US man detained in Thailand over bullet in luggage

[dcnx]

5 hours ago, moontang said:

Kind of odd that a 37 yo, with a 16 year old kid, and still going to school could afford to vacation in Thailand.  If he did it, he needs to take responsibility, and might get off with a fine..otherwise, if this blows up into an indictment of Thai corruption, and the press crying foul, he might be here for a while.  Not seeing a lot of support for him from the states.  The origin of the bullet might only make the situation worse.

Not odd at all. People do have paid holidays and others know how to save.

 

The first case last month received support from someone in the US government who stepped in. But he was white and worked at a company with political ties. A black male from the US.... unless someone has connections, he’s going to be here for a while. That’s the sad reality of it.

[moontang]

4 hours ago, Saint Nick said:

So...exactly...what is he going to do with ONE bullet?

Play russian roulette?

Why does that concern anybody?

What harm could a box cutter do?  Besides, of course, starting a 20 year war, and changing the way we live.

[josephbloggs]

26 minutes ago, dcnx said:

Per usual, the Thais are late. About 5 years or so for this one.

 

With two cases back to back that received international press, they would be incredibly stupid to pull this again. Not that they won’t, but with each new bullet case it’s obvious that it’s a scam. I can’t imagine such a scam at the airport would be as easy to pull off as say the jet ski scam. 
 

And this will do wonders for tourism once again. Honestly, Thailand doesn’t deserve tourists. They deserve the plague. 

Wow, what a thing to say.  You know there are people you can talk to to help with all the pent up bitterness.

And again you have ignored my questions asking you to explain the scam where no-one asks for money, you pay an official bail, appear in court, and you are moved through the legal process.

[moontang]

Something kind of ironic is that Mr Fire Chief is from Burgettstown PA, which is only 27 miles from Clairton...Which was the setting for which Oscar winning film?

 

https://www.mapdevelopers.com/distance_from_to.php?&from=Burgettstown%2Cpa&to=Clairton pa

[jimmybcool]

2 hours ago, moontang said:

What harm could a box cutter do?  Besides, of course, starting a 20 year war, and changing the way we live.

How does equating the weapons used by the 9/11 terrorists equate to a harmless bullet?

 

[moontang]

17 minutes ago, jimmybcool said:

How does equating the weapons used by the 9/11 terrorists equate to a harmless bullet?

 

Airport security...and Thailand is under intense pressure to maintain high airport standards or its airports will not receive the certification to send planes to the EU and North America...so we don't know what was happening behind the scenes..was there new equipment, that just happened to nail a few Americans at the start of high season, was it a way to let foreign governments know they don't like being told what to do...I don't know.  Why isn't fire chief on the news denying it?  Wouldn't you be?  Reminds me of a case thirty years ago, with a young man gettig caught with 6 kg of white powder in Spain at the airport..he was working for a courier..GHWB intervened and he was released after about two years.  The whole community was screaming bloody murder, but some of his actual peers said differently.  Rural fire fighters own and like guns, period.  Same with African American males..6% of the population and 50% of violent crime...even millionaire athletes frequently get caught with unlawful possession..Jason Kidd, NBA hall of famer, rolled his SUV and had a handgun while a student at Cal Berkeley..he was on the brink of earning five million per year or more.

 

But, who knows what the movie was?

Edited January 2, 2020 by moontang

[jimmybcool]

3 minutes ago, moontang said:

Airport security...and Thailand is under intense pressure to maintain high airport standards or its airports will not receive the certification to send planes to the EU and North America...so we don't know what was happening behind the scenes..was there new equipment, that just happened to nail a few Americans at the start of high season, was it a way to let foreign governments know they don't like being told what to do...I don't know.  Why isn't fire chief on the news denying it?  Wouldn't you be?  Reminds me of a case thirty years ago, with a young man gettig caught with 6 kg of white powder in Spain at the airport..he was working for a courier..GHWB intervened and he was released after about two years.  The whole community was screaming bloody murder, but some of his actual peers said differently.  Rural fire fighters own and like guns, period.  Same with African American males..6% of the population and 50% of violent crime...even millionaire athletes frequently get caught with unlawful possession..Jason Kidd, NBA hall of famer, rolled his SUV and had a handgun while a student at Cal Berkeley..he was on the brink of earning five million per year or more.

 

But, who knows what the movie was?

In all of that rambling paragraph is there any actual response to my question?  How does a single bullet equate to actual weapons?

 

 

[moontang]

2 minutes ago, jimmybcool said:

In all of that rambling paragraph is there any actual response to my question?  How does a single bullet equate to actual weapons?

 

 

You must not have been here very long to think the Thai justice system applies logic to foreigners committing crimes..Google how many Americans have gone down hard in Mexico..."armas y municiones" implies ammo is just as serious as the arms...if it had been a gun without ammo, would that be ok?  

[jimmybcool]

2 minutes ago, moontang said:

You must not have been here very long to think the Thai justice system applies logic to foreigners committing crimes..Google how many Americans have gone down hard in Mexico..."armas y municiones" implies ammo is just as serious as the arms...if it had been a gun without ammo, would that be ok?  

