Brit Faces Two Years In Thai Jail For Being 'rude'.

[freddiefunk]

I find this very hard to believe even here in Thailand . . . There is something not quite right here . . . There is far more to this story....

I think so to.

I had a shop for more than 25 years and I have some experience with the rudeness of some people like him.

They are very easily using the word racism. Once they even blame me to be a racist because I did not have one specific item in stock. And the women are even more terrible.

In all the 30 years I came in and out of Thailand I never experienced any bad behaviour of any Thai official. So I presume he must be really crossed the line. Thai people don't accept this kind of behaviour like Europeans, and they are correct not to do it. I think he made the mistake that when he called the immigration some names they would back down like they do in Europe.

...another promising buyer for my used car (no worries, its white)

[sweden4ever]

Maybe, in retaliation, Britain should arrest and detain a Thai for a few hours before releasing him with the following apology:

"We're sorry but with that yellow shirt, he looked topless and because of his half shut slanting eyes, we thought he was dead when the photograph was taken."

[edwardmoulton]

And he'll lick it clean..... Save on a steam clean! It gets better....!

[endure]

Too much information thingjing

So solly, senor. Interracial sex makes your tummy hoit?

(I feel your pain.)

its just i didnt think people your age had sex.

[endure]

Imagine most of you, especially the Judge Pickles amongst us (for those that don't know he was the guy who sentenced 5 year old kids to hang for stealing a crust of bread),

Absolute twaddle.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Pickles

Journalist

Apologies, I was not referring to that lefto whatsit. I was referring to a chap in the late 18th early 19th century. I will go google and find the error of my ways

You probably mean Judge Jeffreys.

[henryalleman]

I don't believe the half naked passport pic. Not possible in a UK passport

Agreed.

Actually I don't think there's a country on Earth that would allow such pics in a passport. I believe you have just spotted a lie from the immigration police.

Thai immigration said they find a picture IN HIS POCKET with no clothes on.

[mahtin]

I don't believe the half naked passport pic. Not possible in a UK passport

Agreed.

Actually I don't think there's a country on Earth that would allow such pics in a passport. I believe you have just spotted a lie from the immigration police.

Thai immigration said they find a picture IN HIS POCKET with no clothes on.

Please don't give the lynch mob fresh meat.

[henryalleman]

" Im black so Im used to getting hassle " Tells me all I need to know about this guy. This paired with the interview with " the Voice " tells me we have a guy with a big attitude and a big chip on the shoulder. Back in the UK he is used to calling the race card at every delay or inconvenience. In the UK it works as everybody is so scared of being labelled as a racist. He has just found out that this attitude does not work here in Thailand.

Just my opinion on reading the reports.

I hope that Thailand never gets in the same mess we have in the UK now through PC policies

[henryalleman]

when America bombed Yugoslavia [insane I agree] I was traveling in Amsterdam. when i was leaving in the airport, the immigration there singled me out, ignoreing my two friends. I was the only one out of hundreds [and not because I was black because i am white] and did an full interrogation and full search on me. I asked nicely why and they told me routine. I was pissed but polite.

when I got to America the stopped me at immigration, pulled me aside and did the full integration again. must have been tagged by Amsterdam immigration. Asked again, nicely, why, and they told me routine. I was pissed but polite.

then when i got to customs, same thing, interrogation, checked everything in my bags. Asked again, nicely, why, and they told me routine. I was pissed but polite.

yep, I was nice even though i was totally pissed and in a western country where the chances of "disappearing are small". If I would have made a big scene I would have been there for hours more and I am sure my passport tagged. I shut up, took the pain and was on my way.

since i was tall and German/English decent they might have mistaken me for a Yugo terrorist, the only thing i can think of.

At some moments you must accept that your counterpart is on top of the food chain and you are not. So act accordingly. Maybe next time you are on top of the food chain.

[henryalleman]

Typical non helpful government.. If he was a US citizen he'd have been out by 2 day.

Yep they will send the Marines in, like they did in Grenada.

I call BS on the whole "not wearing clothes in his passport photo". He wouldn't have been able to get the passport issued in the UK if it was.

This is what I think happened. The Thai administration is obviously lying about the real reasons which is because he insulted the official after being told we could not get on the flight due to their own incompetence.

