilus]

How do they know if your consuming magic mushrooms against normal ones....if you carried a can of champignons with you could you get away with it ??

[Briggsy]

Drug Penalties

CATEGORY I dangerous narcotics such as heroin, amphetamine, methamphetamine, ecstasy and LSD

Possession: imprisonment of 1-10 years and a fine of 10,000 - 100,000 Baht

Consumption: imprisonment of 6 months - 10 years and a fine of 5,000 - 100,000 Baht

CATEGORY II ordinary narcotics such as coca leaf, cocaine, codeine, concentrate of poppy straw, methadone, morphine, medicinal opium and opium

Possesion: imprisonment not exceeding 5 years and a fine not exceeding 50,000 Baht

Consumption: imprisonment of 6 months - 10 years and a fine of 5,000 - 100,000 Baht

CATEGORY III narcotics which are in the form of medicinal formula and contain narcotics of Category II as ingredients

CATEGORY IV chemicals used for producing narcotics of Category I or II such as acetic anhydride, acetyl chloride, ethylidin diacetate, chlorpseudoephedrine, ergometrine, ergotamine, isosafrole, lysergic acid, piperonal and safrole

Possession: imprisonment not exceeding 5 years and a fine not exceeding 50,000 Baht

CATEGORY V 4 narcotics which are not included in Category I to IV - i.e. cannabis, kratom plant, poppy plant and magic mushroom.

Possession: imprisonment not exceeding 5 years and a fine not exceeding 50,000 Baht

Consumption: imprisonment not exceeding 1 year and a fine not exceeding 10,000 Baht

Please note, if you are found in possession of a lot of drugs, the police authorities will assume you are carrying with an intent to sell. The penalties for this are severe in Thailand. You can get life or even execution.

So to summarise for the OP, how much would he be prepared to pay to avoid a 5 year stint in a Thai prison?

[terry57]

this how it works on koh phan gan mate.

the cops take a certain amount of farang to the cop shop every full moon party

heaps of silly farang running around stoned so its easy pickings.

they have 2 choises.

#1, pay the cops 60,000 bath tea money and walk away.

#2, dont pay the money and go through the legal system. you end up in surattani prison until your case comes up and then you deal with the judge.

if its only for a joint or so you will be fined and let go.

unusuall to be deported for a small amount of gunja but they could certainly do it if they wanted.

most farang get the money from somewhere to pay off the cops and its a well know fact that koh phan gan police make a killing on the full moon party.

[tuky]

It wasn't that long ago that the police would shoot you on site.

I wonder if anyone will ever be held accountable for that.

[britmaveric]

Anyone who has anything to do with drugs in Thailand or SEA is stupid.

Edited January 10, 2007 by britmaveric

[Mid]

Anyone who has anything to do with drugs in Thailand or SEA is stupid.

please ...........................

refine your blatant generalization ,

in the interests of peace and harmony on this thread

[DragonQuest]

HEY I SEEN THIS MOVIE IT WAS GOOD

See the movie "Brokedown Palace" with Claire Danes.

Does anyone know if there are any good movies about thailand in english? im gonna make a new thread this is a good topic heheh

[goldfish]

A regular visitor to samui, from singapore, was caught with 2 or 3 ecstacy pills and about a gramme of grass. Cost him 100,000baht for his freedom but still ended up in the local paper. Haven't seen him back on the island since

[DragonQuest]

should I rant on my neighbhor? I know he smokes pot lol

[farangsay]

It wasn't that long ago that the police would shoot you on site.

I wonder if anyone will ever be held accountable for that.

On site or on sight ?

Same thing I suppose.

[AlexLah]

A friend of mine was cought with 1 gram of grass at Koh Phangan.

He spend a few weeks in Jail and finally after paying 100.000 Bath he could go back to UK.

Please do not do drugs in Thailand or anywhere else in Asia.

Just do not do it anywhere!!!!

Thailand is not like your home country na.

Alex

[Robski]

Seriously you know when they say that your life flashes before your eyes?

Thailand is not the place to be doing it!

Edited January 10, 2007 by Robski

[LoveDaBlues]

Anyone who has anything to do with drugs in Thailand or SEA is stupid.

Agreed.

[Rinrada]

Anyone who has anything to do with drugs in Thailand or SEA is stupid.

Agreed.

Or any country for that matter..............oops ...ere it comes........

[cdnvic]

Yet there's a constant stream of backpackers getting busted and complaining about "It's no worse than alcohol which is legal....yada yada yada..."

Debate it all you want, but the Thai police aren't interested in listening.

Edited January 10, 2007 by cdnvic

[ColPyat]

Someone told me that even a minor pot bust can get one banned from the country for life. Is this true?

Yes, it can get you banned.

Previously a small bust earned you a few weeks jail at most, if even at all, and no ban. But since the 2003 drugwar there is a government directive that every foreigner can be put on a blacklist for every drug related charge, even if so minor that it does not get one a jail sentence. It very much depends on the arresting officer.

