A BRITISH publication claims a man is facing a two-year sentence in a ''hellish Thai prison'' on Phuket for ''being rude'' to an Immigration official. Although perhaps exaggerated, the allegations highlight the issue of overcrowding in Phuket Jail, as well as a rising incidence of crime.

Details at: http://phuketwan.com/tourism/briton-jailed-phuket-rude/

First, this thread should be posted in the News or General Topics forum as a public service to the British.

I find it hard to believe that even a British passport could have a photograph of a subject without a shirt. I wonder how rude you have to be to be subject to two years in Thai prison?

We are all guests in a foreign land and sometimes have to bite out tongues when confronted everyday by Thai bureaucracy. This is a must read fiction or not.

I too have a problem believing a person could have a British passport with the photograph showing them with no shirt but then again standards have fallen in recent years.

How rude do you have to be to get two years in chokey? Well I guess telling the immigration officer "<deleted> you" is a good start particularly if it was in front of other officers.

You'd think that by the time a person reaches the age of 44 they have gained a bit of maturity. From this case, however, it appears not.

Bluddy idiot is my assessment (assuming the facts are correct).

From here

http://www.ips.gov.uk/passport/apply-photos-standards.asp

The photographs must:

* be in colour, not black and white;

* be identical;

* be taken within the last month;

* be 45 millimetres (mm) high x 35 millimetres (mm) wide (do not trim your photographs to meet this condition);

* be in clear and sharp focus, with a clear difference between your face and the background;

* be taken against a plain cream or plain light grey background;

* not have red-eye; be of you facing forward, looking straight at the camera; not be torn, creased, or marked; be printed on plain white photographic;

* be free from shadows; be taken with your eyes open and clearly visible (no sunglasses or tinted glasses and no hair across your eyes);

* be free from reflection or glare on your glasses, and the frames must not cover your eyes (where possible, we recommend that you remove your glasses);

* show you with a neutral expression and your mouth closed (no grinning, frowning or raised eyebrows);

* be of you on your own (no toys, baby's dummy or other people on the photo);

* be professionally printed. Photographs printed at home are not likely to be of an acceptable quality;

* show your full head, without any head covering, unless you wear it for religious beliefs or medical reasons;

* be taken with nothing covering your face. Please make sure nothing covers the outline of your eyes, nose or mouth.

* be a close-up of your head and shoulders so that your head, from the bottom of your chin to your crown is between 29mm and 34mm high; and clear of writing on the front and back.

says nothing about clothing

Thats then not a good place to visit for mainland chinese tourists then !

says nothing about clothing

I suppose it's a bit much to expect a modicom of common sense or maybe the ruling no dummys (pacifiers) is an indication of something relevant.

Already being discussed here.http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Brit-Faces-Y...ud-t246887.html