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Posted

My 18 year old British son on a tourist visa (due to leave Thailand in 4 days)  has been caught with a small amount of cannabis and has been taken to a police station - he has to pay 49000 baht to get bail and they have his passport. His friend has the money and they say they will release him when it is paid and an interpreter has been. Aside from contacting the embassy which I have done is there anything else I can do? Any advice gratefully received, any ideas as to the likely outcome? I cannot believe he could be so stupid 

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Posted
17 minutes ago, Mum2 said:

is there anything else I can do?

Have him pay the 49000 as requested,  plead to the police that he has to leave in 4 days and hope to hell they don't request more. 

Drugs are always trouble.

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Posted
16 minutes ago, steven100 said:

Have him pay the 49000 as requested,  plead to the police that he has to leave in 4 days and hope to hell they don't request more. 

Drugs are always trouble.

Thank you - just spoken to him and another chap in the cell with him who had no passport has just been taken off somewhere else! 

Posted

Your hands are tied as to what you or he can do. Basically he'll be told the process and whats needed, but he can plead that he has to leave in 4 days ... not sure they will listen though.

good luck.

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Posted

Ok - apparently there is no one at the police station at all to speak to. I am worried this will be considered bribery and that makes things worse. Thank you for your comments 

Posted
2 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

Follow the advice of the Embassy on this point, it may just be a very expensive waste of time.

Thank you the embassy said to wait until they had made contact with the police station but apparently the police are not answering the phone! 

Posted
3 minutes ago, samsensam said:

 

it is probably bribery but that's how things work here and while the country suffers from the negative effects of corruption it, sadly, could be said to be a positive thing for those committing crimes and who have the money to avoid prosecution.

 

your son is in an alien cultural environment and not in a strong bargaining position so to be honest i'd try to bargain the price down but have a fall back position of paying the full amount and just getting him out of there and home.

There are certainly merits to what you suggest, it all depends on whether the family is willing to pay. The quick, expensive way out or the slower cheap option is what it boils down to.

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Posted
7 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

Just to put this in perspective, paying a bribe to the police is against the law but so is demanding payment that is not a fine, both, however, are commonplace everyday actions here.

They are saying the 49000 is for bail - from what this forum says bail can only be set by the courts? They know his friend has the 49k but had already put him in a cell before they got it from the bank - it took a while to sort. I guess he just needs to wait until a police officer returns and he can try and pay? Are they likely to give his passport back at this point does anyone know? And should he ask for the embassy to be contacted??  

Posted

Thank you - that is what I would like to do. I am not made of money in any shape or form but at this stage I am willing to try anything ?

Posted
4 minutes ago, Mum2 said:

They are saying the 49000 is for bail - from what this forum says bail can only be set by the courts? They know his friend has the 49k but had already put him in a cell before they got it from the bank - it took a while to sort. I guess he just needs to wait until a police officer returns and he can try and pay? Are they likely to give his passport back at this point does anyone know? And should he ask for the embassy to be contacted??  

I'm at the limit of my knowledge on this now, my belief is that only the court can set bail, even if the police can set bail the figure seems far too high compared to what I've seen bail declared at for other offences. I also can't say whether the money paid to the police would bring an end to the matter and see his passport returned, it might be that it doesn't but I really don't know. 

 

The most helpful thing I can say I think is to follow the Embassy's lead, even if it does take a little while.

 

 

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Posted

shift change,,,,as soon as he sees an officer tell him to speak softly and nice to him and say he is ready to pay...
DONT sign anything

as soon as he is released leave town

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Posted

As said police request for 49K Bail is , really pay us the money and off you go!

 

The Thai police force is not a recognized police force as in the western world more  like a criminal mafia, in reality they probably sold the stuff to you son

So pay up  get passport back as exchange for cash nothing in writing  and GO!

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