Briton Receives Death Sentence

[royar2002]

Yeah The Thai government is doing well when they kill some farang, but where is the moral. A couple of years ago and they maybe still do, the thai government sell heroine to two country in europe. I think it was switzerland and Holland where they have a project to give heroine and methadone to addicted. Again what is the moral when you kill people for using/traffic in drugs and the same people sell it to other country. What about the opium war. All the farmers can still grow and smoke it, if they change to coffeproduction. Why? Because it was a part of their culture and addicted to opium. Why not just kill them too, or let the opiumsmokers,

potsmokers, heroineaddicted, alcohollovers and all others who need a stuff legal or not, let them do what they want. A lao khao drinker are in more danger than a potsmokers. It is not about the drugs It is about the different politic. America want colombia to stop produce cocaine because it kill so many americans. The colombians say, we will do if america stop produse cigarettes who kills many more

than our coke. Its true, but do sombody belive america will do. The last, longest

and serious study about mariuana was done by WHO. The result? Both coffe, tobacco and alcohol was more dangerous and and addicted than mariuana. In fact the did only find one problem with the mariuana. The smoker is criminal.

Gro Harlam Brundtland, president of WHO at that time, quikly banned the report with the comment. The report is not good for the people, somone may change to mariuana. I prefer a quiet potsmoker than a fat noisy farang sitting at Nana and loud tell about the danger about drugs, without a clue.

[Laulen]

For those who are curious, the 'hotel' that Mr Flannagan and Mr Wilcox will be residing in for a very long time, was a place I walked past on a daily basis on my way to work in Nonthaburi.

For a look at 'The Bangkok Hilton' check out this BBC website

This World 'Inside The Bangkok Hilton'

Laulen

"Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind." - Rudyard Kipling

My Webpage

[sprq]

Hmmmm, I think all farangs should read this before coming to Thailand, in fact they could hand out leaflets to passengers on Thai bound Aircraft.

Many people really do believe they can do whatever they want in Thailand.

Harsh reality is different. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They deserve what they get......we all know the consequences of drugs in Asia...I work in courts here and see the consequences of drug use on a daily basis...

No sympathy

No pity

No appeal

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You think somebody simply possessing 1.23 ounces of heroin, 11 amphetamine pills, 14 Ecstasy pills and 1.06 ounces of marijuana should get 33 years in jail? You think somebody carrying an indeterminate amount of drugs (what drugs?) on a bus should get the death penalty? You must be out of your mind.

[fox]

In Thailand, for drugs smuggling, the death penalty is not mandatory.

Now, this is just for your info and good advice for visitors crossing

over to Malaysia and Singapore.

Over here, the death penalty is mandatory for drugs smuggling.

Quite a number of foreigners, who had been found guilty had been

sent to the gallows.

The latest news : Singapore. One young Australian of Vietnamese origin

had been found guilty of drugs smuggling and will be sent to the gallows soon.

The Australian Government is trying their very best to appeal against the death penalty.

[Doctor John]

97% of all drug related deaths are down to Alcohol and Tobbaco.

If Alcohol was not taxed by Governments to the tune of Billions of Dollars a year worldwide, it would be a Class 'A' drug.

Governments of the world have brainwashed millions of people into believing that only their taxed drugs are acceptable.

They even have a health warning on cigarettes, but still they will not stop the manufacture of a drug that kills millions.

And as for Alcohol, it is accountable for so much misery and death in the world, the mind boggles that it is legal.

In Singapore a person that has over 500 Grammes of Cannabis ( A Plant ), will get the death sentence, yet you can buy as much government taxed Alcohol as you want.

Its all about money. You can buy their drugs, but nobody elses.

[toastwars]

quadruple bypass, still on 30 sigz a day....trying to convince us you are not stupid?? ehhhh

Representatives of the law...killing people....hahahaha

Lets kill all smokers....or even better...let them kill themselves.. whats the differenc between heroin and nicotine? besides nicotine killing far more people than heroin...? The nicotine producers have been protected by the british government for a long time....

