US man detained in Thailand over bullet in luggage

[tomauasia]

Set up by stupid people 

[nightfox]

9 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

Fingerprints on the bullet? 

Doesn't matter, He was in position of the bullet, hes done for it. If it was a kilo of drugs in his duffel bag would you say fingerprint the drugs?

[RasiMike]

6 hours ago, Enzian said:

It's not just a single bullet to be careful about. What is one were to handle ammo or a recently fired gun the day of or day before a flight, and then got one of those swab tests at the airport, of one's person or luggage? 

I work airside and often shoot at a range before I go to work. I have never tested positive even wearing the same clothing, without washing my hands and firing many rounds through handguns less than an hour before being swabbed. 

 

[300sd]

Keep digging your own tourist grave Thailand

 

[KhunFred]

Sheer insanity. Literally anyone could drop a bullet into a farang's luggage to get revenge or just for plain meanness. US Embassy needs to come down HARD on the Thais. Problem is, they don't have the cojones.

[KhunFred]

23 minutes ago, 300sd said:

Keep digging your own tourist grave Thailand

 

Thailand is done for as a tourist and retirement destination. When they wake up and realize that no money is lining their pockets, they will blame the Western countries. It never fails to happen. Farangs are ALWAYS to blame for every bad thing that happens in Thailand. YouTube is FULL of bad press on Thailand. The damage will not be easy to repair.

[yogi100]

3 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

Did you not see the link in the other thread about the lady who came here from America, forgot she had a bullet in her bag, then got caught here?  It was her bullet, she knew it was and admitted it was. It had made it all the way from America and passed all your first world airports.  So yes, it can and does happen.  Only your blind faith in first worldness believes that it couldn't.

And if you read my posts instead of skimming them you will see I said this could be the arrival of the Manila scam.  But as of yet I am not convinced, although I certainly believe it could happen here.  As I said, if this happens to a Brit or an Aussie or someone who doesn't come from a gun culture country then it's clearly a scam.  But this guy comes from Ohio which is one of the most gun happy states in the US.  So, not convinced yet.  You guys need very little to yell "scam" as your prejudices are set up that way to automatically see things here in a negative light, and to always see things in the west in a positive light ("couldn't happen").  I am waiting for evidence of the scam then I'll freely admit it's a scam.  I don't automatically draw conclusions one way or the other.

Now answer me this.  What kind of scam doesn't involve the asking of a bribe to make the trouble go away?  In the article it says they paid bail money and he was released but can't leave the country pending a court appearance.   That, by definition, is legitimate police action, not a scam.  A scam would involve the threat of police action but pay the money and it'll go away - that didn't happen.  So, explain the scam that involves no money changing hands.

 

It really doesn't help your case when you resort to low, baseless, childish insults like that.  You know absolutely nothing about me, my job, my salary, my financial circumstances.  I can afford to live very comfortably wherever I chose -thank you for your patronising rubbish.

It's possible he was asked for money to make it go away and refused to pay. And they have accordingly released him on bail to await his trial.

 

His story is bound to be different to the one the authorities tell. It's up to us which story we believe. I know whose version I'll believe if ever we hear the full story.

 

We're always hear about falangs driving vehicles getting shaken down by Thai cops, why should the airport plod be any different. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 31, 2019 by yogi100

[KhunFred]

3 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

  I don't automatically draw conclusions one way or the other.
 

Anytime Thailand is involved, I automatically think "scam".  They simply cannot think in any other terms.

They EXIST to rip you off and destroy your life.

[richard_smith237]

I don’t think this is a scam. In similar situations too many people cry ‘scam’ too soon without any real indications of a scam... The seems to be what it is.. a guy who accidentally left a bullet in his baggage. 

 

What is extremely disappointing is the manner in which this is being treated - its one bullet, an obvious mistake or not, one bullet can hardly be seen as a threat, unfortunately common sense has not been permitted to prevail and this situation is being handled with a degree of extreme clumsiness a 3rd country excels in.

[ukrules]

3 hours ago, RasiMike said:

I work airside and often shoot at a range before I go to work. I have never tested positive even wearing the same clothing, without washing my hands and firing many rounds through handguns less than an hour before being swabbed. 

