Frenchwoman deported for vaping

[Mickeem]

31 minutes ago, oobar said:

It would be interesting to know who specifically (in immigration?) made the decision to deport this lady.  Perhaps that person should be questioned as to the justification of his action.

The local senior Police officer in charge of criminal cases has the power to recommend deportation for foreigners after sentence

 

 

[spidermike007]

This crusade against e-cigarettes is nothing more than a bald faced attempt to squash competition for the government owned tobacco monopoly. This administration is not fooling anyone. It is all about the money. This action was beyond inane, and moves like this continue to make Thailand the laughing stock of planet earth. As I have said before, and I will say again, this administration, and Prayuth are moving Thailand backwards at a breath taking and astonishing pace.

 

The army cannot get out fast enough. They are bringing down the nation. My hope is that they will be voted out, with a vengeance next month. I believe they are truly despised by the vast majority here. The army serves little purpose in Thai society. 

[khunpa]

1 minute ago, Mickeem said:

The local senior Police officer in charge of criminal cases has the power to recommend deportation for foreigners after sentence

 

 

Pretty sure her not keeping her mouth shut about the 40K could have influenced the deportation.

[BestB]

5 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

Tell it to the judge. Or more accurately the policeman imposing the "fine".

 

You may have a good argument, but as far as the police, and Thai law, are concerned, it's considered a recreational drug and is treated as such.

Hence my jibe about the semi-moronic people who want to dispute this law, or flaunt it in public, based on want they think the law should be.

This is not a good country for a foreigner to run a crusade against perceived injustices.

It is what it is, and no incensed Thaivisa poster is going to change anything!

Thought it was already obvious when her fine was 800 baht . Fines for drugs are little more than that.

 

Sure helps to think before speaking ????

[Cobby]

Just another way to extract money from tourists 

one day when no farang from Europe  and other western countries come to Thailand The idiots who make up the stupid laws every other day and then change them regularly will wake up

Thailand is now filling up with Indians  and Chinese 

both will bleed Thailand dry

im off to Cambodia 

then to the Philippines 

have just returned from Vietnam 

all 3 countries have many tourists that used to come to Thailand I have lived in Thailand for 20 years but now I spend most of my time out of Thailand where I’m welcomed to spend my money and no stupid laws to extract money from me sad that Thailand is not the welcoming place as it used to be 

to much greed sadly the average Thai is still struggling to survive 

while the powers to be get richer

????????????

 

Edited February 28, 2019 by Cobby
Spelling

[Captain 776]

I didn’t know they were illegal here.

I ordered one from Ali Express a yr ago and was notified it was confiscated during a Customs inspection..........I guess I need to consider myself lucky I didn’t get in any trouble for trying to import one.

 

what would the reasoning be, to make them illegal.

Is it just because most would be smoking weed in it?  I dunno?

[Aussieroaming]

Rediculous and why didnt her embassy step in

[3stan]

16 hours ago, fruitman said:

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...

Was on the french news yesterday, nearly headlining.

[Trexpat]

Same police station tried to get 40K (is that a coincidence) from a tourist for drinking a can of beer in the back of a Tuk Tuk. After they refused and got to the police station they were messed around for a couple of hours (face saving) and then let go. It was a big family travelling together and all of them said they will never come to Thailand again and will tell all their friends to go to Bali.

Greed in this country never stops amazing me - a quote from a Thai friend the other day when I was overcharged for something was "never mind you are foreign you can afford it'. That sums up the mentality. Add to that the fact that TAT just lies about the number of tourists coming in and they are never going to learn. A previous comment said it well....Shame on you.

[sawadee1947]

Weil, it's always better to inform yourself about the law when travelling to foreign countries, 3rd world countries in particular. 

E-cigarettes are forbidden in Thailand .

So don't complain. She should have known better. 

[sawadee1947]

17 hours ago, KhaoTan said:

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

 

Why you call it Rediculous???

Law is law! 

[sawadee1947]

17 hours 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... 

Well vice versa!!! 

[mike1967]

Thailand you truly are pathetic. Your reputation just gets worse and worse. Well done to her for refusing to pay such a ridiculous fine, 4 months wages for an average Thai.

[TMNH]

Whenever vaping becomes a crime AND all of the murders / injuries are second place, this country is one that I would never want to visit. My God...I am free to give a lecture on priorities. My goodness.

[TMNH]

And considering the stories where <deleted> killed innocent women, either you (authorities) get your shit together OR you will be seriously challenged.