There are ways to get off the blacklist, but they are neither legal, nor cheap (around ten thousand US Dollar), and that works not at all times.

If caught, my advise would be to pay as soon as possible, and not argue too much about the money - the higher up the case goes - the more expensive.

Sometimes they are also trying to force a caught foreigner to work as a snitch for them. Many do take that option, in fact. Therefore i would be not too trusting with foreigners in that business as well.

And often they are simply only interested in an arrest, and won't take bribes.

[mogoso]

Anyone who has anything to do with drugs in Thailand or SEA is stupid.

please ...........................

refine your blatant generalization ,

in the interests of peace and harmony on this thread

I certainly think its a valid statement, and echos my sentiments, notwithstanding your tongue in cheek comment.

It seems a great many people come to the shores of SEA bringing their and their countries particular values on drug useage and punishment, despite knowledge given to them on their (generally) if no where else, flight into the region. To be forewarned is to armed with knowledge there's is a different mindset in SEA.

Yet in these Thai Visa pages we read a continuous stream of those who get their teats caught in a wringer and end up in the Bangkok Hilton. And we see a bunch of folk whining about the unfairness of it, even though these people caught knew it was a harsh punishment, but they felt the crime might be worth the time.

Now I do feel bad for those set up by locals for whatever reason, but really thats a small amount of folks.

[ColPyat]

It seems a great many people come to the shores of SEA bringing their and their countries particular values on drug useage and punishment,

I do somewhat agree on people needing to inform themselves about possible punishment's beforehand.

But - they do not bring "their country's values" on drug usage to SEA, particularly Thailand. There are many substances in Thailand that have been commonly grown, used and traded by large sectors of society until very recently. They have never carried any social stigmata, and still today, as soon as you get out of the urban areas, substances such as ganja or bai kratom do not carry any negative social stigmata.

The further you go, the more openly people, especially the old folks, disregard the laws do still use ganja, as it has always been part of their tradition.

Basically, the repressive drug politics in Thailand (and most parts of SEA) are a result of western government's (especially the US) political pressure linking drug laws with the highly coveted most favoured nation status and other economical development aids.

[mogoso]

It seems a great many people come to the shores of SEA bringing their and their countries particular values on drug useage and punishment,

I do somewhat agree on people needing to inform themselves about possible punishment's beforehand.

But - they do not bring "their country's values" on drug usage to SEA, particularly Thailand. There are many substances in Thailand that have been commonly grown, used and traded by large sectors of society until very recently. They have never carried any social stigmata, and still today, as soon as you get out of the urban areas, substances such as ganja or bai kratom do not carry any negative social stigmata.

The further you go, the more openly people, especially the old folks, disregard the laws do still use ganja, as it has always been part of their tradition.

Basically, the repressive drug politics in Thailand (and most parts of SEA) are a result of western government's (especially the US) political pressure linking drug laws with the highly coveted most favoured nation status and other economical development aids.

You speak of locals whom partake of these substances, I speak of farangs. Its been several years since I visited a hill tribe villiage, but they grew ganga and poppies openly and as I was led to believe legally at that point in time. An example of this in the US allows Indians to utilize the Peyote cautus among other things not allowed to the general populace. (religious purposes)

I would agree the repressive nature is due to western pressure.

I also personally don't care if people do drugs, just let Darwinism take care of the stupid hard drug user without society having to pay for illness obtained from their useage. (This excludes yaa bah users and dealers who should be shot as a menace to society)

That being said I don't use drugs, and don't condone their usage.

But the punishment despite why the laws are there and when and whom they pretain to is real, especially for the farang. If you come here and use drugs, you'll get what you deserve if caught.

cheers

[SanukJoe]

Anyone who has anything to do with drugs in Thailand or SEA is stupid.

Britmaveric, I have not been on your side on other topics, but this time I'm fully yours. Well said, short but clear, cheers

Joe

[Robski]

(This excludes yaa bah users and dealers who should be shot as a menace to society)

Fair enough mate. I find it impossible to argue against your viewpoint there.

[ColPyat]

(This excludes yaa bah users and dealers who should be shot as a menace to society)

Thanks for the suggestion, bu that actually happened in 2003 here - several thousand of them were extrajudically murdered (one or the other friend and acquintance of mine included), most within two months, a few innocents as well. Personally, even though i do not agree with repressive druglaws, i do prefer due process given the options you point out.

But maybe you do not come from a modern society and therefore have difficulties to understand the concept of human rights and due process, and its advantages.

And basically, no, hill tribes are not allowed to grow these substances and use them. They do that clandestinely, and get punished when caught. It is not just hill tribes who traditionally use Ganja, ethnic Thais do as well.

Opium was a relatively recent introduction into the area. It was introduced by the British who made lots of money by selling it to China in exchange for tea. Two wars in the mid 19th century were fought over this issue with China, which tried to refuse the British policy of selling opium. China lost the opium wars.

A few links about this:

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

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

And one to show how long the substance of opium, for example, has accompanied humanity without its legal use having extinguished us:

http://opioids.com/timeline/index.html