South African woman gets life sentence reduced in Thailand

[MyFriend You]

On 8/20/2022 at 11:09 PM, Liverpool Lou said:

What?  How does it "tear the body down"? 

Was your incarceration in a Thai prison "like a death sentence"?

If I have learned anything being a member of this forum for over 20 years it's

[Wongkitlo]

I struggled through the boyfriends statement. I wonder if he had been taking too much of his 'harmless' ecstasy himself. As far as I could work our he claims he sent the drugs to the restaurant because the place where the intended addressee lived was too remote to receive  a package. I just question where in Thailand  is too remote to receive mail? I live in a very remote area and there is still regular mail deliveries by motorbike. If it was too remote why could he not pick it up at the post office? I heard everyone in jail os not guilty.

[oslooskar]

20 hours ago, Wongkitlo said:

I heard everyone in jail os not guilty.

Hundreds of inmates have been freed from American prisons because DNA tests proved they were innocent of the crimes they were convicted of.

[JimTripper]

Signing for something without knowing what it is would not be guilt in many countries.

 

It would need to be proven she knew what was in the package ????‍♂️.

 

That's what scares me about places like Thailand. You can get busted on a technicality or just by dumb cops who don't understand what evidence is.

[bradiston]

57 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

Signing for something without knowing what it is would not be guilt in many countries.

 

It would need to be proven she knew what was in the package ????‍♂️.

 

That's what scares me about places like Thailand. You can get busted on a technicality or just by dumb cops who don't understand what evidence is.

And no jury, just quite possibly a bent cop, bent lawyer and bent judge. Don't mess with the IRS, nor any other government agency. And most of all, dodgy expats.

Edited August 24, 2022 by bradiston

[Wongkitlo]

2 hours ago, oslooskar said:

Hundreds of inmates have been freed from American prisons because DNA tests proved they were innocent of the crimes they were convicted of.

I still think it  is still common for guilty people to claim they are innocent. If I was stuck in a Thai jail would probably do the same, hoping it would keep up attention.

[Wongkitlo]

2 hours ago, oslooskar said:

Hundreds of inmates have been freed from American prisons because DNA tests proved they were innocent of the crimes they were convicted of.

I still think it  is still common for guilty people to claim they are innocent. If I was stuck in a Thai jail would probably do the same, hoping it would keep up attention.

[jacko45k]

2 hours ago, JimTripper said:

Signing for something without knowing what it is would not be guilt in many countries.

 

It would need to be proven she knew what was in the package ????‍♂️.

 

That's what scares me about places like Thailand. You can get busted on a technicality or just by dumb cops who don't understand what evidence is.

Or maybe not so dumb cops who see a possible little extortion opportunity.

[bobbin]

This is a travesty of justice...

 

Absolutely ridiculous for a Government to apply a life sentence.

[oslooskar]

5 hours ago, Wongkitlo said:

I still think it  is still common for guilty people to claim they are innocent.

I'm not sure what your point is because innocent people also claim they are innocent.

[metisdead]

A post in violation of fair use policy has been removed:

 

27. You will not post any copyrighted material except as fair use laws apply (as in the case of news articles). Only post a link, the headline and three sentences from the article. Content in the public domain is limited to the same restrictions.

[Wongkitlo]

2 hours ago, oslooskar said:

I'm not sure what your point is because innocent people also claim they are innocent.

My main point was that it seems unrealistic to me that the Thaii Post will not deliver because an address is too remote. You just quoted the end of the post.The Thai police claim she admitted that she knew the package contained drugs. Now she claims she did not know. One side must be telling the truth and the other not. Personally I find it hard to believe that she was so naive to not know her boyfriend was a drug dealer and she is guilty even though she claims she is innocent. 

[Wongkitlo]

10 hours ago, JimTripper said:

Signing for something without knowing what it is would not be guilt in many countries.

 

It would need to be proven she knew what was in the package ????‍♂️.

 

That's what scares me about places like Thailand. You can get busted on a technicality or just by dumb cops who don't understand what evidence is.

The police claim she admitted that she knew the parcel contained drugs but that they did not  belong to her. 

[JimTripper]

1 hour ago, Wongkitlo said:

The police claim she admitted that she knew the parcel contained drugs but that they did not  belong to her. 

I think that's what they said. Let me get back to you.

[bradiston]

3 hours ago, Wongkitlo said:

The police claim she admitted that she knew the parcel contained drugs but that they did not  belong to her. 

Now that I find almost impossible to believe. I mean the idea she would admit she knew the parcel contained drugs, and went ahead and signed for it. What did she think the drugs were? ???? Where was her lawyer at this point?

 

I made a statement once in a cop shop. All written in Thai. I refused to sign. Messed up my case completely. You have 3 months in which to sign. I forgot all about it. Many months later my case collapsed as a result.

 

Get everything translated!

[d4dang]

After seeing the video featuring the "private school teacher who may have owned or was a partner in a restaurant" who is now fighting for freedom in the Ukraine it seems obvious that there were  locals/foreigners involved in his drug business or were benefiting from it. She got caught. Everyone else went to ground including the boyfriend who remains at large. She received one package and gets the death penalty? No other arrests? No assets seized? Was this a lengthy and thorough investigation Samui style?

She is guilty and paying the price while the boyfriend is enjoying his freedom and ill gotten gains. I'd bet he isn't sending her any kites or socks or money or will be during her lengthy sentence.

[d4dang]

On 8/20/2022 at 2:30 AM, Liverpool Lou said:

No, 33 years for international drug trafficking and possession of Class 1 narcotics.

remember the case in Pattaya where the foreign guy and his Thai gf were arrested for trafficking in "yaa bah". They escaped from the Chonburi jail and a while later the bf was shot and killed by police in Khorat(?) and the Thai gf got 20 years. 

