Frenchwoman deported for vaping

By Tanyaluk Sakoot

 

E-cigarettes have been prohibited in Thailand since 2014. Photo: AFP

 

PHUKET:-- Karon police have responded to complaints made by a French tourist who was apprehended in Karon for possession of an e-cigarette.

 

Cecilia Cornu, 31, was in Phuket for a family holiday in January and was caught by Karon police holding an e-cigarette on Jan 30 whilst on a scooter with her fiancée as her parents and brother followed behind.

 

Cornu claims she was stopped by four police officers who snatched the e-cigarette and demanded B40,000, which she refused to pay.

Full Story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/frenchwoman-deported-for-vaping-70535.php#cDxPIODTrd7qEy3C.97

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2019-02-27

Ridiculous!  Haven't they bigger fish to fry than a e-cigarette?

 

Welcome to Thailand!

And yet there are still vendors of them in markets all across the country. I understand that the law is the law, but this seems ridiculously excessive. Paying a nominal fine to the court, should have been the end of the matter, the deportation being to my mind unnecessary and over the top. I am pretty sure that will be another large number of potential tourists now going somewhere else instead. Amazing work Thailand! Shot yourself in the foot again.

3 minutes ago, KhaoTan said:

Ridiculous!  Haven't they bigger fish to fry than a e-cigarette?

 

A chance to extort 40.000 IS a big fish for the officers involved in this scam.

...they know nothing zbout her 8000€ problems... well it was nothing to do with them, that she probably had to purchase new tickets, assuming her airline ticketing  agreement has no date chsnges no transfers... 

Not their problem.

A cynical person might think that she was deported to prevent her from spreading further "false allegations" about the attempted bribary.

 

 

Edited February 27, 20197 yr by chickenslegs

Every country should at this point issue warnings to their citizens when it comes to traveling to thailand. 

 

The only way thailand ever learns is to go broke again... 

Make Thailand Broke again! ????

5 minutes ago, ThomasThBKK said:

Every country should at this point issue warnings to their citizens when it comes to traveling to thailand. 

 

The only way thailand ever learns is to go broke again... 

Do you really think that those who missed out on the 40.000 baht extortion, lost face  and might risk exposure  are going to be bothered by the consequences for Thailand?

9 minutes ago, ThomasThBKK said:

Every country should at this point issue warnings to their citizens when it comes to traveling to thailand. 

 

The only way thailand ever learns is to go broke again... 

Make Thailand Broke again! 

Shame on Thailand..nothing else to say

NOTE;  

SHE CLAIMS

 

Quote

The only way thailand ever learns is to go broke again... 

please tell me when thailand was broke or when ( expect year after Tsunami) the tourists stopped coming here?

Edited February 27, 20197 yr by phuketrichard

31 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

And yet there are still vendors of them in markets all across the country. I understand that the law is the law, but this seems ridiculously excessive. Paying a nominal fine to the court, should have been the end of the matter, the deportation being to my mind unnecessary and over the top. I am pretty sure that will be another large number of potential tourists now going somewhere else instead. Amazing work Thailand! Shot yourself in the foot again.

I see thai vaping everywhere, even in front Mega bangna which is the entrance of the mall...they don't seem to be scared for anything and just do it.

 

And this will be big in the French newspapers i think.....costing the Thai many millions year after year...

I've always maintained... smoking can be dangerous to your health and welfare.... especially in Thailand!

 

Thier shamlessness has no limits

35 minutes ago, tifino said:

...they know nothing zbout her 8000€ problems... well it was nothing to do with them, that she probably had to purchase new tickets, assuming her airline ticketing  agreement has no date chsnges no transfers... 

Not their problem.

 

Their official position is as follows:

 

Quote

When asked about Cornu’s case, he replied, “I don’t know about Ms Cecilia’s complaint. It is not an important issue.”

 

My last visit to Phuket was over 15 years ago. I said it would be my last visit and I have stuck to that. This story confirms and strengthens my confidence in my decision. What a shower of spiteful, dishonest, terrible people that run the show there.

Kinda makes you wonder, what's gonna be next:

 

--Deportation for jaywalking?

 

--Deportation for dropping a ciggie on the sidewalk?

 

Pick your poison in Thailand...

 

8 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

My last visit to Phuket was over 15 years ago. I said it would be my last visit and I have stuck to that. This story confirms and strengthens my confidence in my decision. What a shower of spiteful, dishonest, terrible people that run the show there.

"What a shower of spiteful, dishonest, terrible people that run the show there."

 

Does this not apply to all areas in Thailand that have (too) many tourists?

Does this not apply - to a lesser degree - to all of Thailand, Kampuchea, Myanmar, Laos?

Edited February 27, 20197 yr by oldhippy
.

45 minutes ago, tifino said:

...they know nothing zbout her 8000€ problems... well it was nothing to do with them, that she probably had to purchase new tickets, assuming her airline ticketing  agreement has no date chsnges no transfers... 

