Expat in Koh Samui Prison on drug charges, nearly $3,000 raised to get her out

By Caitlin Ashworth

 

PHOTO: Facebook: Ashley Oosthuizen

 

A 21 year old South African woman is locked in Thai prison after she allegedly signed for a package containing 250 grams of MDMA, an ingredient in ecstasy, according to a GoFundMe account. People say she’s innocent and have raised $2,966 USD to get her out. She’s apparently facing drug charges that carry life imprisonment.

 

Ashley Oosthuizen has been living in Thailand for more than 2 years. She worked as a teacher at an international school in Koh Samui, according to her Facebook page. The GoFundMe page says Ashley started Hot in the Biscuit, a breakfast and brunch restaurant on the island.

 

“She is well known in the community and liked by all who meet her. She is truly a wonderful human being with a heart of gold.”

 

While Ashley was at work, a package was delivered and addressed to her former boss. She signed for the package, but didn’t open it and set it aside. Later, the police raided the shop and searched the package, finding 250 grams of MDMA, according to the GoFundMe page.

 

Apparently, Ashley was arrested and charged with importation with intent to distribute a Category 1 narcotic. Importing a Category 1 substances carries a penalty of up to life imprisonment and a fine of 1 million to 5 million baht under Thailand’s Narcotics Act.

 

“The case against her is absolutely horrible – there is no evidence excepting the unopened package addressed to her former friend but because the package contained 250 grams of drug they are holding her as the one responsible.”

 

The GoFundMe page says Ashley was drug tested and came out negative. Her friends say they expect the case to be dismissed, but say Thai courts move “painfully slow” and they don’t want Ashley spending time behind bars waiting for a court date.

 

“Thai prisons are not like Western prisons. She cannot stay there so long. She is only 21 years old. She is an innocent victim.”

 

To donate to the GoFundMe account, or to read about Ashley’s story, click HERE.

 

Source: https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/crime/expat-in-koh-samui-prison-on-drug-charges-nearly-3000-raised-to-get-her-out

 

-- © Copyright The Thaiger 2020-10-23

 

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The package was intended for someone else. As it's written on it. Let's not engage in wrongful arrests. That's a criminal offence these days. 

The fact that she signed it simply proves that the package got delivered. That's all. It's very unfortunate that the coppers are mentally challenged over here. 

1 minute ago, A1Str8 said:

It's very unfortunate that the coppers are mentally challenged over here. 

Who do you think will be getting the $30,000 that is being crowdfunded for her?

 

1 minute ago, donnacha said:

Who do you think will be getting the $30,000 that is being crowdfunded for her?

 

Not them coz once your case is in court they can do nothing.

It should be investigated to see in the Thai criminal code what it says to the culpability of the person receiver of a prohibited and controlled goods, if the law says that who ever signed for that is the owner of the goods that is going to be a problem for her...

15 minutes ago, A1Str8 said:

Not them coz once your case is in court they can do nothing.

Large amounts of money have magical powers in Thailand.

Not saying it will be cheap, but a judge would have plausible grounds for dismissing this case if he were to feel so inclined ????

 

23 minutes ago, A1Str8 said:

The package was intended for someone else. As it's written on it. Let's not engage in wrongful arrests. That's a criminal offence these days. 

The fact that she signed it simply proves that the package got delivered. That's all. It's very unfortunate that the coppers are mentally challenged over here. 

My next load of crack cocaine I will have delivered to my house in someone else's name...if in the event it is detected I am innocent as wasn't my name on the package...life's not that simple...

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Thai courts move “painfully slow”

Unless you are Thai and have connections, in which case you will almost certainly  be allowed out on bail straight away, whatever the charge, even murder ! 

How do open a restaurant being on a teachers salary for 2 years?

2 minutes ago, bwpage3 said:

How do open a restaurant being on a teachers salary for 2 years?

Seems you just discovered the weak spot in her case.

Some of us actually know what farang teachers get paid.

Wonder if she's got a work permit for the restaurant?

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Later, the police raided the shop and searched the package, finding 250 grams of MDMA, according to the GoFundMe page.

Obviously the cops knew the drugs had been delivered ( they don't go around raiding restaurants on the off chance of finding parcels with drugs ).

Seems she was set up. I could speculate on the obvious reason, but that would be a conspiracy theory, so won't.

3 hours ago, webfact said:

“The case against her is absolutely horrible – there is no evidence excepting the unopened package addressed to her former friend but because the package contained 250 grams of drug they are holding her as the one responsible.”

My pals in the UK (cocaine drug dealers) always used to operate deliveries like this (Red Star Parcels).

Package delivered to your address with another person's name on, put on the side for a week, then open if they weren't raided.

Gave them plausible deniability, police stakeouts could only afford to wait 3 days.

What's with all the quotes in this story attributed to no one? You couldn't make this up.

something about this story doesn't make sense.  

 

21....BUT started as a teacher at in International school at 19???  almost impossible two years ago, since no degree (probably).

 

has a business at 21 in koh samui.......yea, not sure about that.  i'll google it.  OK, it says it does AMERICAN breakfast but she's from South Africa.  21-year olds generally don't do things like this. 

