American, Thai Woman Arrested With 'ice', Ecstasy Pills

[george]

American, Thai woman arrested with 'ice', ecstasy pills in possession

BANGKOK: -- Police arrested an American man and a Thai woman in a sting operation that netted 20 grammes of 'ice' or crystallised methamphetamine and 30 ecstasy pills.

Brian Kieth Hoffman, 42, was arrested at his apartment on the 2nd floor of Racha Mansion on Rama IV Road in Klong Toey district at 2 am.

An undercover policeman pretended to buy ice drug from Hoffman at his apartment and when he opened the door, police rushed in his room and found 14 grammes of the ice drug and 30 ecstasy pills.

Police had the American his supplier for more drug. Sopida Sakulpone, 31, was arrested when she came to Hoffman's room to deliver 6 grammes of the ice drug.

-- The Nation 2008-07-05

[wintermute]

How stupid do you have to be, seriously. Buying drugs from Thais and trying to sell to other Thais. Gee, that's brilliant right there. I hope this guy goes away from a long time just for stupidity alone.

[learnthaipodcast]

It's not worth getting involved in things like that. Especially in Thailand.

[Scott]

Well, so much for his Independence Day!

[mikethevigoman]

A case of when in rome, dont do as the romans, ..there was an older farang arrested in foodland car park for selling viagra, the thai taxi drivers were still offereing it to me today,.

[kmart]

Hardly a massive haul though... Must be a light news day?

[hkt83100]

American ... arrested with 'ice', ecstasy pills in possession

So why can anybody be so stupid to deal in drugs here? In the meantime most people with open ears should have heard about drugs being not the most favorite stuff to deal with in this country... Whoever still does it, should get what he deserves, accounting his IQ... IMHO the guy will get exactly what he should get.

[brahmburgers]

it didn't mention a proposed sentence, but it may wind up severe.

The amount was very small and obviously for personal use. The plainclothes policewoman entrapped him. The dealer could have informed in order to get a pay-off.

I'm one of those who believe drug use is over-penalized in SE Asia. Am not saying it's ok to use drugs, but instead that the punishment should coincide with the gravity of the crime - in this case, the crime appears to be a middle aged man doing drugs on his own - and stupidly agreeing to sell a tiny bit to someone else.

Thailand copies U.S. drug enforcement dictates note for note. All its descriptions and penalties for 'drugs' are essentially taken from the U.S. federal rule book written decades ago - that includes classifying pot as a dangerous drug, etc. (I haven't smoked pot for 40 years. I quit because I didn't like the high). It's ironic that one of the main players in writing the anti-drug rule book was a best buddy of J. Edgar Hoover, a Mr. Anslinger who himself was a junkie addicted to mainlining morphine.

Where did the name Coca Cola come from? The original recipe had cocaine in it. The great Cole Porter song started with the line: "I get no kick from cocaine" was later changed to, "I get no kick from champagne." Arthur Canon Doyle's wrote much of his great books while stoned on cocaine. Ernest Hemingway was sloshed on booze during most of his writing career.

What's fashionable today, could become death penalty material tomorrow - depending on certain peoples' whims and prejudices.

Shoot a Thai cop in a nightclub with a dozen witnesses, run off to Cambodia for months, return and get off with a slap on the wrist (but only if you're part of powerful Thai family). In contrast, get caught with a tiny bit of processed coke, and possibly face serious jail time (if you're a farang).

[opengoal]

The penalties for drugs here are well out of proportion to deter you from profiting from a state run business (bib)

[beejoir]

Muppet got carried away with the family name I guess.

[wintermute]

Shoot a Thai cop in a nightclub with a dozen witnesses, run off to Cambodia for months, return and get off with a slap on the wrist (but only if you're part of powerful Thai family). In contrast, get caught with a tiny bit of processed coke, and possibly face serious jail time (if you're a farang).

You're trying to play this off as Thai institutional bias against farangs but this just isn't the case. There have been a few minor celebrities and other individuals who were considered "above" the normal peon in Thai society who also got put away for long stretches for dealing.

Thailand makes their thoughts on drugs abundantly clear in the popular media. You don't need warning signs like in Singapore to get the message across, by this time every visitor should know what the deal is. You will still have stupid people doing it though because they think they can do whatever they want in SE Asia. Then they act all indignant and surprised when the noose is being tightened around their neck.

I don't feel any pity for this man whatsoever.

