Thai Air Force officer arrested in US freed as diplomatic immunity kicks in

[webfact]

Thai Air Force officer arrested in US freed as diplomatic immunity kicks in

 

 

A Thai group captain briefly detained in New York over the weekend following a prostitution bust was promptly freed because he has diplomatic immunity, the New York Post online reported on April 15.
 

Police from the Manhattan South vice squad collared the Thai officer at the Marriott on Lexington Avenue around 11pm for allegedly patronising a prostitute late Saturday, the online news site reported, quoting the New York Police Department.

 

The officer was released shortly after midnight Sunday, once officials confirmed his diplomatic immunity.

 

The site quoted police as saying that the officer is a brigadier general in the Thai Royal Air Force. No such rank exists, but a man with a similar name is a group captain in the branch.

 

Police could not immediately confirm they were the same person.

 

The Post quoted a source as saying that the arrest was part of an NYPD “hotel operation” to catch men soliciting prostitutes, a source said.

 

It was not immediately clear if the officer was staying at the Midtown hotel or had only gone to meet the fake prostitute.

 

The NYPD has been posting fake ads for hookers and arresting men who show up for dates. In some cases, the police texted guys who never showed up and revealed they got lucky – by avoiding arrest.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30343312

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-04-17

[johng]

6 minutes ago, webfact said:

The NYPD has been posting fake ads for hookers and arresting men who show up for dates.

Disgusting entrapment...they should be using their time solving real crime.

[worgeordie]

"Police could not immediately confirm they were the same person."

"It was not immediately clear if the officer was staying at the Midtown hotel or had only gone to meet the fake prostitute."

So the Police don't know much,but released him without confirming who he was ?.Trump would say  "Fake news"

regards worgeordie

[taipan1949]

Diplomatic immunity is bullshit. The p..k should be charged and deported as Persona non Grata.

[zidane86]

21 minutes ago, johng said:

Disgusting entrapment...they should be using their time solving real crime.

 

It's illegal in their country so technically it is a real crime.

Plenty of people locked up for decades in foreign countries for drug offenses, While they would of got let off with just a fine in their home country 

[johng]

1 minute ago, zidane86 said:

It's illegal in their country

Its not illegal everywhere in US of America,  in some states its legal others turn a blind eye or don't engage entrapment techniques.

and in some states its legal to take drugs too  Tobacco, Alcohol and Marijuana !

[colinneil]

He probably said to the police...Do you know who i am.

[Tilacme]

Since when is an air force pilot an official diplomat?

[55Jay]

Well, here you could pull down "her" panties and something unexpected might fall out.  In the US, it might be a police badge. 

 

Presuming he's married, probably thought he was far enough away from home to cheat and enjoy some variety.    Oops.  Big loss of face for wife, Sunday brunch at the Officer's Club here will never be the same.

[JOC]

A pride for the Thai diplomatic corps......

A Brigadier General ( or whatever) buying street prostitutes......

 

And when caught...have the nerve to claim diplomatic immunity...

[jvs]

42 minutes ago, taipan1949 said:

Diplomatic immunity is bullshit. The p..k should be charged and deported as Persona non Grata.

Why?

[stephen tracy]

2 hours ago, johng said:

Its not illegal everywhere in US of America,  in some states its legal others turn a blind eye or don't engage entrapment techniques.

and in some states its legal to take drugs too  Tobacco, Alcohol and Marijuana !

It's illegal in New York and that's where it happened.

[stud858]

3 hours ago, jvs said:

Why?

Because it's like children playing chasey. If you say you're barley then you can't get caught. 

Where have all the adults gone? 

[sanemax]

4 hours ago, taipan1949 said:

Diplomatic immunity is bullshit. The p..k should be charged and deported as Persona non Grata.

Yes, disgusting behavior , all people who hire prostitutes should be deported

[surangw]

same day as they "tap" tourists  about human trafficking posters show  up in the airport ?

[JAG]

6 hours ago, Tilacme said:

Since when is an air force pilot an official diplomat?

Air Attache or assistant attache at the embassy?

 

About the right rank...

Edited April 17, 2018 by JAG

[Darcula]

All a big misunderstanding, according to the story in BP.

[gk10002000]

diplomatic immunity is a real thing, but it has limited applicability.  Just ask many of the US servicemen that have been charged and held for crimes overseas. Now this Thai officer may have been attached to the Thai embassy staff, at least for now!

[PhonThong]

2 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

diplomatic immunity is a real thing, but it has limited applicability.  Just ask many of the US servicemen that have been charged and held for crimes overseas. Now this Thai officer may have been attached to the Thai embassy staff, at least for now!

That falls under the "Status of Forces Agreement". Not diplomatic immunity. 

[BobBKK]

This is IMPOSSIBLE as Thais do not go with prostitutes and, obviously, this was a misunderstanding and a PLOT to hurt Thai hearts.  

[gk10002000]

12 hours ago, sanemax said:

Yes, disgusting behavior , all people who hire prostitutes should be deported

That is why I go to Thailand.  Prostitution is illegal there. 

[rkidlad]

I read elsewhere that this is all just a 'big misunderstanding'. He merely went outside the hotel for a smoke, and some bird started speaking Spanish to him. He didn't understand and next thing he knew he was being 'detained for patronising a prostitute'. 

 

*Note to self - when in New York, don't go outside for a smoke and don't talk to women. Apparently their police force will assume you're up to no good and 'detain you'. Then again, all you have to do is say it's all just a big misunderstanding and they let you go. 

[Lupatria]

17 hours ago, JOC said:

A pride for the Thai diplomatic corps......

A Brigadier General ( or whatever) buying street prostitutes......

 

And when caught...have the nerve to claim diplomatic immunity...

...meanwhile at the airport in his home country:

[TheFishman1]

Lol 

[stanleycoin]

Prostitution should be legalized all over the world.

Silly laws with religion stoking the fire and driving the BS moral Train. 

[maximillian]

 

No prostitution in New York ?  Strange law.  A leftover from the 1920s alc prohibition idea ?

Hypocrites they are. I find it criminal of the NYPD to set up traps like that.

[pearciderman]

18 hours ago, Tilacme said:

Since when is an air force pilot an official diplomat?

 

Where in the OP does it say he is a pilot ?

 

As for being a diplomat - "A defence attaché (DA) is a member of the armed forces who serves in an embassy as a representative of his/her country's defence establishment abroad and in this capacity enjoys diplomatic status and immunity. ... The DA is usually responsible for all aspects of bilateral military and defence relations."

[Dustdevil]

19 hours ago, zidane86 said:

 

It's illegal in their country so technically it is a real crime.

Plenty of people locked up for decades in foreign countries for drug offenses, While they would of got let off with just a fine in their home country 

Well, not illegal in the entire country. In Nevada it's legal and strictly licensed, like, I suppose, in Amsterdam. In NY they've decided the best way to cut down on sex trafficking is (aside from going after pimps and traffickers) arrest the johns.

[AsiaHand]

19 hours ago, johng said:

Disgusting entrapment...they should be using their time solving real crime.

Johng,Have you ever been to the US ? I doubt it.New York actually have enough policemen to cover all aspects of crimes and like the so called bib in LOS they enforce laws and with the exception of detectives and those on special assignments do not pretend to interpret or make up their own laws like in LOS>

[Dustdevil]

14 hours ago, InfinityandBeyond said:

I can only think of one. But I think his rank is Air Marshal. 

I haven't read the entire story (not that interesting) but he could be a military attache at his embassy. Plenty of embassies have such personnel.