[henryalleman]

I had a shop for more than 25 years and I have some experience with the rudeness of some people like him.

You make all these assumptions about this man you have never met, why? Because he is black? If not, why?

Correct not to accept bad behavior? OK, tell him to shut up. Maybe even slap him. But two years in a hel_l hole? INSANE!

No not because he is black, but in my long experience in the service industry I know they have a very short fuse. Once I had one in front of me who went completely Loco or Bananas, because his spare- part arrived one hour later than expected. And sorry to say its was no exception.

And please don't call me a racist. I did employ some black shop assistant from Suriname and went on fine with him. But I always have to be very carefully what I said.

[Jingthing]

It seems to me some of you are IRRATIONALLY making a lot of unfounded assumptions about this very individual person because of his race. There's a word for that.

[hgvneil]

ignore them,dont waste your time,may be one of them will get on the wrong side of a very polite and friendly immigration officer one day.And they] will have more idiots writing about them on thai visa aswell while they banged up with no embassy help.

[henryalleman]

It seems to me some of you are IRRATIONALLY making a lot of unfounded assumptions about this very individual person because of his race. There's a word for that.

Congratulations you are political correct

[Lost in LOS]

Support Simon's Trip To Jingthing's Place!

He wouldn't be the first "hot headed" black man I have invited into my bed ...

thats more information than we need

[yumidesign]

Does anyone here have access to his Facebook Page, as he may tell a different version of events through there

He has to approve you as a "friend" in order to see his page... I've asked... Just hope he doesn't shout "<deleted>*K You!" and snatch back my "friend request" out of my hand.

ha ha......

if it was not so very tragic that this sort of thing is happening in LOLaughs. Avoid Phughket is the message

[G54]

There has to be more to it than he is telling (of course, because it is his side we are hearing, with just some comments from immigration).

What I find strange is that the report states that his passport photograph showed him WITHOUT A SHIRT. ....cant imagine the passport office accepting that photograph.

.... Agreed there, dont believe a word of it. You cant even smile in the picture. A zenophobic immigration officer more than likely. Each ad everyone of us reacts to a situation in a different manner, I know if Immigration in Thailand found something wrong with my passport I wouldnt be happy... I remember in Amsterdam, getting pulled up over what they thought was on the place of birth, I wasnt best pleased but remained cool (it was Amsterdam after all ) I was politely asked to get it rectified back in London which I did...those were the days with hand written passports lol)

I have to agree with this. Passport photos are of the face and neck, usually (maybe a tip of the shoulder showing), and facing the camera without smiling. If this passport photograph was so bad why was something not said or done about it previously?

Sound like some upstart official has tried to aggravate some guy on his way home.

Add to that, Yes, he should have kept his cool. Aggravating as officialdom can be in any country, the more you aggravate the officials, be it police, customs, immigration or whoever, they will make life more difficult for you. Sounds like he went OTT. That does not mean he deserves a long jail sentence for what is, in effect, a rash outburst and something many of us have made in the past.

The authorities talk about improving things to attract tourists but this is yet another example where it looks like they have done more damage than good. Some senior official could have sorted this in minutes with an apology from Simon to the official. Maybe an on the spot fine and a severe reprimand. Jail? That is well OTT in this case in my opinion.

[wackysleet]

Jingthing, is this topic still going on? I thought that by now friend you would have knocked yourselve out argueing a case like this when it's obvious this site is part full of bigots.

[wackysleet]

Jingthing, is this topic still going on? I thought that by now friend you would have knocked yourselve out argueing a case like this when it's obvious this site is part full of bigots.

Sorry people, I overlooked the fact that everyone has a right to an opinion and more importantly the right to express it, my apologies.

[JacknDanny]

It seems to me some of you are IRRATIONALLY making a lot of unfounded assumptions about this very individual person because of his race. There's a word for that.

And you Jingthing, are a bleeding heart liberal trying to unneccessarily bring race into this

First of all, this idiot has NOT been sentenced to 2 years imprisonment, nor is it likely he ever will!!

Secondly, you keep wittering on about how unfair this all is, and how the immigration officer was unreasonable blah, blah blah.

Let me tell you that in the late 80s I was a serving Police Officer, in the UK, attached to Special Branch.

I was stationed at an International Airport. My duty was to protect the likes of you clowns, who think it is fine to abuse those in authority, and to behave like a yob.