The drugs in the drugstores are very available, cheaper and more potent than the drugs on the street....and guess what...They are legal! hahahah

there is usually one reason to deal drugs....making money....making it illigal just adds curiosity and profits.....i dont have to spell it out for you, have i?

i can go to the pharmacy and buy a lb of morphine pills (opiate drivate just like heroin) and go home and shoot up, but i can not smoke a nice joint on a saturday night.....common....just the fact of making nature illegal. ...doesnt it seem abit...unnatural?

a friend of mine has to do urine test every week to show he is off drugs....while he is at the hospital...he disposes his syringes.....as biohazard waste....and they dont even manage to put two and two together....hahahaha

did you know you will test positive for heroin if you eat a poppy seed bun?

do you think its right to kill someone high on bagles?

do you think its right to kill anyone?

heres my solution...start by killing goverment officials,,,then represtentatives of the law.. and last but not least...politicians.....and the world would again be a peaceful place.....amen.

Well... one thing I've not been accused of is being stupid (lighting up) IQ. according to MENSA is like I said, 142. Wonder what your rating is?

As for smokers killing themselves.... they already are. Many kids get hooked before the age of 15 as I did... and from what I understand, nicotine is more addictive than cocaine or heroin? That is according to my daughter who works as a psychiatric nurse in a rehab center.

I do not condone nicotine either... it should be illegal, along with alcahol and other harmful drugs.

My only objection to drugs is that kids get exposed to it... as I did and millions like me watching their parents smoke. I just get a picture of legalized drugs... kids watching their parents shooting up in the living room... or popping pills and taking &lt;deleted&gt;...

I think there is far less of a drug problem in countries with the death penalty than countries will probation or community services. Maybe killing them is not the answer that most people would like... Perhaps a prison with all the drugs the world has to offer, and freely distributed... could even have different wings... Heroin Wing, Cocaine Wing, Tobacco Wing...

Somewhere there must be an answer?

with an IQ of a 142 you would think you may read the paper occasionally, ever heard of nicotine patches? nocotine does not kill tar kills, slap em on and stop lighting up

[gburns57au]

You think somebody simply possessing 1.23 ounces of heroin, 11 amphetamine pills, 14 Ecstasy pills and 1.06 ounces of marijuana should get 33 years in jail? You think somebody carrying an indeterminate amount of drugs (what drugs?) on a bus should get the death penalty? You must be out of your mind.

Facts:

They were caught with illegal drugs

They knew it was against the law

They knew the penalties for it

While the amount of H mentioned is only 35 grams....an average hit is 0.1 of

a gram....which even if it sells for 500 baht a hit, is 175000 baht worth of H.

It is well known that an early plea of guilty will get you a lesser sentence, we have the same system here. The indeterminate amount of drugs must be of a trafficable amount for the death penalty to be considered. These guys were in cohoots so it is a fair assumption that with the amounts involved and variety of drugs that they were more than just users so the implied intent to sell or supply is there. And at least they get a trial.....2000 Thais didnt get that much.

Sorry if people disagree.....these guys have done the crime.....Now they must pay for it.

[stroll]

If somebody wants to take drugs, why not go to Holland, or somewhere that certain drugs are legal? Why go to Thailand or countries that have harsh penalties?

If a person does not like the laws in Thailand, then it is simple. DO NOT GO THERE.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, absolutely, I wonder why it is that not all pot smokers, junkies and crackheads move to Holland and stay there. They must be really stupid.

On the other hand, you should know better than to stay in a country where tobacco is legal, if you don't want to be exposed to greedy dealers licensed by the state.

It is simple, - don't like it, don't stay there.

May I ask why you don't move to a country where you can't buy cigarettes, it is the obvious thing to do ?

Somebody suggested FREE clinics where people can go and get measured doses of their favorite or fashionable drug of choice… and use it while on the premises away from the public. FREE. I can just see it now… A crate of Guinness please… Excuse me, where is the heroine shoot-up room? 40 Silk Cut Guv…

And who is going to pay for this… the taxpayers?  Right!

I suspect you were high on something when you read that post. Try again, it is not that difficult to comprehend with an IQ of 142. If you are still left confused after reading again, I'll be available to explain it to you.

[Dickie]

It would seem that an IQ of 140+ does not protect one from stupidity then...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

True, mine's 155 and I can be a right ######.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Now THAT made me laugh!! but I don't think ###### means stupid any more than addicted means stupid?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Am I the only one to get a little irritated by the forum taking the word ###### and showing ###### when I really want it to show ###### as ######?

[george]

Update:

British MP in bid to save death row Briton

A former Bedworth man on death row in a Thai jail may be spared execution.

North Warwickshire MP Mike O'Brien, a former Foreign Office minister, says he intends to intervene in the case of convicted drug trafficker Anthony Flanaghan.