 

They're swabbing for traces explosives, not gunpowder residue.

[dcnx]

51 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

I don’t think this is a scam. In similar situations too many people cry ‘scam’ too soon without any real indications of a scam... The seems to be what it is.. a guy who accidentally left a bullet in his baggage. 

 

What is extremely disappointing is the manner in which this is being treated - its one bullet, an obvious mistake or not, one bullet can hardly be seen as a threat, unfortunately common sense has not been permitted to prevail and this situation is being handled with a degree of extreme clumsiness a 3rd country excels in.

2nd guy in a month to be found with a single bullet in his bag. Same airport. On the way out. Yea, it’s a coincidence. What are the odds?

[moontang]

Perhaps, they have new equipment..

[Traubert]

1 hour ago, KhunFred said:

Anytime Thailand is involved, I automatically think "scam".  They simply cannot think in any other terms.

They EXIST to rip you off and destroy your life.

Oh no, another one who woke up sober wrapped around a ladyboy.

[josephbloggs]

2 hours ago, KhunFred said:

Anytime Thailand is involved, I automatically think "scam".  They simply cannot think in any other terms.

They EXIST to rip you off and destroy your life.

Oh dear. 

[josephbloggs]

3 hours ago, dcnx said:

2nd guy in a month to be found with a single bullet in his bag. Same airport. On the way out. Yea, it’s a coincidence. What are the odds?

You post again without answering a direct question.  Answer this:

 

Now answer me this.  What kind of scam doesn't involve the asking of a bribe to make the trouble go away?  In the article it says they paid bail money and he was released but can't leave the country pending a court appearance.   That, by definition, is legitimate police action, not a scam.  A scam would involve the threat of police action but pay the money and it'll go away - that didn't happen.  So, explain the scam that involves no money changing hands.

[RasiMike]

11 hours ago, ukrules said:

They're swabbing for traces explosives, not gunpowder residue.

Exactly. ????

Some of my co-workers do however give off a positive reading quite regularly.... Sugar cane farmers who've been recently applying nitrogen based fertilizer. 

[LomSak27]

8 minutes ago, RasiMike said:

11 hours ago, ukrules said:

They're swabbing for traces explosives, not gunpowder residue.

Exactly. ????

Some of my co-workers do however give off a positive reading quite regularly.... Sugar cane farmers who've been recently applying nitrogen based fertilizer. 

Why would anyone least of all the BIB be concerned about traces of explosive?  

 

No bullet has been produced in either of these cases. Let me state that again, NO bullet was ever shown to the accused. That is right, they just say there is a bullet in your luggage and then you are in it up to your eyeballs. Two years in jail and a 80,000 B fine. They can milk you for months. Bullets, when don't no stinking  oops wrong line

 

Gold Hat: "Badges? We ain't got no badges. We don't need no badges. I don't have to show you any stinkin' badges!"

[Enzian]

17 hours ago, RasiMike said:

I work airside and often shoot at a range before I go to work. I have never tested positive even wearing the same clothing, without washing my hands and firing many rounds through handguns less than an hour before being swabbed. 

 

Thanks and that is good to know, since this very thing has made me nervous in the past. But it doesn't make me very confident that the swab tests are protecting us. I believe you, but if you are right then what are the swab tests even good for? And now reading the above, is there really that much difference between gunpowder and explosive powder? OK, different chemicals.

Edited January 1, 2020 by Enzian
Add detail.

[mikebell]

King Power used to use the old shoplifting ruse to scam returning tourists.  This looks like it's similar.  I agree with the post above that calls for maximum publicity to stop this in its traps.  It could be any one of us TV members. 

 

Police here have total power to decide if a crime has been committed; what the punishment should be; AND they 're the ones with access to bullets.

[jvs]

15 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

What is extremely disappointing is the manner in which this is being treated - its one bullet, an obvious mistake or not, one bullet can hardly be seen as a threat, unfortunately common sense has not been permitted to prevail and this situation is being handled with a degree of extreme clumsiness a 3rd country excels in.

One bullet does not sound as a big problem but there is always(not saying this case)

a possibility of a conspiracy.What if six people all carry one bullet and a few others carry parts of a gun,you see what i mean?