An example is that some idiots thought it funny, when questioned by Handling Agents at the airport, to tell them things like "There is a bomb in my case" or similar idiotic stories. I get my time wasted having to sort prats like this out. Now in a situation like this there are many offences that are committed from simple obstruction to bomb hoaxes etc etc. I cannot remember the exact Law, but if convicted, they faced a maximum sentence of 2 or 3 years. It NEVER happened. They would not be allowed to board the plane. Depending on their attitude, they could be released after a few hours, or kept overnight and taken to court in the morning. So although the law dictated that, the offence meant they could go to jail for a couple of years, in reality they would miss their plane, spent a bit of time in a cell to teach them a lesson, and at the end of the day get fined or cautioned.

Same situation here. Obstructing an Immigration Officer in his duty/being unruly in a Public place/etc, etc. Take your pick of the offences that this dipstick has committed, which on conviction COULD lead to a prison sentence of a MAXIMUM of 2 years. It simply wont come to that.

So please get off your soap boxes and stop defending the undefendable.

[tutsiwarrior]

once in Harbin, China in 1992 at the airport a guy with a uniform examined my passport then threw it back at me then looked to see what I would do. I quietly picked it up and got on the plane...not much else to do in that situation unless yer stupid...

[Jingthing]

And you Jingthing, are a bleeding heart liberal trying to unneccessarily bring race into this dry.gif

Guilty to liberal.

However, read the thread before you stick your foot in your mouth, copper. I was NOT the one to make this a race issue. Just responding it. So you're a cop? So what?

You cite UK experiences. This is not the UK.

which on conviction COULD lead to a prison sentence of a MAXIMUM of 2 years It simply wont come to that.

You don't know that.

I hope you are right but even three weeks in the snakepit is absurd for the charges. Based on your kneejerk comments it sounds like you are not even aware this gentleman has already spent three weeks in a third world hel_l hole. I agree what you described happens in the UK to a troublemaker, cooling off for a few hours or overnight, could be a reasonable reaction depending on the incident. What has happened here so far, based on what we know, is not a reasonable result by any civilized standard.

Edited March 5, 2009 by Jingthing

[tartempion]

First of all, this idiot has NOT been sentenced to 2 years imprisonment, nor is it likely he ever will!!

It NEVER happened. They would not be allowed to board the plane. Depending on their attitude, they could be released after a few hours, or kept overnight and taken to court in the morning.

So please get off your soap boxes and stop defending the undefendable.

If you would have read the story here you would know this:

"For three weeks, the 44-year old was held with 126 men in a cramped prison cell."

So the man was not kept overnight but jailed for 3 weeks and released on bail awaiting judgement April 26.

Did he insult the immigration officer who decided to withhold his passport and not let the man fly home?

Probably, but jail him for 3weeks and bail pending trial, not so in the UK reading you

[brahmburgers]

I have to agree with this. Passport photos are of the face and neck, usually (maybe a tip of the shoulder showing), and facing the camera without smiling. If this passport photograph was so bad why was something not said or done about it previously?

Sound like some upstart official has tried to aggravate some guy on his way home.

Add to that, Yes, he should have kept his cool. Aggravating as officialdom can be in any country, the more you aggravate the officials, be it police, customs, immigration or whoever, they will make life more difficult for you. Sounds like he went OTT. That does not mean he deserves a long jail sentence for what is, in effect, a rash outburst and something many of us have made in the past.

The authorities talk about improving things to attract tourists but this is yet another example where it looks like they have done more damage than good. Some senior official could have sorted this in minutes with an apology from Simon to the official. Maybe an on the spot fine and a severe reprimand. Jail? That is well OTT in this case in my opinion.

I agree. Two personalities clashed. The official had the clout to force the traveler's detention and he did. They were both hot-headed. The detainee didn't deserve serious jail time. A cooling off period of a few hours or an overnight would have been fair enough. Do Thais fight fair? Try getting in a serious tussle with a Thai in a bar. Do you think the one guy you're hassling with will exchange fisticuffs with you one on one? Not a chance in h%ll. If he can't get a bunch of his mates with weapons for back-up, he's gone.

I'd like to hear some added details to the scenario. I wouldn't be surprised if the naughty boy had an attractive young Thai gal nearby. Something like that would add fuel to the fire that sent the official to such flaming retaliatory reaction.