Flanaghan, aged 34, who was born in Nuneaton and raised in Newtown Road, Bedworth, was sentenced to death by a Bangkok court after being found guilty of illegal drug possession with intent to sell.

Flanaghan had denied the charges and says he plans to appeal.

MP Mr O'Brien, whose North Warwickshire constituency includes Bedworth, said today: "I will be making representations that the death sentence be commuted to a lesser sentence, such as life imprisonment.

"I don't believe in the death penalty and it is not right that people should be executed but, having said that, if you go to another country and break their laws, you take the risks."

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said the government would also be making approaches. She said: "Our policy is to make representations against the use of a death sentence where it is imposed against a British citizen.

"Obviously we are going to be seeking advice from Mr Flanaghan's lawyer. We have to wait for all appeals to go through."

Flanaghan, a former pupil at Bedworth's Nicholas Chamberlaine School, was raised in Bedworth by his grandparents, both of whom are now dead.

He has told British Embassy officials in Bangkok that he has no relatives in the UK.

A former school friend of Flanaghan's, who did not want to be named, told the Evening Telegraph today: "He had a girlfriend in the town called Jackie, and he'd apparently told her that he would prefer the death penalty rather than spend the rest of his life in that jail."

-- iccoventry.co.uk 2004-11-02

[thaidancer]

That is very harsh... in the US, one would likely get very little time in jail or perhaps even probation... even in the harsh South.  Death? 30 years?  Jesus..  I thought Thailand was located in Asia, not the Middle East.

If police can do whatever they like based on a tip... what is to stop someone from planting drugs in your place then tipping off the police?   Or as someone pointed out, stopping the police from planting drugs on you for the purposes of extortion?

The penalties are ridiculous... they open too many possibilities for ruining the lives of the innocent not to mention those guilty of bad judgment and too much self-indulgence... very scary.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is what I'm deathly afraid of someone planting drugs in my hotel room. I usually stay with my uncle at his small hotel when I come to BK because, he does not allow prostitutes inside the hotel or more then one guest into your room and he doesn't let anyone guests or friends stay the night with you. He takes care and looks out for me. The only thing I have to worry about is the Thai staff that cleans my room, which still makes me extra cautious because after my room is cleaned I still look under mattresses and look into draws to check if something was planted even though the chances of that happening at my uncles hotel is next to nil. Yeah it sounds harsh considering I'm staying with family but hey you newer know and I'm not about to spend 30 years of my life in a Thai jail.

[dighambara]

As was stated, these guys could be innocent.

I am not as elloquent as others, so I refer you to "Brokedown Palace", the movie with Bill Pullman as a "falang" Bangkok lawyer trying to get two innocent girls out of a Thai prison.

Oh, Yes, I nearly forgot! In the late 60's / early 70's it was fairly common for police to search backpackers hotel rooms, without a warrant. They always found some marijuana (planted) and then waited for a bribe. No bribe, then straight to judge & jail. During those years, whenever I checked into a hotel, I would thoroughly search my room and trash the joints I found. My rooms were only searched a few times and nothing was ever found.

Michael Weldon

Udon Thani

[gburns57au]

As was stated, these guys could be innocent.

Someone plants 1.5 kilos of heroin on you as you make your way to Khao San Rd....A known Backpacking area popular with Junkies...Your mate who you have dobbed in has about 175,000 baht worth on him as well as other illegal drugs and the eventual recipient has about 1,000,000 baht worth on him. at say 500 baht a hit ....thats a street total of over 8.6M baht....

In Australia, a 0.1 gram hit is $50 bucks....In Australia that is a street equivalent of over 850,000 bucks, on todays exchange rates that is equivalent to 25.5M baht.

These guys werent dabbling for beer money...they were serious Players....

[Bangkok Black Cat]

I think the guy is unlucky to get the death penalty. It would seem more worthwhile and cheaper to chop off his arms and throw him in the Chao Phraya River. Don't waste taxpayers (haha?!) money on injections, prison food and burning him.

[JemJem]

So shameful that only the 'Westerners' make the headlines in these kind of matters. Many Africans and Asians also get arrested in Thailand for drug-related offences but never make the headlines (well, some do I guess but only a few lines are written about them).

Shameful media-racism !

Jem

[sua yai]

I'm not going to make any comment on the rights or wrongs of drug usage - that debate will rage forever.

