Koh Phangan: "Broken" foreign divers languishing in jail - expect deportation

[Nout]

On 9/9/2020 at 3:11 PM, GeorgeCross said:

breaking up families over playing with (not harming) wildlife - disgusting way to treat people

 

 

 

 

 

His 'family' can join him.

[moe666]

Do not put your self on You Tube, we all know Thais can be touchy especially when some big shot gets involved. Lifes lessons come in many flavors

[stevenl]

On 9/10/2020 at 1:23 PM, pikao said:

AFAIK you need 4 Thai (?) staff in your company to avoid border runs. Have some friends in the same situation. They have company/WP but now on amnesty as the can't leave

Married to a Thai would need 2 staff. Diving company would need driver, cleaner, sales staff at minimum. So 2 is very reasonable.

[stevenl]

49 minutes ago, Nout said:

His 'family' can join him.

Maybe, I know if I was forced to return my family could not join.

[stevenl]

On 9/10/2020 at 5:02 PM, jerolamo said:

Hey, you are talking about two guys who are not criminals at all and who have a real respectful life in Thailand, one is married also, and have a little business plan and then, has the law said in Thailand, employ almost 4 Thai people and have a Thai associate at 51%.

And why are they in jail ?

Because they touch a cucumber ! Ho Buddha, please help them !

So actually, some very dangerous people put some nice people in jail for that fact.

Do you defend people who push non criminals people in jail ?

In fact, now tell us what is your real idea there ?

What can't you understand that is so easy to understand ?

 

All the year in your country you open bar with gogo dancers and sale alcohol to some farang and Thai people and when they see two normal good guys they push them in jail ? What does it means ? What do you want to explain to the world ? The divers world wide community is looking at this story closer. And this kind of story increase a very bad feeling relationship between Thailand government and the world.

 

What i'm thinking right now is that there is some other corruption story under the jacket (again and again) because maybe the guys has a nice diving season club an other one want to recover to his own plan... because why ? because this year, your government is killing YOUR business plan. that is maybe why.

How many corruption story there is again ? Everybody know and see that, do you think no one see  and everybody is stupid ? The stupidity there is to not stop speaking non sens words when everybody see the problem and what ever: the morality as it is.

 

Put in jail divers because they did touch a cucumber... incredible. And not one or two days... no, in jail like criminals !

You don't know nothing about the sea life also, i'm sure at 100%, as all the time people who don't know nothing are speaking about a subject who is far from there own life and interest.

Your understanding of business laws is incorrect.

[stevenl]

On 9/10/2020 at 1:31 PM, Mike LLL said:

I've been os several dive boats out of Phuket. I can remember one night dive in particular when our (Thai) dive master moved a sleeping puffer fish from one place to another. He also touched (played with) an octopus as well as other marine life. He was a good dive master overall and I didn't think too much about the way he treated the marine animals until I saw this article. If the only crime these people committed was touching the animals, they're being treated VERY unfairly.  

Any responsible diver would have chasited that divemaster, Thai or foreigner. So no, he was not a good divemaster since one of his responsibilities, environmental awareness, was not adhered to.

[geriatrickid]

On 9/10/2020 at 6:02 AM, jerolamo said:

Hey, you are talking about two guys who are not criminals at all and who have a real respectful life in Thailand, one is married also, and have a little business plan and then, has the law said in Thailand, employ almost 4 Thai people and have a Thai associate at 51%.

And why are they in jail ?

Because they touch a cucumber ! Ho Buddha, please help them !

So actually, some very dangerous people put some nice people in jail for that fact.

Do you defend people who push non criminals people in jail ?

In fact, now tell us what is your real idea there ?

What can't you understand that is so easy to understand ?

 

All the year in your country you open bar with gogo dancers and sale alcohol to some farang and Thai people and when they see two normal good guys they push them in jail ? What does it means ? What do you want to explain to the world ? The divers world wide community is looking at this story closer. And this kind of story increase a very bad feeling relationship between Thailand government and the world.

 

What i'm thinking right now is that there is some other corruption story under the jacket (again and again) because maybe the guys has a nice diving season club an other one want to recover to his own plan... because why ? because this year, your government is killing YOUR business plan. that is maybe why.

How many corruption story there is again ? Everybody know and see that, do you think no one see  and everybody is stupid ? The stupidity there is to not stop speaking non sens words when everybody see the problem and what ever: the morality as it is.

 

Put in jail divers because they did touch a cucumber... incredible. And not one or two days... no, in jail like criminals !

You don't know nothing about the sea life also, i'm sure at 100%, as all the time people who don't know nothing are speaking about a subject who is far from there own life and interest.

You are given to exaggeration and are overly dramatic.

Aside from your not understanding the applicable laws, you are offering a false backstory.

 

- It was reported several times that their TOURIST visas were cancelled.  They were working on TOURIST visas.  There were other compliance issues as well. Detention of people who are to be deported is  standard practice in many countries.