 Not their problem.

8000 Euros would have to be an embellished figure. 1000 Euros for a one way flight to France, maybe another thousand for a lawyer, and then who knows where the other 6000 went?

 

Agree with the above sentiments of the thread though, there are way worse/more dangerous behaviours they could crack down on. People who vape generally look stupid blowing out a cloud of smoke that a Bangkok bus would be proud of. That's punishment in itself.

If you didn't read the full, linked article, do so.  It's a winner. 

 

Anybody know what the charge is, specifically?  The cops charged and the court convicted her.   Tax evasion? 

Edited February 27, 20197 yr by 55Jay

13 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Their official position is as follows:

 

Quote

When asked about Cornu’s case, he replied, “I don’t know about Ms Cecilia’s complaint. It is not an important issue.”

It's true though. Rightly or wrongly, if she's deported as a result of her arrest, it is not the concern of Thailand how much the incident costs her. Same as when people get deported from other countries - the government doesn't care what their flight home and alternative arrangements cost. 

 

The only reason they should (officially) care is if some of that money was given/taken as a bribe. 

Just now, oldhippy said:

"What a shower of spiteful, dishonest, terrible people that run the show there."

 

Does this not apply to all areas in Thailand that have (too) many tourists?

Does this not apply - to a lesser degree - to all of Thailand, Kampuchea, Myanmar, Laos?

Perhaps it does.

 

However my impression of Phuket (all impressions are subjective, of course) was formed on the contemptuous and aggressive manner of the taxi drivers, tuk-tuk drivers and touts (all protected by their patrons) which was very considerably removed from anything I had seen in Bangkok, where I lived at the time, or any other city, touristy or not, in Thailand or South East Asia. The closest thing I had seen to it was in the Middle East.

1 hour ago, darksidedog said:

And yet there are still vendors of them in markets all across the country. I understand that the law is the law, but this seems ridiculously excessive. Paying a nominal fine to the court, should have been the end of the matter, the deportation being to my mind unnecessary and over the top. I am pretty sure that will be another large number of potential tourists now going somewhere else instead. Amazing work Thailand! Shot yourself in the foot again.

absolutely agree 100%, this is a case of extortion then a nonsense waste of time and fine and then vindictive  payback by police/authorities because she stood her ground

 

ridiculous to say the least

Hate to say this, but it's the bitter truth...

 

She would have been better off, financially and otherwise, if she had just paid the original alleged 40K bribe request....

 

Presumably, no court visit, no multi day stay in IDC, no deportation on her record, and probably no substantial extra travel expenses home, as presumably she could have kept her original return flight arrangements.

 

Not saying it's right. It isn't. Just saying, look at the result of her choice of standing up for herself.

 

Edited February 27, 20197 yr by TallGuyJohninBKK

11 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

Perhaps it does.

 

However my impression of Phuket (all impressions are subjective, of course) was formed on the contemptuous and aggressive manner of the taxi drivers, tuk-tuk drivers and touts (all protected by their patrons) which was very considerably removed from anything I had seen in Bangkok, where I lived at the time, or any other city, touristy or not, in Thailand or South East Asia. The closest thing I had seen to it was in the Middle East.

So you've never been to Bali.

If you hate the place so much why bother following it on TV?

2 minutes ago, beechbum said:

So you've never been to Bali.

If you hate the place so much why bother following it on TV?

Your post makes no sense whatsoever.

 

I have been to Bali so you're wrong there.

 

I don't follow the Phuket News section on Thaivisa so you're wrong there.

 

Please try to post in a factual, articulate and constructive manner.

2 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Hate to say this, but it's the bitter truth...

 

She would have been better off, financially and otherwise, if she had just paid the original alleged 40K bribe request....

 

Presumably, no court visit, no multi day stay in IDC, no deportation on her record, and probably no substantial extra travel expenses home, as presumably she could have kept her original return flight arrangements.

  

Not saying it's right. It isn't. Just saying, look at the result of her choice of standing up for herself.

 

I thought exactly the same thing.

 

Although, the cops in question, if they did ask for the bribe (not pointing fingers for obvious reasons around defamation etc), would have been better asking for something smaller. I think most naive tourists expect that in this instance you would go back to the station and it would all get worked out, good would prevail over evil and you'd carry on with your holiday, but TIT and she ended up in court and the IDC. 

 

Had they asked her for a few thousand baht, she may well have just paid and got it over and done with, but instead she ended up with a spiteful arrest and conviction. In her shoes, I wouldn't have paid 40k baht either As you say, rightly or wrongly she'd have carried on her holiday. 

 

 

Well, they say "Any press is good press". Not in this case. This was the days before trial by social media. Think about what will be going on between her FB and whatever else in France. Phuket police and Thailand will be getting a hammering. 

 

Just stupid, Talk about greedy and overzealous. Why use tact and diplomacy when you can use a sledgehammer.