[poshthai]

One should expect the full force of the law by selling drugs.If the sentence was not so severe one would have many more dealers in Thailand.We all have a choice in life and to sell drugs in Thailand is suicide.

[scyriacus]

is it correct, that the 'use' of drugs is not outlawed? and if not, why not?

[wintermute]

is it correct, that the 'use' of drugs is not outlawed? and if not, why not?

Drug use is outlawed I think? Drugs are extremely damaging to a young growing economy like Thailand especially considering that high quality hard drugs can be found in vast amounts just across the border. You wouldn't want a significant portion of your population hooked on methamphetamine and heroin.

Look at all the issues Thais have with alcohol. Now replace that with heroin or meth. I shudder to think of what the consequences would be. Thais got a taste of it back in 1997-2002 when Thailand had a pretty significant drug addiction epidemic.

Edited July 6, 2008 by wintermute

[sibeymai]

Recreational drug use should be treated as a health, psychological or social problem. Selling drugs for profit is a different matter and needs a criminal deterrent otherwise whatever programs are in place to deal with the users will be less effective.

[Shotime]

Hardly a massive haul though... Must be a light news day?

That's all they're telling you. I hope this guy has some money

[brahmburgers]

Look at all the issues Thais have with alcohol. Now replace that with heroin or meth. I shudder to think of what the consequences would be. Thais got a taste of it back in 1997-2002 when Thailand had a pretty significant drug addiction epidemic.

Alcohol causes considerably more harm for individuals and soceity - even when other drugs are being used concurrently. In the US, all sorts of drugs are used, and alcohol still takes the cake over the all the others put together - in terms of the manifold harm and expenses it creates. Check statistics in Holland, where drugs other than alcohol are tolerated, and see how much comparative harm is cause by each individual drug. I doubt they get many traffic accidents caused by pot smoking or ice use there.

It's easier for a cop to apprehand a jaywalker than an arsonist. It's easeir for a cop to bust a guy snorting a drug than it is for a cop to bust a top gov't official accepting bribes. So, law enforcement naturally takes the easier route which won't result in apprehenders and prosecutors losing their jobs, and witnesses getting knocked off. Busting the little vulnerable guy is sooooo much easier than busting a big boss from the wealthy Thai family.

[mikethevigoman]

NOW HERE IS A MESSAGE FROM THE GOVERNMENT" LISTEN UP ALL YOU DRUGGIES, YOU ARE WELCOOME TO KILL YOURSELF THROUGH ALCOHOL AND NICOTINE ABUSE AS WE ARE GETTING A GOOD CUT OUT OF, HOWEVER ANYONE CAUGHT WITH ANY OTHER NASTY NARCOTICS LIKE MARIJUANA OR ECSTASY WILL BE IN SERIOUS TROUBLE " ( WELL AT LEAST TIL WE HAVE SORTED OUT HOW WE CAN GET A CUT ! )

[poshthai]

I think some of you are missing the point.Drugs in Thailand are causing robberies,murders,muggings and even the police are involved.This is not just about the individual its about a major problem caused by taking drugs.

All over the world this is happening and i say life in jail for drug sellers and help for drug addicts.Smoking pot is addictive as one sees everywhere,you ask a guy or lady to stop and they say its only recreational.

Total bull

[cloudhopper]

I think some of you are missing the point.Drugs in Thailand are causing robberies,murders,muggings and even the police are involved.This is not just about the individual its about a major problem caused by taking drugs.

All over the world this is happening and i say life in jail for drug sellers and help for drug addicts.Smoking pot is addictive as one sees everywhere,you ask a guy or lady to stop and they say its only recreational.

Total bull

Yes, it is... When alcohol was made illegal in the US, all of the above increased and then subsided to previous levels when it's criminalization was repealed.

[glyph]

"The amount was very small and obviously for personal use. "

Except for the fact that he tried to sell drugs. He'll probably get 30 years, hopefully that's long enough for him to learn the error of his ways.

[wintermute]

Look at all the issues Thais have with alcohol. Now replace that with heroin or meth. I shudder to think of what the consequences would be. Thais got a taste of it back in 1997-2002 when Thailand had a pretty significant drug addiction epidemic.

Alcohol causes considerably more harm for individuals and soceity - even when other drugs are being used concurrently. In the US, all sorts of drugs are used, and alcohol still takes the cake over the all the others put together - in terms of the manifold harm and expenses it creates. Check statistics in Holland, where drugs other than alcohol are tolerated, and see how much comparative harm is cause by each individual drug. I doubt they get many traffic accidents caused by pot smoking or ice use there.