They are not in jail "Because they touch a cucumber". They are in jail because of  visa  non compliance. 

 

- You say they are nice people. Ok.  We do not know that. Maybe they are. You do not know them do you? 

 

- You  criticize those who are not upset with the comment "  you defend people who push non criminals people in jail". Ok, but what part of the visa violations did you not understand?  The issue of the marine act and protected species violations is beside the point. They have not been convicted of  crimes under those laws. They are held for visa non compliance.

 

- You are being overly dramatic with this comment; 

What do you want to explain to the world ? The divers world wide community is looking at this story closer. And this kind of story increase a very bad feeling relationship between Thailand government and the world.

News flash: NO ONE CARES.  The world  community  does not know of these two, nor does the world community have an interest. We are living in a world where migrants drown trying to reach Europe, where Covid19 is killing thousands every day, where people are trying to survive and you actually believe anyone cares about two very stupid men with the collective common sense of the sea cucumber they were playing with? This is a non event for  the world.

 

-Do you really think that the Thai economy will be damaged, or the locals will lose sleep over the loss of a marginal  small dive promoter and a BBQ  shop?  The loss of these two will have no impact on anyone other than those two and their immediate families. It is not as if they had viable ongoing operations is it?

 

On a human  level,  we all feel for them. it is an unfortunate outcome. We all hope that they will do well in the future.

[mogandave]

On 9/9/2020 at 3:11 PM, GeorgeCross said:

breaking up families over playing with (not harming) wildlife - disgusting way to treat people

 

 

 

 

 

many reason he can’t take his family with him? 
 

How do you know he didn’t harm any wildlife?

[thaibeachlovers]

On 9/9/2020 at 8:11 PM, GeorgeCross said:

breaking up families over playing with (not harming) wildlife - disgusting way to treat people

 

 

 

 

 

Seems to me that a nation that does that for touching a sea creature while allowing those hi sos that commit real crime to get off Scott free don't deserve farang tourists back again.

Hopefully karma will get those responsible for jailing them.

[thaibeachlovers]

10 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

- It was reported several times that their TOURIST visas were cancelled.  They were working on TOURIST visas.  There were other compliance issues as well. Detention of people who are to be deported is  standard practice in many countries.

They are not in jail "Because they touch a cucumber". They are in jail because of  visa  non compliance. 

REDBULL!

 

Don't preach when those that commit REAL crimes are immune to prosecution.

 

10 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

News flash: NO ONE CARES.  The world  community  does not know of these two, nor does the world community have an interest. We are living in a world where migrants drown trying to reach Europe, where Covid19 is killing thousands every day, where people are trying to survive and you actually believe anyone cares about two very stupid men with the collective common sense of the sea cucumber they were playing with? This is a non event for  the world.

We are not talking about the world, we are talking about two men jailed for something they could be under house arrest for.

Yes, some do care.

 

10 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

Do you really think that the Thai economy will be damaged, or the locals will lose sleep over the loss of a marginal  small dive promoter and a BBQ  shop?  The loss of these two will have no impact on anyone other than those two and their immediate families. It is not as if they had viable ongoing operations is it?

Well the Thai economy IS being damaged, isn't it- KARMA.

[Damual Travesty]

This is simply tragic. I feel for these men, and the Thai Government is behaving wrongly here. We get it. They broke a Thai law. Fine them or send them home. Keeping them in a Jail cell for this - pathetic.

[Tropicalevo]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

REDBULL!

 

Don't preach when those that commit REAL crimes are immune to prosecution.

 

We are not talking about the world, we are talking about two men jailed for something they could be under house arrest for.

Yes, some do care.

 

Well the Thai economy IS being damaged, isn't it- KARMA.

The men are in gaol and will possibly be deported for visa violations, not for playing with marine life.

Yes, the Thai economy IS being damaged but not because of anything in this thread. The damage is being caused by a very serious state of affairs. You are mixing your facts up a bit on this one. Covid, not KARMA is the cause.

[mogandave]

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Seems to me that a nation that does that for touching a sea creature while allowing those hi sos that commit real crime to get off Scott free don't deserve farang tourists back again.

Hopefully karma will get those responsible for jailing them.

What does one have to do with the other? 
 

Because a few connected people get away with something, you think everyone should get away with something?

 

You must be a leftist 

[Hi Tea]

On 9/10/2020 at 7:53 AM, MartinL said:

 Next time anybody wants to touch marine creatures, make sure you have somebody of the status of [...] Premchai along to appear in all the pictures. Very little problem then, it seems.

Very little problem apart from a jail sentence and multi-million baht fine.

[Hi Tea]

On 9/10/2020 at 9:32 AM, ChipButty said:

So they want to split the family up? wonder what his wife thinks about that?

Maybe she thinks that he was stupid not to have got the correct visa that allowed him to operate a diving business but tried to screw the system by living here on a tourist visa?