[JacknDanny]

And you Jingthing, are a bleeding heart liberal trying to unneccessarily bring race into this dry.gif

Guilty to liberal.

However, read the thread before you stick your foot in your mouth, copper. I was NOT the one to make this a race issue. Just responding it. So you're a cop? So what?

You cite UK experiences. This is not the UK.

which on conviction COULD lead to a prison sentence of a MAXIMUM of 2 years It simply wont come to that.

You don't know that.

I hope you are right but even three weeks in the snakepit is absurd for the charges. Based on your kneejerk comments it sounds like you are not even aware this gentleman has already spent three weeks in a third world hel_l hole. I agree what you described happens in the UK to a troublemaker, cooling off for a few hours or overnight, could be a reasonable reaction depending on the incident. What has happened here so far, based on what we know, is not a reasonable result by any civilized standard.

OH dear!!

Someone else who doesnt read posts properly.

I WAS a cop, back in the 80s,not now.

The point I am making is that you are throwing a hissy fit talking about a 2 year sentence.

PLEASE SHOW ME WHERE HE HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO 2 YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I fully understand this is not UK, having lived here for 10 years. The point I was making is that misbehaviour in most countries have a minimum and maximum sentence. I do not know what the outcome of this case will be, but I reckon there is a better chance of me being right, ie He will not do anymore prison time, than you saying he is going to do 2 years

[freddiefunk]

So please get off your soap boxes and stop defending the undefendable.

Amen!

I don't know why some people have so much trouble keeping theirs locked up nowadays. I have seen so many roaming free and pooping on the sidewalks... of course, their owners don't clean it up because they don't keep track of 'em any more. That's the good thing about Thailand, as everybody looks after their own and if you can't look after it, then it will be taken away from you. ...In farangland, they continue to roam around free and nobody feels obliged to do a dam_n thing about it! I call it a lack of morals and a lack of responsibility in the young generation. I mostly blame the televisions and the internets for corrupting our youth...truly indefensible !

[JacknDanny]

First of all, this idiot has NOT been sentenced to 2 years imprisonment, nor is it likely he ever will!!

It NEVER happened. They would not be allowed to board the plane. Depending on their attitude, they could be released after a few hours, or kept overnight and taken to court in the morning.

So please get off your soap boxes and stop defending the undefendable.

If you would have read the story here you would know this:

"For three weeks, the 44-year old was held with 126 men in a cramped prison cell."

So the man was not kept overnight but jailed for 3 weeks and released on bail awaiting judgement April 26.

Did he insult the immigration officer who decided to withhold his passport and not let the man fly home?

Probably, but jail him for 3weeks and bail pending trial, not so in the UK reading you

I dont know what the outcome would be in UK now, I can only tell you what it would have been in the 80s.

I dont know what this prat has done. What I do know is that I have gone through Immigration many, many times over the past 20 years, without any semblance of aggravation or hassle.

I have had many friends come visit me over here, again no problems. I know guys who are in and out of Thailand on a regular basis, on business trips, again no problems.

So although I really do not know the full facts here, the same as everyone else, I am going to take a stab in the dark and say that this idiot was misbehaving extremely badly

That being the case, 3 weeks in jail. Serves the t#sser right.

Maybe if the UK had more draconian measures, it would not be in the mess its in right now

[PoorSucker]

A senior police officer told Phuketwan that Thai law protected officials on duty.

If they faced abuse or threatening behavior, the person involved could be arrested and face a charge, with a one-year jail term as the maximum penalty.

Update on phuketwan

[Tolley]

Another great advertisement for the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

Heck I would be getting pretty edgey if I was about to miss my flight back.

So what if he did swear big deal.

Three weeks in gaol and now he has to hang around until the end of April to face what could be a 2year gaol sentence.

Ludicrous.

And especially more ludicrous when you think of the number of Thais scamming tourists in plain view for many years, blatantly disregarding the law and comitting serious offences.

It is always scary to me because it just shows you can be banged up for nothing and left to rot.

To those that think he deserves it or have no sympathy think very carefully because it could be you next time.

Edited March 5, 2009 by Tolley

[Westerner]

Maybe if the UK had more draconian measures, it would not be in the mess its in right now

Here, here!