Northeast Ohio man detained in Thailand after vacation

By: Olivia Fecteau

 

PHOTO: Michael Jones (center) is being detained in Thailand, where he traveled for his birthday. In this undated photo provided by his family, he's pictured with his son (left), who is 16 years old.

 

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio — A University Heights couple is asking for help after their son was detained while traveling abroad.

 

Michael Jones took a vacation to Thailand alone to celebrate his 37th birthday, according to his parents, Tanya Durden-Jones and Mike Jones.

 

“He had a great time, said he had a great time in Thailand, and then when it was time for him to come home, that’s when the problem happened,” Durden-Jones said.

 

Durden-Jones said security at the airport in Bangkok told her son they had found a single bullet in his bag, but she said her son wasn't traveling with any weapons or ammunition.

 

“He had nothing, and when he tried to explain that to them, it’s like you really can’t challenge their authority there,” Durden-Jones said.

 

Full story: https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/northeast-ohio-man-detained-in-thailand-after-vacation

 

-- NEWS 5 CLEVELAND 2019-12-30

Looks like that old scam is back again 

The infamous Manilla airport scam has arrived in Thailand.

It will be interesting to see how this case pans out in comparison to the guy stopped last week near Pattaya with a live grenade in his possession.

Quote

“I also know, I’m not naive enough not to realize that we’re dealing with another country that think differently from us,” Durden-Jones said.

And do they!

Its realy sad that Thai people live here. They ruin everything.

 

Hans

Asked and answered in two lines ........

'“We understand what happened, we just don’t understand why,” Durden-Jones said.

Michael Jones was held at the airport and was only allowed to go free after his parents sent thousands of dollars through their bank to a law firm in Thailand to pay for an attorney and bail.'

Edited December 30, 20196 yr by BritManToo

Now if he'd been a retired Thai cop he could've had a loaded gun in his hand luggage and no one would punish him. A little inconvenience, public slap on the wrist and all's well.

 

Why would someone come to Thailand, and buy one bullet and take it home with them?

 

Wonder if they realize that they are gonna look clowns for this done before elsewhere scam?

2 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

Wonder if they realize that they are gonna look clowns for this done before elsewhere scam?

Don't think they care as long as they get the money.

Although the ones that grabbed that French guy in a 'stop and search' appear to be getting a spank.

Edited December 30, 20196 yr by BritManToo

Well, I guess anyone reading the Ohio news won’t want to come to Thailand.... ever. 

Exact same thing happened to a close friend in Manila a few years ago. Cost him a few thousand USD to make it go away. The guy is openly anti firearm which made it even more obvious it was a scam.

A few years ago I had a bullet necklace made out of gold. I wore it to Bkk airport. Security saw it. I had to go back down put it in A bag with luggage.

A year later I went to Koh Samui on Bangkok airways.Everything was fine. Coming back to Bkk Koh Samui confiscated it. I mean it was jewelry. I talked to customs at Bkk. They said it shouldn’t have been taken. It wasn’t a bullet.

It was jewelry.

 

1 hour ago, Hans007 said:

Its realy sad that Thai people live here. They ruin everything.

 

Hans

A bit like France & the French then?!????

1 hour ago, Baerboxer said:

Why would someone come to Thailand, and buy one bullet and take it home with them?

 

Wonder if they realize that they are gonna look clowns for this done before elsewhere scam?

Souvenir off a flea market or similar perhaps?

This is scary. It is a scam that can be pulled on all of us. Scary.

I wonder what wold happen if they found a live bullet in your bag at London or Paris etc airports?!

After saying that, I think it's possible to legally have firearms in check-in bags in Thailand?

Edited December 30, 20196 yr by Andrew65

29 minutes ago, yogi100 said:

If the world's press made a big enough issue of these scams things improve.

 

A few years ago the UK's Daily Mail on Line printed an article that was an embarrassment to Thailand. I think it referred to a member of their Royal family. Nothing serious just a petty jibe.