[Hi Tea]

On 9/10/2020 at 9:38 AM, ChipButty said:

Not able to apply for bail? not like the guy in Cha am 

You think that bail is readily available for someone with a revoked visa and due to be deported?

[Hi Tea]

On 9/10/2020 at 10:00 AM, connda said:

In the meanwhile, Italian-Thai tycoon Premchai Karnasuta who stood trial for hunting a black panther and other wlldlife in a Thai hunting reserve is still roaming free.

He's not "roaming free", he's appealing a jail sentence and a multi-million baht fine.

[Hi Tea]

On 9/10/2020 at 11:16 AM, Accidental Tourist said:

Is EATING sea cucumbers in a Chinese restaurant safe? Or would you fear deportation...

Only if you caught them yourself, in Thailand, and put videos of it on the internet.

[Hi Tea]

On 9/10/2020 at 11:23 AM, Burma Bill said:

Not only "hostile news", but for me after 20 years, all the bureaucratic documentation, extortionate financial requirements, Thai bank documentation and Thai health insurance for my visa renewal - then 90 day/TM30 etc. visits to Immigration! Not for me, and I now live in welcoming Cambodia where next month I have to renew my annual retirement visa. All I do is pay 300 US$ to an official local agent because I am already registered on FPCS (foreign persons in Cambodia system). No other information required - so easy!

But the downside is that you've got to live in Cambodia.

[Hi Tea]

On 9/10/2020 at 11:33 AM, Keyser Soze666 said:

People on here are actually gossiping about what visa he might be on?? Genuinely never known a sadder, more bored bunch of people than that pollute these fair boards.

Well, the original story reported that this married, dive business owner had been here for years on a tourist visa, kind of relevant to the story.

[Hi Tea]

On 9/10/2020 at 11:41 AM, ChipButty said:

What about Thai fishermen using dynamite has been know in the past

If they film it, put the video on the internet and identify themselves, they get arrested.

[fangless]

On 9/10/2020 at 9:22 AM, Jimbo2014 said:

Thailand is the lead plastic polluter in the World.

Where did you pluck that statement from, thin air.

 

PLASTIC POLLUTING COUNTRIES
Around the world 12.7 million tons of plastic waste is washed into the ocean each year. 

China is the most plastic polluting country. It has the highest human population and also manufactures a lot of the world's plastic products.

Indonesia is the second most plastic polluting country followed by the Philippines and Sri Lanka.

Australia produced 0.01 million tones of plastic waste compared to China which had 1.32-3.52 million tones in the same period.
I do not see Thailand in those figures.. 

 

It destroys ones argument when your opening line is false.

 

Some more info;

https://ourworldindata.org/plastic-pollution#total-plastic-waste-by-country

[ericthai]

12 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

REDBULL!

Don't preach when those that commit REAL crimes are immune to prosecution.

 

Let it go already!!!!!

[Burma Bill]

17 hours ago, Hi Tea said:

But the downside is that you've got to live in Cambodia.

Not for me, one of my better decisions in recent years. I have been a regular visitor to the country and I am familiar with the Khmer culture, food, and very welcoming people. Life here in Siem Reap is relaxed and hassle free - just the way I like it!

[thaibeachlovers]

On 9/12/2020 at 4:12 PM, Tropicalevo said:

The men are in gaol and will possibly be deported for visa violations, not for playing with marine life.

Yes, the Thai economy IS being damaged but not because of anything in this thread. The damage is being caused by a very serious state of affairs. You are mixing your facts up a bit on this one. Covid, not KARMA is the cause.

I understand that, but putting them in jail is not warranted. Put them on a plane or in house arrest.

 

Corona is the agent of karma.

[Jimbo2014]

On 9/12/2020 at 7:13 PM, fangless said:

Where did you pluck that statement from, thin air.

 

PLASTIC POLLUTING COUNTRIES
Around the world 12.7 million tons of plastic waste is washed into the ocean each year. 

China is the most plastic polluting country. It has the highest human population and also manufactures a lot of the world's plastic products.

Indonesia is the second most plastic polluting country followed by the Philippines and Sri Lanka.

Australia produced 0.01 million tones of plastic waste compared to China which had 1.32-3.52 million tones in the same period.
I do not see Thailand in those figures.. 

 

It destroys ones argument when your opening line is false.

 

Some more info;

https://ourworldindata.org/plastic-pollution#total-plastic-waste-by-country

Refer below:

 

https://ourworldindata.org/plastic-pollution#:~:text=China contributes the highest share,South Africa (2 percent).

 

"China contributes the highest share of mismanaged plastic waste with around 28 percent of the global total, followed by 10 percent in Indonesia, 6 percent for both the Philippines and Vietnam. Other leading countries include Thailand (3.2 percent); Egypt (3 percent); Nigeria (2.7 percent) and South Africa (2 percent)."

 

And the pandemic seems to have only made it worse:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-thailand-plastic/plastic-piles-up-in-thailand-as-pandemic-efforts-sideline-pollution-fight-idUSKBN22N12W