However, I will say something about penalties. Does anyone know when the last Westerner was executed in Thailand? That's a genuine question. I can't think of anyone being topped recently. All death sentences for Westerners are commuted to life inprisonment.

Someone I know was daft enough two years ago to be caught with 2.4 kilos of heroin at Bangkok airport.

He pleaded not guilty and received 100 years. If he had pleaded guilty, he would have got 99 years. Bearing in mind he's done two years and is now 55, most people wouln't think the extra year made much difference.

But it does. There is a prisoner exchange programme between Thailand and the UK. As he got 100 years, he's eligible for transfer back home after 8 years. If he'd got a 99 year sentence, he'd be eligible after 6 years.

People I know who've been to see him really don't think he'll survive another 6 years. Perhaps an injection would have been better.

[BlackJack]

1.5kgs is definitely not for personal use

good luck boys

[horisize]

I am of the oinion that a mensa certificate is an equivalent of a university degree.

It doesnt mean you are intelligent or educated.

i think that it is in reality easier to NOT do something than to do it.

want my advise? Just dont do it ....if you dont have the willpower to quit,,,then what are you? I have smoked for 16 years myself...so i know from experience. Quitting was probably easier than starting....

as for the guys in this string.....i think deathpenalty is wrong...no matter what...

fascist liars and murderers running a country doesnt make feel comfortable.

employing pituary retards to shepperd people is not a good approach.

as for a poppybagle being enough to test positive on an opiate test, its not fiction or a ledgend....i suggest you do your chemistry lesson before adding replies. Its a proven fact.

We are all here to learn. interfering in others lives (private or official) is terribly wrong.

Its all about politricks. Powerand greed. The urge to controll others. If i would want to smoke home grown instad of drinking alcohol that should be my responsibility and right. The problem is that it doesnt pay the goverment employees any salary like alcohol does. alcohol makes me...like most others, turn into an idiot with little self control or judgement.

Anyone think that making nature against the law seems abit .......unnatural?

Quotes like"if you dont respect the laws in your visiting countries you should go home..." leave your freedom of speach til you come home...etc"...makes me really sad. You are infact supporting fascist behaviour.....

"To withhold the truth because you're worried about the reaction of the weakest, stupidest, or most ignorant or corrupt among us -- especially when that truth is exactly what we need to set us free - would be an act of cowardice or insanity. It would mean that we deserve to be where we are now instead of where we aspire to be. It would be the act of a slave." ---- L Neil Smith

and i meant Heroin trade,,,,not nicotine in my last reply.....

I love thailand. It is IMO truly one of the most amazing places on earth. People in power are destroying it though.....and it makes me sad.

[Kringle]

I thought that referring to the King in a bad way was against the forum fules and I would like to know what proof that you have to justify such a remark.

Edited November 11, 2004 by penzman

[penzman]

I thought that referring to the King in a bad way was against the forum fules and I would like to know what proof that you have to justify such a remark.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for the heads up Kringle.

Comment was removed.

Penzman

[Kringle]

No worries

[Ice Treasure]

Juice em

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Tosser

[Ice Treasure]

So shameful that only the 'Westerners' make the headlines in these kind of matters. Many Africans and Asians also get arrested in Thailand for drug-related offences but never make the headlines (well, some do I guess but only a few lines are written about them).

Shameful media-racism !

Jem

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Media racism? No way.. Thai Visa dumbism.

[Abandon]

No one should be murdered in a state ritual, especially in a Buddhist country.

No Death Penalty prisoner should be given only 2hours notice of the hour of execution - every morning the stress of not knowing if it is your last. Every afternoon not knowing if you will make it to night. Not having time to make your last goodbye to your family, or to spend time with a spiritual advisor.

Even Texas is not so cruel.

Westerners are never executed in Thailand, but have their sentences gradually commuted in a 'process' with no rules, no system.

After 8 years lifers (on average - varies between sentances)are entitled to serve the remainder of their sentances in their own country with the stipulation that they must serve the entire sentence with no more royal commutions. Once in their own country - they will likely spend a minimum of a few years more in jail and then be released when they have served a typical length sentence for that crime in their own country. The exception to this is the UK which is so stiff arsed it does everything by the book and not by the 'way things are done'. Several French lifers were released within months of returning to France.

This system of the 'face' and the reality of sentencing is wrong, but maintained to try and act as a higher deterrent. It is inhumane as the prisoners have no recourse to law.

