Injustice In Pai

[JungleJim]

3 weeks ago a farang business owner in Pai was arrested with a friend for smoking a joint in the rear garden of his property by immigration officials who were making checks in all the businesses along that street. 2 grams of weed were also found on their possession. They were jailed for the night and released on bail after visiting the court in Mae Hong Son. Previous small drug busts in Pai, have resulted in Farangs paying bribes or, if it goes as far as Mae Hong Son, after several court appearances, a small fine has been levied and thats that. Not this time.

These 2 guys were originally told that they would be fined and have to stay in Pai for the next 6 months to undergo rehabilitation and weekly piss tests at Pai hospital. That in itself is way in excess of the normal punishment meated out (bear in mind we are talking 2 grams of ganja here). But as they both live here this wasn't such a problem. On returning to court last wednesday, they were suddenly informed that they would have to spend 12 days in jail starting immediately, and on finishing their sentence they will both be deported for a minimum of 5 years.

Now I know many of you will be thinking that if you do the crime you should do the time, but I think this is extremely excessive and uncompassionate when you consider one of the guys has a wife and two small children (one just 5 month old) that rely on him. This enforced splitting of a family is a disgusting thing to do over such a trivial manner, way in excess of the crime. The whole family will either have to relocate to the UK or face 5 years apart, never mind about their business interests in Pai. Neither option is an easy one.

The reason for all this fuss is that as it was immigration officials who made the arrest, they reported the case all the way to Bangkok and once that happens there is little the local police can do to 'help'. The arrest was also technically illegal as there was no drugs suppression officer present during the arrest, which there has to be by law.

Stupid to smoke in Thailand yes, but lets have a punishment suitable to the offence, rather than this madness. Do personal circumstances as important as these count for nothing?

[ThaiPauly]

Wrong Place, wrong time, wrong arresting officer........its purely bad luck.

However Pai has a big reputation on testing people for drugs...its been all over the forums.

I really hope that this gets sorted so they don't have to face deportation....its pure double-standards, which the longer you are here the more you realise it.

I wish your freinds the best of uck

[taxexile]

harsh punishment , yes .

but , if he was truly a responsible father and husband , he wouldnt be a drug user ( whatever ones views of marijuana may be ), it does not take an einstein to work out that just because one person gets a fine for using the stuff in thailand , the next person will be punished in the same way , neither would he be keeping drugs in the family home / business.

he cant be seen as someone acting in the best interests of either his business or his family , and he cant complain when he gets caught.

if he had had any sense at all , he would not have been smoking joints at his workplace , especially when immigration officials were checking the street.

i'm afraid the guy is an idiot and an irresponsible husband , and both he and dependants will unfortunately , but not surprisingly , have to suffer the consequences of his cavalier attitude to the laws here.

[BossHogg]

Absolute madness.There is no way the punishment fits the crime here.Such a tragedy for the wife and children.There is no gaurantee the wife and kids will be given visas for the guys home country.There is a very real possibility the guy will not see the first 5 years of his childs life! That is devastating...and for what? an amount of grass that would not be illegal in many European countries.Two grammes is tiny!

[Ulysses G.]

Not too long ago, people did hard time for just a joint or two in developed countries.

Right, or wrong, ignoring drug laws is just plain stupid!

[Douggie Style]

Without going on about the rights or wrongs of this particular case, the law often produces these catastrophic human consequences quite disproportionate to the crime. It is one thing to say he deserved it, but so often the family unit bears the brunt..

Has he seen a lawyer? you mention a possible angle, sometimes a seemingly small technicality can make a large difference. Obvious suggestion is to hire top quality legal representation asap. Keep us posted on the outcome.

cheers

[weary]

he cant be seen as someone acting in the best interests of either his business or his family , and he cant complain when he gets caught.

You are right about not acting in the best interests of his business or family, but I really do not agree with the next thing you say.

He can not complain about getting caught - true, he committed a crime and should get his punishment.

However, he has all the right in the world to complain about the technically illegal arrest and arbitrary application of punishment.

Edited October 7, 2007 by weary

[taxexile]

fair point.

to be separated from his family like that is certainly harsh , maybe he can get access to a lawyer who can act in his best interests and get an appeal underway.

but i think that a foreigner found guilty of a criminal offence in thailand will be automatically deported after serving the sentence.

[Blinky Bill]

Personally I cannot tolerate idiots. And I particularly don't like drug taking idiots.

Seems this drug smoking character is a real idiot and got caught. Whether or not he has a family means diddly squat and he gets what the local jurisdiction deems he deserves.

Why do some of you posters think he should be forgiven. In my opinion as a former cop.............fukc him and all the other fools in Thailand who think they are above the law.

[hgma]

he cant be seen as someone acting in the best interests of either his business or his family , and he cant complain when he gets caught.

You are right about not acting in the best interests of his business or family, but I really do not agree with the next thing you say.

He can not complain about getting caught - true, he committed a crime and should get his punishment.

However, he has all the right in the world to complain about the technically illegal arrest and arbitrary application of punishment.

[hgma]

cant agree more with you

Personally I cannot tolerate idiots. And I particularly don't like drug taking idiots.

Seems this drug smoking character is a real idiot and got caught. Whether or not he has a family means diddly squat and he gets what the local jurisdiction deems he deserves.

Why do some of you posters think he should be forgiven. In my opinion as a former cop.............fukc him and all the other fools in Thailand who think they are above the law.

[thaiman]

cant agree more with you

Seems this drug smoking character is a real idiot and got caught.

Sounds like a poor idiot! If he's facing this kind of punishment, he clearly dosen't know the right people and/or doesn't have enough cash.

[sceadugenga]

Son nom nar.

[p1p]

Closing now. Discussion of illegal activities such as drug taking is frowned upon by the management of this forum.