Edited August 24, 2022 by d4dang
grammar

[Wongkitlo]

9 hours ago, bradiston said:

Now that I find almost impossible to believe. I mean the idea she would admit she knew the parcel contained drugs, and went ahead and signed for it. What did she think the drugs were? ???? Where was her lawyer at this point?

 

I made a statement once in a cop shop. All written in Thai. I refused to sign. Messed up my case completely. You have 3 months in which to sign. I forgot all about it. Many months later my case collapsed as a result.

 

Get everything translated!

They did not say if she signed the statement  The police  just said she admitted knowing it contained drugs but claimed they were not hers. 

[Liverpool Lou]

9 hours ago, d4dang said:

remember the case in Pattaya where the foreign guy and his Thai gf were arrested for trafficking in "yaa bah". They escaped from the Chonburi jail and a while later the bf was shot and killed by police in Khorat(?) and the Thai gf got 20 years. 

Yes, I do, but what about it?

[bobbin]

Relationships.. Everybody should be able to figure this one out.

 

The Thai cops went for the low-hanging fruit..

 

19 year old woman.  33 year old man. Just hanging on a tropical island. Does anyone believe he discussed business with her? What insight/expertise could she offer?

 

Her attitude obviously was to leave her BF to his business. Anybody with any experience of the business understands she was not a "partner"

[bradiston]

2 hours ago, Wongkitlo said:

They did not say if she signed the statement  The police  just said she admitted knowing it contained drugs but claimed they were not hers. 

"The police just said..." Was this sworn testimony in court, under oath? Or just a  completely illegal casual press release allegation? Is there any record of her actually saying this, or admitting to it? As reported, the Thai justice system seems devoid of any due process - a caution, legal representation, right to remain silent etc etc.

 

I had a Swiss acquaintance, nabbed for receiving a small packet of drugs, not sure what, via a ferry. It was a sting. He got 16 months. In 8 he was back in a Swiss jail, and out in 12. To say YMMV is slightly understating it.

Edited August 25, 2022 by bradiston

[Wongkitlo]

8 hours ago, bradiston said:

"The police just said..." Was this sworn testimony in court, under oath? Or just a  completely illegal casual press release allegation? Is there any record of her actually saying this, or admitting to it? As reported, the Thai justice system seems devoid of any due process - a caution, legal representation, right to remain silent etc etc.

 

I had a Swiss acquaintance, nabbed for receiving a small packet of drugs, not sure what, via a ferry. It was a sting. He got 16 months. In 8 he was back in a Swiss jail, and out in 12. To say YMMV is slightly understating it.

If you are interested there is plenty of online stuff including the police's claim. Yes the police do have a questionable reputation but there is a long history of people caught up in the drug trade to stay in Asia, even pretty young blonde girls. Personally I find it more feasible what the police said rather than the claims that she was so innocent that she did not know what her boyfriend was up to. Do not know what 'YMMV' means. 

[bradiston]

1 hour ago, Wongkitlo said:

If you are interested there is plenty of online stuff including the police's claim. Yes the police do have a questionable reputation but there is a long history of people caught up in the drug trade to stay in Asia, even pretty young blonde girls. Personally I find it more feasible what the police said rather than the claims that she was so innocent that she did not know what her boyfriend was up to. Do not know what 'YMMV' means. 

YMMV = your mileage may vary. Meaning there's no one size fits all. The law is applied unequally in this case, and in this country, and how!

 

I don't give ANY credit to what the police say. The case was presumably sub judice at the time. They were in contempt by saying ANYTHING before, during, or after the court case. But they do it every time. The police are complete idiots. They have no concept of due process. They go for a confession every time. I know. I've had the 3rd degree treatment. They try and pressure you. It's a complete disgrace. They have absolutely no clue.

[d4dang]

13 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Yes, I do, but what about it?

she got 20 and  the SA girl  got 33....seems the Thai girl did a lot better

[KhunLA]

5 hours ago, d4dang said:

she got 20 and  the SA girl  got 33....seems the Thai girl did a lot better

Maybe a lighter sentence for confessing, as common practice.

[Wongkitlo]

11 hours ago, bradiston said:

YMMV = your mileage may vary. Meaning there's no one size fits all. The law is applied unequally in this case, and in this country, and how!

 

I don't give ANY credit to what the police say. The case was presumably sub judice at the time. They were in contempt by saying ANYTHING before, during, or after the court case. But they do it every time. The police are complete idiots. They have no concept of due process. They go for a confession every time. I know. I've had the 3rd degree treatment. They try and pressure you. It's a complete disgrace. They have absolutely no clue.

I am not saying Thai police are great but at the same time do not think it is too far fetched that she might have admitted that she knew it had drugs in it but it was nothing to do with her. In some jurisdictions that might be looked on favourably but nof in Thailand. All the other stuff seems too hard to believe. It was too hard for mail to be delivered to his address and could not use the post office. She was completely innocent but was living on a party island with a major drug dealer. Her shop was so busy when the mail arrived she just signed without thinking.   It all just sounds too questionable. 

[xtrnuno41]

Just see the time line in it.

He was caught while working in a school, receiving packages for MANY YEARS.

Police didnt interact, but probably school did report.

Next package is in his restaurant, with the new manager. Police knew then and checked and arrested the new manager, the mule. 

She didnt know and it was even admitted by the real criminal, sitting somewhere else.

 

As being a real criminal, he made a try& error on new deliveries. Just using the woman, new manager. If there would be no problem , he could go on and otherwise, too bad, new manager in jail and find another way. Criminals dont care about anybody but themselves. They do whatever it takes, for them.

 

Also known, a criminal comes up to you and say you have to transport a package for me. You say, no way , Jose. He will say : I will kill one of your family.

So what you do?  It happens.