None of that is relevant to my question to you.  Here, let's start over.

 

Your said:

What harm could a box cutter do?  Besides, of course, starting a 20 year war, and changing the way we live.

I said - How does equating the weapons used by the 9/11 terrorists equate to a harmless bullet?

 

Do you think he should have been subjected to this treatment for this?

[josephbloggs]

1 minute ago, jimmybcool said:

None of that is relevant to my question to you.  Here, let's start over.

 

Your said:

What harm could a box cutter do?  Besides, of course, starting a 20 year war, and changing the way we live.

I said - How does equating the weapons used by the 9/11 terrorists equate to a harmless bullet?

 

Do you think he should have been subjected to this treatment for this?

Come on it's really not that hard to work out is it?  I am sure this guy made an honest mistake and is not a terrorist, but imagine one person smuggles a "harmless" bullet on board.  Another guy smuggles a gun, or part of a gun.  See where this goes?  Or he gets his bullet, empties out the gun powder on board and ignites it.  This is why there has to be a zero tolerance when it comes to aircraft safety.  I can just imagine if Thailand said "come on, it's just a harmless bullet let's forget all about it, I am sure he's a nice man" - TVF would melt with rage against Thailand and its attitude to safety, to aircraft security; the phrase "third world country" would probably self combust through overuse.

And the man is not in jail.  He paid bail and is in a hotel waiting for a court appearance, after which he will probably be fined and sent home.  Does he deserve it?  Probably not.   But it is a serious offence.  Try putting a bullet in your bag at Heathrow and see what happens to you - a guy was jailed for nine months for the same thing (he had no gun, just some bullets).

[moontang]

Both could be harmless, both could be quite dangerous, both are prohibited on commercial aircraft.

 

What I think should happen to him is of little importance.  I would like to get to the bottom of why two American tourists have jeopardized a 187 year friendship, while I am a citizen of one, and living in the other..for years..

 

Oh, no one got the movie trivia..believe it or not..https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Deer_Hunter

 

 

[moontang]

4 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

Come on it's really not that hard to work out is it?  I am sure this guy made an honest mistake and is not a terrorist, but imagine one person smuggles a "harmless" bullet on board.  Another guy smuggles a gun, or part of a gun.  See where this goes?  Or he gets his bullet, empties out the gun powder on board and ignites it.  This is why there has to be a zero tolerance when it comes to aircraft safety.  I can just imagine if Thailand said "come on, it's just a harmless bullet let's forget all about it, I am sure he's a nice man" - TVF would melt with rage against Thailand and its attitude to safety, to aircraft security; the phrase "third world country" would probably self combust through overuse.

And the man is not in jail.  He paid bail and is in a hotel waiting for a court appearance, after which he will probably be fined and sent home.  Does he deserve it?  Probably not.   But it is a serious offence.  Try putting a bullet in your bag at Heathrow and see what happens to you - a guy was jailed for nine months for the same thing (he had no gun, just some bullets).

And how about a place like Israel, where there is a history of hijackings?  Wouldn't be a Bar mitzvah.

[jimmybcool]

5 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

Come on it's really not that hard to work out is it?  I am sure this guy made an honest mistake and is not a terrorist, but imagine one person smuggles a "harmless" bullet on board.  Another guy smuggles a gun, or part of a gun.  See where this goes?  Or he gets his bullet, empties out the gun powder on board and ignites it.  This is why there has to be a zero tolerance when it comes to aircraft safety.  I can just imagine if Thailand said "come on, it's just a harmless bullet let's forget all about it, I am sure he's a nice man" - TVF would melt with rage against Thailand and its attitude to safety, to aircraft security; the phrase "third world country" would probably self combust through overuse.

And the man is not in jail.  He paid bail and is in a hotel waiting for a court appearance, after which he will probably be fined and sent home.  Does he deserve it?  Probably not.   But it is a serious offence.  Try putting a bullet in your bag at Heathrow and see what happens to you - a guy was jailed for nine months for the same thing (he had no gun, just some bullets).

 

See I agree we can't allow them on planes.  Not that the amount of propellant in a single bullet would be very harmful on a plane but yes, if one guy gets through then 20 more could follow and some could smuggle parts to assemble a gun - YES security is important.  But an accidental single bullet it isn't a serious offense.  They take away knives all the time and wave people through.  

 

What I don't get is the box cutter angle.  Or why security can't figure out an honest mistake and a quick fine and on he goes home.  No month long hotel expense and lawyer etc.  It's overkill.

 

Of course it is it a scam (which sounds possible) then it is despicable.  

 

Here are some of the items taken by TSA.  I doubt most of these people thought they were doing anything wrong and most probably caught their flights.  Mind you the machetes are curious.

 

[webfact]

UPDATE:

 

Was a bullet planted in his luggage?

American father trapped for months in Thailand

Author: Andrew Horansky

 

 

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio — It sounds almost too bizarre to believe.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1150548-was-a-bullet-planted-in-his-luggage-american-father-trapped-for-months-in-thailand/