Thai prisons have a reputation for being inhumane, but the reality is very different. There is no brutality, and most prisoners report that so long as one does not cause trouble, it is safe, and the guards genial. Food, overcrowding, and boredom are the main complaints.

American prisoners who have experience of American prisons rarely want to be transferred back to the states until they know they will be quickly released. American prisons (in most states) are far worse than Thai prisons.

Japan has possibly the most evil prison system in the developed world, and is especially brutal to foreigners. Actually their whole court system - with forced confessions and a 99% conviction rate, and even higher rate of appeal refusals - is more inhumane than the middle east or south america. See: http://www.justicefornickbaker.org/en/justice.htm

Thai prisons can be visited, and many Foreign prisoners rely on such visits to keep them sane. You do not need to know a prisoner there, the system is set up to facilitate contact between inmates and chance visitors.

http://www.phaseloop.com/foreignprisoners/index.html

Injustice, and innocents in jail are a REALITY in all countries, but some more than others - with the US as one of the worst. Just because someone is in jail does not mean that they are guilty.

http://www.f-t-a.freeserve.co.uk/home.htm

You can help in Thailand:

http://www.bangkwang.net/

[sriracha john]

UPDATE

Mr. Wilcox has a website about his life at Bang Kwang Prison and his attempts to secure a release:

http://steveatbangkwang.bravehost.com/index.html

[Khun Jean]

UPDATE

Mr. Wilcox has a website about his life at Bang Kwang Prison and his attempts to secure a release:

http://steveatbangkwang.bravehost.com/index.html

Serves him well.

A pity they don't have punishment like this in the Netherlands.

Most people would not not risk such a long time in jail.

A few will of course but if caught they are behind bars for a long long time.

Not only a few years in which they make more 'friends' in jail.

If you can't do the time......

[Joey Boy]

NO ONE deserves to experience the hel_l of one day, let alone 30+ years, in a foreign prison being routinely chained, tortured, overcrowded, starved and deprived daily of their basic human right

Sounds like quite a fitting punishment to me

[Donz]

They knew what would happend if they were caught, they took the risk, now they should be prepared for whats comming to them. Drugs ###### up alot of lives and ive seen it first hand to a few people i know.

These guys making a huge profit by ######ing people's lives. I say give these criminals the same penalty as you would give any other drug dealer/trafficers.

[Steely Dan]

They knew what would happend if they were caught, they took the risk, now they should be prepared for whats comming to them. Drugs ###### up alot of lives and ive seen it first hand to a few people i know.

These guys making a huge profit by ######ing people's lives. I say give these criminals the same penalty as you would give any other drug dealer/trafficers.

I suspect sadly that most people have been so conditioned by governments propaganda that they can't see the wood for the trees any more. If the 'criminals' had been locked up for illegally making moonshine or fake cigarettes how would you feel? Alcohol and Tobacco are overwhelmingly bigger killers than the so called illegal drugs;- What we have here is a revenue issue as the government are receiving no money from something they don't tax. The British government last century fought a war with the Chinese to keep the lucrative opium trade going.

To say drugs kill is an emotive argument, so too does Alcohol, would you have every bar owner banged up for life - as you should if health grounds are your beef. Indeed if governments controlled the supply themselves then most of the health dangers due to impurities would disappear and the racketeers would have to turn to gambling, or people trafficing.

I'm not for a moment saying a drug trafficer is without guilt, but the crime is just one of profiteering and tax avoidance - and they should be sentenced on that basis alone. Any moral/health arguments are just a manifestation of Governments propaganda and policy of prohibition.

[Maigo6]

These guys making a huge profit by ######ing people's lives.

As do Tobacco companies and Alcohol producers, only difference is those products pay the worlds governments Billions of Dollars a year in Tax.

The fact that Tobacco and Alcohol account for 97% of all drug related deaths, and the Fact that Alcohol is responsible for the ruination of Millions of Families worldwide, domestic violence, Drunk driving deaths, murders, rapes etc etc.....................That don't matter , cos our wonderful governments allow us to get Pissed out of our minds as often as we want, cos they benefit by way of Tax, but smoke a joint and they throw you in Jail for 20 years.

But yes, Steve Wilcox lived in Thailand long enough to know what would happen if the &lt;deleted&gt; hit the fan, he will be glad of English Prison that's for sure when he gets his transfer.

Thai laws are Thai laws, Steve knew that, I still don't agree with the length of sentence he got for a very small ammount of narcotic though.