I am sorry to bring you very bad news. Although you say you found it. You were at an airport where bags are all around. You made no attempt to give the bag to airport officials and you then attempted to leave the country with the items. In the criminal code it is theft. Your lawyer has misinformed you. Even if you paid 40000 baht and she dropped the charge, you have committed an offence under the criminal code 334 for theft. The sentence is up to 3 years and up to 6000 baht fine. 

But you also are in section 335  (9)that the offence was in an airport, with sentence of 1 to 5 years. But if your offence is at an airport  (9) and at night  (1) the sentence is 1 to 7 years. So the least you should expect and prepare for is 1 year in prison. If you are very lucky the judge will give you a suspended sentence, however that will most likely depend on your plea. If you go to court with remorse and deep apologies and admission of guilt, then you save the court time and he most likely will give a suspended sentence. 

If you go to court lying that you found it and didn't know it was theft  (at an airport ) as you are trying to do on thaivisa. The judge might decide that you need a stronger lesson about your wrongdoing and give you the one year. 

Judges know truth from lies and we all aren't as stupid as you think. 

Your best defence is to admit your guilt of theft, apologise very very much and show the judge you are truly sorry. 

On ‎8‎/‎25‎/‎2018 at 9:55 PM, sanemax said:

If you got a 30 000 Baht fine, he must have found you *guilty*

Had you got a not guilty verdict , you wouldnt have gotten a fine .

You did also steal the bag

Police can fine you at a police station and you are not in court. But this is odd. 30k bail to not run as the prosecutor still can contest the verdict? more like it. 

12 hours ago, greenchair said:

I am sorry to bring you very bad news. Although you say you found it. You were at an airport where bags are all around. You made no attempt to give the bag to airport officials and you then attempted to leave the country with the items. In the criminal code it is theft. Your lawyer has misinformed you. Even if you paid 40000 baht and she dropped the charge, you have committed an offence under the criminal code 334 for theft. The sentence is up to 3 years and up to 6000 baht fine. 

But you also are in section 335  (9)that the offence was in an airport, with sentence of 1 to 5 years. But if your offence is at an airport  (9) and at night  (1) the sentence is 1 to 7 years. So the least you should expect and prepare for is 1 year in prison. If you are very lucky the judge will give you a suspended sentence, however that will most likely depend on your plea. If you go to court with remorse and deep apologies and admission of guilt, then you save the court time and he most likely will give a suspended sentence. 

If you go to court lying that you found it and didn't know it was theft  (at an airport ) as you are trying to do on thaivisa. The judge might decide that you need a stronger lesson about your wrongdoing and give you the one year. 

Judges know truth from lies and we all aren't as stupid as you think. 

Your best defence is to admit your guilt of theft, apologise very very much and show the judge you are truly sorry. 

 

 

But it seems that people sometimes do not even meet the judge ? (they are just waiting the decision in another room) So how to apologize ?!

 

 

On 8/25/2018 at 9:50 PM, TiagoPT said:

Hello,

first off all I need to thanks the some people here, who have listened me, give me some comfort words and free advices.

 

i have been on court at 21 August, and the judge give me the sentence I know. NOT GUILTY.

 

As I have told,

i have found one bag, don’t still the bag to any one. The judge have comprehension and give me a 30.000 bath fine and release me of all the charges.

 

im in freedom not on the IDC, because my lawyer garante me, and I have to stay In Thailand for one more month, because the public prosecutor could contest the judge decision. 

I don’t know if possible put my lawyer name and contact here, but if someone need could send me a pm.

the lawyer is not cheap, but a honest and decent guy.

im here alone, and the lawyer knows that, so every day invite me to lunch or dinner In is house, with is family, always worry if I need something.

in the prison have 2 guys who help me a lot, and because I don’t have my passport yet I can’t visit then.

the lawyer arrange the things, and put me like is employee/ translator and Monday ill visit and bring food for the people who help inside the prison.

maybe it’s important say, the lawyer, now a friend of mine is the Vice President of the Thailand lawyers Association

 

Thanks everybody for your help and kindness words

That's a great ending. 

How much did the lawyer cost? 

there have been a lot of similar cases lately.

 

it's quite satisfying to know that Thai police do a good job finding the persons taking someone else's property... at least when said person is a foreigner.

 

I certainly didn't have as much luck when someone stole my S4 phone some years ago... it was a Thai.

20 hours ago, holy cow cm said:

Police can fine you at a police station and you are not in court. But this is odd. 30k bail to not run as the prosecutor still can contest the verdict? more like it. 

The fines that can be paid at the police station are listed in the criminal code. They are all in the section of petty offences. 

Theft is a serious crime in Thailand and can't pay a fine at the police station. 

The 30,000 is really odd and the way it was paid is odd. It would be interesting to see the receipt. 

4 hours ago, greenchair said:

The fines that can be paid at the police station are listed in the criminal code. They are all in the section of petty offences. 

Theft is a serious crime in Thailand and can't pay a fine at the police station. 

The 30,000 is really odd and the way it was paid is odd. It would be interesting to see the receipt. 

could be that end intention was not to keep it and the girl got her stuff back without incident after tracking it down. Sort of like watering it down as charges were dropped by girl and he was found not guilty as he said. so there was something, but ended up light. Yes, is odd and I too would like to see the receipt. 

1 hour ago, holy cow cm said:

could be that end intention was not to keep it and the girl got her stuff back without incident after tracking it down. Sort of like watering it down as charges were dropped by girl and he was found not guilty as he said. so there was something, but ended up light. Yes, is odd and I too would like to see the receipt. 

I wonder if the 30000 went to the lawyer 

On ‎8‎/‎25‎/‎2018 at 9:50 PM, TiagoPT said:

Hello,

first off all I need to thanks the some people here, who have listened me, give me some comfort words and free advices.

 

i have been on court at 21 August, and the judge give me the sentence I know. NOT GUILTY.

 

As I have told,

i have found one bag, don’t still the bag to any one. The judge have comprehension and give me a 30.000 bath fine and release me of all the charges.

 

im in freedom not on the IDC, because my lawyer garante me, and I have to stay In Thailand for one more month, because the public prosecutor could contest the judge decision. 

I don’t know if possible put my lawyer name and contact here, but if someone need could send me a pm.

the lawyer is not cheap, but a honest and decent guy.

im here alone, and the lawyer knows that, so every day invite me to lunch or dinner In is house, with is family, always worry if I need something.

in the prison have 2 guys who help me a lot, and because I don’t have my passport yet I can’t visit then.

the lawyer arrange the things, and put me like is employee/ translator and Monday ill visit and bring food for the people who help inside the prison.

maybe it’s important say, the lawyer, now a friend of mine is the Vice President of the Thailand lawyers Association

 

Thanks everybody for your help and kindness words

The judge can not give you a not guilty verdict AND a 30K fine. You only get fined if you did something wrong.

21 minutes ago, greenchair said:

I wonder if the 30000 went to the lawyer 

Not a court appointed lawyer. If not guilty then he would be able to leave the country, but he states he is still bound to stay for reason if prosecutor wants to appeal. 30k must be for bail or guarantee to stay, and he still does not have his passport. Something surely doesn't add up.