And what law enforcement likes to say,'You know in this day and age'.

It would be nice to know if the guy owns guns and what caliber,if he owns guns

with the same caliber it could very well be possible?

Not so sure this is a scam.

People pass security with forbidden things often i think.

[ToYoungToRetire]

As as American Ex-Army I own many weapons. Weapons that have would and have put me on the FBI watch list. 

 

I can say I have a few bags I take to the gun range with me with lots of Ammo. Still you'd have to be an idiot for this to happen. My travel bags never carry ammo of any sort. I did get stopped in China with a Key Knife on my key ring I forgot was there. 

 

Accidents happen. 

Edited January 1, 2020 by ToYoungToRetire

[BobinBKK]

These people are worthless scum and will get what's coming to them.

[jvs]

6 minutes ago, BobinBKK said:

These people are worthless scum and will get what's coming to them.

Not sure what people you mean?

 

[ToYoungToRetire]

26 minutes ago, BobinBKK said:

These people are worthless scum and will get what's coming to them.

These people who?

[SteveK]

This is not a case of a guy leaving a bullet in his luggage by mistake. If that were the case, it would have been spotted on his way out to Thailand 100%. Someone at the airport put it in his bag hoping to get their hands on a wad of thousand baht bills by way of extortion.

[josephbloggs]

18 hours ago, yogi100 said:

We're always hear about falangs driving vehicles getting shaken down by Thai cops, why should the airport plod be any different. 

Do you drive a car here?  What shakedowns have you experienced?

 

I've been driving here for over 20 years.  I've only ever been in trouble when I've done something wrong (illegal U-turns and the like).  I've also had a couple of tickets in the post.  Been stopped at many checkpoints but always waved through when I've showed my license.  I've also been stopped and breathalysed twice and then thanked and waved away when I've passed.  

I've been involved in two major accidents here - neither my fault but the other driver tried to blame me in both cases.  Police came down on my side in both cases and I was treated very courteously and fairly.

 

I understand motorbikes are more troublesome as they can stop you for many technical reasons that are hard to avoid (going outside the left lane, using a flyover etc).

 

So tell me about your shakedowns.

[blackcab]

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[josephbloggs]

Just now, SteveK said:

This is not a case of a guy leaving a bullet in his luggage by mistake. If that were the case, it would have been spotted on his way out to Thailand 100%. Someone at the airport put it in his bag hoping to get their hands on a wad of thousand baht bills by way of extortion.

If you read the thread you will see many people have got through with bullets in their bags in the US, even with a loaded gun on them - not detected, not stopped.  So your 100% is absolutely incorrect.

And he wasn't asked for a bribe.  He has paid police bail and is awaiting a court appearance.

So please explain the extortion.

[SkyFax]

Update on the bullet-in-bag episode from several weeks ago:

 

Home for Christmas: Hanover fire chief back in United States after being detained in Thailand 

He said his father has opened up a little about his time in Thailand and the court process and trial that had taken place. However, (his son) Dominic said they don’t yet have any new information to share.

“He didn’t get into the nitty-gritty of the trial,” Dominic said.

 

 

https://observer-reporter.com/news/localnews/home-for-christmas-hanover-fire-chief-back-in-united-states/article_5b4a3982-27ef-11ea-a762-7bfc732c3b0a.html

Edited January 1, 2020 by metisdead
14) You will not post any copyrighted material except as fair use laws apply (as in the case of news articles). Please only post a link, the headline and the first three sentences.

[josephbloggs]

4 hours ago, SkyFax said:

Update on the bullet-in-bag episode from several weeks ago:

 

Home for Christmas: Hanover fire chief back in United States after being detained in Thailand 

He said his father has opened up a little about his time in Thailand and the court process and trial that had taken place. However, (his son) Dominic said they don’t yet have any new information to share.

“He didn’t get into the nitty-gritty of the trial,” Dominic said.

 

 

https://observer-reporter.com/news/localnews/home-for-christmas-hanover-fire-chief-back-in-united-states/article_5b4a3982-27ef-11ea-a762-7bfc732c3b0a.html

It is strange - again it seems like it wasn't a scam.  There was no bribe requested and he went through a legal process.