There are some important differences between Holland and Thailand. Decriminalization of drugs in Holland came in stages and it was done at the behest of an educated populace who understood the risks and causes of addiction. Thailand is not even remotely comparable because the majority of the country is not what you would call educated. Poverty and other social ills are common with the developing world which would only accentuate the issues associated with drug use. This is one instance where I believe there is a good reason for making hard drugs illegal.

I do agree that criminalization of drugs in first world countries like the U.S. is fairly pointless but the War on Drugs has always been used as an excuse to fund various law enforcement/defense ventures in order to shuffle money into black bag political causes abroad. Because it benefits everyone involves from the politicians all the way down to the lowly street dealer nothing will ever change.

[LtCol]

Look at all the issues Thais have with alcohol. Now replace that with heroin or meth. I shudder to think of what the consequences would be. Thais got a taste of it back in 1997-2002 when Thailand had a pretty significant drug addiction epidemic.

Alcohol causes considerably more harm for individuals and soceity - even when other drugs are being used concurrently. In the US, all sorts of drugs are used, and alcohol still takes the cake over the all the others put together - in terms of the manifold harm and expenses it creates. Check statistics in Holland, where drugs other than alcohol are tolerated, and see how much comparative harm is cause by each individual drug. I doubt they get many traffic accidents caused by pot smoking or ice use there.

There are some important differences between Holland and Thailand. Decriminalization of drugs in Holland came in stages and it was done at the behest of an educated populace who understood the risks and causes of addiction. Thailand is not even remotely comparable because the majority of the country is not what you would call educated. Poverty and other social ills are common with the developing world which would only accentuate the issues associated with drug use. This is one instance where I believe there is a good reason for making hard drugs illegal.

I do agree that criminalization of drugs in first world countries like the U.S. is fairly pointless but the War on Drugs has always been used as an excuse to fund various law enforcement/defense ventures in order to shuffle money into black bag political causes abroad. Because it benefits everyone involves from the politicians all the way down to the lowly street dealer nothing will ever change.

Simple rule..............................

If you don't want to do the Time

Don't do the Crime

[YaiJung]

Smoking pot is addictive as one sees everywhere,you ask a guy or lady to stop and they say its only recreational.

Sorta like watching Television and eating junkfood(both of which are arguably worse for ones health than smoking pot).

[Briggsy]

The penalties for drugs here are well out of proportion to deter you from profiting from a state run business (bib)

Absolutely right there.

Smoking pot is addictive as one sees everywhere,you ask a guy or lady to stop and they say its only recreational.

Trust me, giving up smoking tobacco is about 1,000 times more difficult than giving up smoking pot. The latter usually only involves removing oneself from the social situation in which it is smoked. No cravings, very easy. Tobacco, on the other hand, is a completely different story.

[nachiket16]

The penalties for drugs here are well out of proportion to deter you from profiting from a state run business (bib)

Absolutely right there.

Smoking pot is addictive as one sees everywhere,you ask a guy or lady to stop and they say its only recreational.

Trust me, giving up smoking tobacco is about 1,000 times more difficult than giving up smoking pot. The latter usually only involves removing oneself from the social situation in which it is smoked. No cravings, very easy. Tobacco, on the other hand, is a completely different story.

The word authentic, legal, illegal etc. are depends on govt. revenue and not according to public benefit. Else, otherwise tobacco and alcohol indeed must banned.

[roygsd]

the crime appears to be a middle aged man doing drugs on his own - and stupidly agreeing to sell a tiny bit to someone else. In contrast, get caught with a tiny bit of processed coke, and possibly face serious jail time (if you're a farang).

I you choose to gamble with your liberty dont complain when you loose it.

If you dont like the time dont do the crime.

He wanted excitement, he got it.

Roy gsd

[roygsd]

Recreational drug use should be treated as a health, psychological or social problem. Selling drugs for profit is a different matter and needs a criminal deterrent otherwise whatever programs are in place to deal with the users will be less effective.

If you dont like the laws leave the country

roy gsd

[MrSnrang]

If you dont like the laws leave the country

Thinking that way will only hinder development in this country.

[wintermute]

If you dont like the laws leave the country

Thinking that way will only hinder development in this country.

You're not going to get many sympathetic ears for legalizing/decriminalizing a hard drug like meth.