 

For more a year after you could not access the DM on line in the LOS so it shows what power the press has. A nation that is a tourist attraction cannot afford bad publicity. 

 

More people in the UK read the Mail on Line than any other on line newspaper.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes you could access them .co.uk/sport I remember the story well

27 minutes ago, IAMHERE said:

This is scary. It is a scam that can be pulled on all of us. Scary.

Somewhere out there is a bullet with your name on it

shake down street.

5 hours ago, Hans007 said:

Its realy sad that Thai people live here. They ruin everything.

 

Hans

 

Not disagreeing with you, but Thais have chosen to be what they are. They get no sympathy and little accommodation from me. Most people make excuses for errant brothers and sisters. This usually continues until the folly of doing it dawns on them. It dawned on me a while ago.

4 hours ago, Andrew65 said:

I wonder what wold happen if they found a live bullet in your bag at London or Paris etc airports?!

After saying that, I think it's possible to legally have firearms in check-in bags in Thailand?

I agree with this but what is the kid going to do with it? Build a gun out of Airplane food and utensils and then take over the entire airplane with his plastic homemade gun and single bullet? 

4 hours ago, Andrew65 said:

I wonder what wold happen if they found a live bullet in your bag at London or Paris etc airports?!

After saying that, I think it's possible to legally have firearms in check-in bags in Thailand?

You can’t legally check what you don’t know is in your bag. This is an old scam that has unfortunately made its way here. 
 

Anyone is fair game for this one.

Bullet planting scam was going  on philipines airports as far as I remember. Just saying 

Edited December 30, 20196 yr by Xaos

4 hours ago, thrilled said:

A few years ago I had a bullet necklace made out of gold. I wore it to Bkk airport. Security saw it. I had to go back down put it in A bag with luggage.

A year later I went to Koh Samui on Bangkok airways.Everything was fine. Coming back to Bkk Koh Samui confiscated it. I mean it was jewelry. I talked to customs at Bkk. They said it shouldn’t have been taken. It wasn’t a bullet.

It was jewelry.

 

Seems like once you've had a problem with the bullet, you might learn to not wear it through security again. real or not, it will obviously attract attention at security. You kind of deserved to lose it...

here we go again....manila now thailand.

Who remembers, when people used to walk around with bullets filled with booger sugar?

5 hours ago, thrilled said:

A few years ago I had a bullet necklace made out of gold. I wore it to Bkk airport. Security saw it. I had to go back down put it in A bag with luggage.

A year later I went to Koh Samui on Bangkok airways.Everything was fine. Coming back to Bkk Koh Samui confiscated it. I mean it was jewelry. I talked to customs at Bkk. They said shouldn’t have been taken. It wasn’t a bullet.

It was jewelry.

 

we sell what is called 'The Digger Pen' at the RAAF Museum; same as this one

The Digger Pen

 made from actual .303 rounds 

 

each time handing it over, we warn (especially flying visitors) to pack it into luggage (or Mail it home)

 

6 hours ago, thrilled said:

A few years ago I had a bullet necklace made out of gold. I wore it to Bkk airport. Security saw it. I had to go back down put it in A bag with luggage.

A year later I went to Koh Samui on Bangkok airways.Everything was fine. Coming back to Bkk Koh Samui confiscated it. I mean it was jewelry. I talked to customs at Bkk. They said it shouldn’t have been taken. It wasn’t a bullet.

It was jewelry.

 

Don't consider going to Brunei.

I remember reading a case like this weeks ago, does someone else have a link? same case? 

 

 

definitely going downhill here, i don't believe that guy had anything todo with this ezcept beeing a victim. and what chance has it that its exactly 1 bullet and nothing else... 

Edited December 30, 20196 yr by ThomasThBKK

9 hours ago, yogi100 said:

More people in the UK read the Mail on Line than any other on line newspaper.

And that is how Brexit happened.