 

cocaine.   that is a mess

 

i'll wait for more details

2 hours ago, donnacha said:

Who do you think will be getting the $30,000 that is being crowdfunded for her?

 

where did $30,000  come from .....   it said 3,000 has been raised.     ?   

Just as well her eyes have been blurred out, very hard to recognize now - lol.

23 minutes ago, steven100 said:

where did $30,000  come from .....   it said 3,000 has been raised.     ?   

From the linked web site.

Quote

$3,361 raised of $30,000 goal

 

2 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

From the linked web site.

 

right .... i was thinking that after the post,  goal is 30,000.   Seems a pretty high goal unless friends with deep pockets can step up. 

40 minutes ago, HashBrownHarry said:

Just as well her eyes have been blurred out, very hard to recognize now - lol.

Go to source page, not blurred out there.

 

Well, there is a "Hot in the Biscuit" American restaurant in Koh Samui and there are pics on that page that appear to be her, so it's not like those stories in the Mirror and Sun where they have outlandish stories with zero actual details so they can't be pinned down and proven to be scammers.

Nothing on the restaurant's Facebook page about this (not surprising - not something you'd want to advertise).

An update from 21 Oct says they hit their goal and the current amount is just over $3,360 so the original goal must have been $3,000 and they since upped it to 10x that amount. (A good lawyer can be expensive after all.)

Started teach in Thailand at 19 ? Something doesn't add up there. Unless she wasn't legit (i.e. no actual teaching qualifications or certification).
Starting a little restaurant that serves breakfast and brunch ? 
Sheesh - not that hard. Rent a spot, buy/rent/borrow some tables and chairs, set up an area to cook and clean. Probably get up and running for less than 5,000 baht (depending on rent/location). 

Hope she has a decent lawyer but this is Thailand. Even though they have nothing to connect her to the drugs, they can still decide that she knew what was in the package. 

There's little doubt she was set up though. As someone else mentioned, the police don't just show up and start searching a place and opening packages addressed to someone else. Unless they knew what to look for and when to look for it.

So someone sent the package and then tipped off the cops about what was in it. Which would mean the cops should know who was behind it.

Which a good lawyer should be able to point out to the judge. But again. This is Thailand.

3 hours ago, A1Str8 said:

Not them coz once your case is in court they can do nothing.

Worked OK for the Red Bull heir.

This stinks why did the Police think to raid her place?

 

16 minutes ago, Kerryd said:

So someone sent the package and then tipped off the cops about what was in it. Which would mean the cops should know who was behind it.

Setting someone up by losing yourself $10,000 of drugs seems a little bit excessive. (MDMA $40/gm x 250)

Would point out 250gm is 4,000 doses ........ maximum safe clinical dose = 150mg.

 

If I were setting someone up, I'd have just posted $100 worth.

From the legal point of view. Was she authorized to sign for the rightful owner? If not she never should have received the parcel. So in the end a mistake of the delivery company.

1 hour ago, bwpage3 said:

How do open a restaurant being on a teachers salary for 2 years?

Extra curricular activities  maybe  

4 hours ago, webfact said:

While Ashley was at work, a package was delivered and addressed to her former boss.

That appears to need an explanation as there is no indication she was working for anyone - no indication if Thai or foreign - why not there - if expected to return - just does not make sense not to explain something this important and then claim it makes all the difference..

Stickyboy has the updates...four other parcels found at her room and already signed a confession..

These islands and Samui police are the worst when it comes to 'law'.  When I first came to Thailand 20 years ago I had a friend who was stupid enough to go to some outdoor beach party ! It was there some undercover police 'apparently' found someone with a narcotic ! All the foreigners there were taken to Nathon prison cells! Cells with 15-20 in each and Due to appear in court later even though there was no evidence! Basically I had to pay to get him out. Taken to a room and a number was written on a paper with a 5 and 3 zeros and told ' pay it '. I did and he was released ! These provinces have their own  laws, corrupt to the hilt 

1 minute ago, baansgr said:

Stickyboy has the updates...four other parcels found at her room and already signed a confession..

If that is true would hope forum removes link to go fund me!  

So if someone sends a package containing drugs to a Thai bureaucrat and they sign for the package, then they are guilty of receiving drugs with the intent to distribute?  But if their secretary signs for it then the secretary is guilty?  Just saying that that logic contains a lot of holes and easily leads to the punishment of innocent people.  And - if the package was signed by a Thai bureaucrat my guess is a different tier of "justice" would apply and they would never be jailed or considered to be involved.  But commoners and foreigners.  Guilty without a doubt. 

No wonder 80% of Thailand prisons population is locked up for drug charges.  Lord only knows how many are totally innocent after being caught up by laws that only seek to punish "someone or anyone" as oppose to investigating to find out who the actual criminal is.  Go to know though.

3 minutes ago, baansgr said:

Stickyboy has the updates...four other parcels found at her room and already signed a confession..

Boyfriend claims he was going to Ukraine for "medical school" on his Facebook page.