[TMNH]

And that goes to the authorities-the ignorant people that have no idea what is right or wrong. You either have a sense of right and wrong OR you do not. If not, please remove yourself from any viable activity. Thanks!:)

[geriatrickid]

17 hours ago, darksidedog said:

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 understand your point, but I direct your attention to the far more notorious jet ski scams of Patong Beach. Despite years and years of  negative events, there are still people renting jet skis. The tourists who come;

1. Do not read the  news reports and

2. Are oblivious and don't think it will happen to them.

 

17 hours ago, fruitman said:

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...

No it won't. The French who do not smoke won't care, and those who should care do not read the newspaper, nor pay attention to warnings.

 

[Joe Mcseismic]

She's being deported for refusing to pay a bribe.

[hottrader77]

17 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

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

 

 

i think the authorities dont want to lose tax on cigarettes by people vaping thats why they seem to be setting a presetend by the 40,000 baht fine and court costs etc to dissaude people from vaping , i think its all about losing money as they will want to carry on siphoning off the money on tax for cigarettes

[Mattd]

1 hour ago, BestB said:

Most likely visa overstay, but as you can see all experts are too busy bashing Thailand .

 

fine was minimal, indicating court was not bothered , but as I said earlier , because police took her passport , very possible she was on overstay by the time court ruled. 

Which is still ridiculous, any foreigner caught in the court system that goes beyond the permission to stay period should have their permission to stay automatically extended by default.

[randy723]

drunk drivers cause more damage than E cig. but both are bad. drunk driver get a fine of 500 to 1,000 baht but if you mouth off to the police or do not let them bribe you then you get deported. Hell Cambodia here many farang come

[Dogmatix]

Meanwhile, boiler room boys and other foreign criminals who bribe police are more than welcome to stay as long as they want.

[ToddinChonburi]

Just remember for every one removed there are 200 more coming. Complain all you want the GOV. Do not care.  Funny how 4 cops were able to get immigration to go along with this.

[billd766]

4 hours ago, Dukeleto said:

You keep dreaming mate!

I am a little confused by your response.

 

I am very happy living out here and I never had the desire to visit Phuket.

 

Why would I need to keep dreaming?

[dick dasterdly]

It would be funny, if it wasn't so sad....  Deported for vaping - good grief!

 

I'm inclined to believe the woman's story as I'm sure it would never have happened if she's paid the bribe/fine demanded.

[lkv]

14 minutes ago, randy723 said:

drunk drivers cause more damage than E cig. but both are bad. drunk driver get a fine of 500 to 1,000 baht but if you mouth off to the police or do not let them bribe you then you get deported.

You are describing pre-2014 rates.

 

Last time I enquired (2 years ago) with a Thai friend, it was more like 6K baht for Thai and 15K baht for foreigners.

 

Prices may have increased since then due to "inflation".

Edited February 28, 2019 by lkv

[maprao]

Having spent millions setting myself up for retirement here. I have now gone back to square one to plan to stay in my own country and only vacation in Thailand.

 

I never  thought it would become so ridiculous across the board.

 

If all rules smoking, drinking in cars as passengers, driving (no license) were enforced universally then it would be ok. Selective enforcement will only.......sigh forget it????

 

Edited February 28, 2019 by maprao

[richard_smith237]

50 minutes ago, sawadee1947 said:

Why you call it Rediculous???

Law is law! 

If they made Caffeine would you not think it ridiculous???

 

This is similar - Vaping is widely accepted in the majority of countries and there no logical argument for banning it other than Thailand is not yet set up to find a way to Tax its use. 

 

It is highly highly Vaping and E-Cigs will be made legal in Thailand in the coming years.... would you then think the old law is not ridiculous then?

 

Your argument 'Law is Law' is blindly naive and it stupidly attempts to kneecap common sense and intelligent thought - The Law in this case is ridiculous. 

[Tchooptip]

Answer of the French ambassador I guess: rrrr rrrr rrrr ( snoring) 

How on earth any tourists, could know, guess that something practised by tens of thousands of people in their own country, sold legally in thousands of places,  sometimes adviced by their own physician to help them quit smoking could in this country create them the same troubles as a criminal. If it's not a crazy story I do not know what my name is. I hope it will be in the headline not only in the French newspapers but also many Europeans one, because too much is too much, a warning with possible confiscation of the device was the only acceptable answer the rest is total and scandalous delirium!

[Billthekiwi]

18 hours ago, phuketrichard said:

NOTE;  

SHE CLAIMS

 

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

I try to follow the law in Thailand so have little sympathy for those who don't.

 

Next people will say that because you hear of thievery that it must be okay.

 

Wrong is always wrong no matter how many are doing it.