Ohhh dont be like that JT....I'm neither right nor left, I tend to swing every now and then.

You're just upset because you want me and you cant get me. Why do you always go for the big sob stories? You like getting sucked in? You are a big walking bleeding heart? Whats the story?

Wow this thread has gone from a race war to a citizenship war to a black and purple shirt war back to a race war and now a personal war!

Still going on....

He gave it a bit of UK 'large', which in the UK would have received a slap on the wrists.

Unfortunately, he was not in the UK and maybe he was dealt with a bit harshly but hey.....you are in Thailand with a different culture and beliefs.

Same as the couple who had sex in Dubai on the beach and got banged up! In the UK, it's acceptable, in Dubai, it's not!

Give it 'large' to officials in the UK = not a problem!

Give it 'large' in Thailand = they don't accept or understand it or don't want to understand it= problems!

How can you say that Thailand is at fault?

In some cultures it's ok to marry your daughter etc, in Thailand, giving it 'large' to officials is obviously not acceptable!

Yes, this is bad publicity for Thai tourism. Maybe it serves a lesson to future tourists, that some behaviour to Thai's is not acceptable!

For f**ks sake, if you sneeze in US customs, you are some kind of terrorist threat, hence the reason everyone is a bit 'meek and mild' there.

Yes, maybe everyone has over-reacted a bit and this poor bloke has taken the brunt of Thai irrationality, but who is to blame?

I would say the guy that gave it UK 'large', he thought that his actions would be interpreted the same as a UK official....and guess what, they were not!

They should now send him home, he has learn't a hard lesson and maybe the Thai's have learn't how naive and stupid a UK citizen can be as well!

Sympathy....a bit, but mate, you ain't in Majorca, you are in a country with deeply rooted values and 'giving it large' just don't pay off sometimes. Either accept it or don't bother coming here!

None of us like some of the things that go on in Thailand, but guess what, you don't have to come here, it's your choice!

They should now send him home, he has learn't a hard lesson and maybe the Thai's have learn't how naive and stupid a UK citizen can be as well!

Very naive. He is now in the wheels of the criminal system here. What should happen has nothing to do with what will happen. He should have been long home by now. Why the confidence the system is going to be reasonable to him now?

Still going on....

He gave it a bit of UK 'large', which in the UK would have received a slap on the wrists.

Unfortunately, he was not in the UK and maybe he was dealt with a bit harshly but hey.....you are in Thailand with a different culture and beliefs.

Same as the couple who had sex in Dubai on the beach and got banged up! In the UK, it's acceptable, in Dubai, it's not!

Give it 'large' to officials in the UK = not a problem!

Give it 'large' in Thailand = they don't accept or understand it or don't want to understand it= problems!

How can you say that Thailand is at fault?

In some cultures it's ok to marry your daughter etc, in Thailand, giving it 'large' to officials is obviously not acceptable!

Yes, this is bad publicity for Thai tourism. Maybe it serves a lesson to future tourists, that some behaviour to Thai's is not acceptable!

For f**ks sake, if you sneeze in US customs, you are some kind of terrorist threat, hence the reason everyone is a bit 'meek and mild' there.

Yes, maybe everyone has over-reacted a bit and this poor bloke has taken the brunt of Thai irrationality, but who is to blame?

I would say the guy that gave it UK 'large', he thought that his actions would be interpreted the same as a UK official....and guess what, they were not!

They should now send him home, he has learn't a hard lesson and maybe the Thai's have learn't how naive and stupid a UK citizen can be as well!

Sympathy....a bit, but mate, you ain't in Majorca, you are in a country with deeply rooted values and 'giving it large' just don't pay off sometimes. Either accept it or don't bother coming here!

None of us like some of the things that go on in Thailand, but guess what, you don't have to come here, it's your choice!

What a load of <deleted>.

"To be born an Englishman is to win first prize in the lottery of life"

Cecil Rhodes

"Ex-Pats who live in Thailand are people who can't make it in the real world"

My ex-wife......

She obviously saw right through you whether you are expat or not.

"Ex-Pats who live in Thailand are people who can't make it in the real world"

My ex-wife......

Perhaps that's the only sort of farang your ex-wife meets in her line of work.

Well a lot of excitement over this case and clearly the details of what actually took place are in dispute not least by the UK embassy according to the Guardian report linked by a previous poster....

....Quite how this one plays out in the UK press and impacts the general view of Thailand is hard to say as the pillars of our freedom in the press have at least three basic stories to play with depending on which will sell more copies.

1/. Incompetent civil servant lands Brit in jail.

2/. My Jail hel_l in Thailand.

3/. Brit thug gets a taste of discipline.

Good post.

I saw this article this morning which you may also like.

by Andrew Drummond,

It also documents the conversations and emails

he exchanged with the Political / Press Secretary

at the British Embassy to clarify his information

before publishing in the British Press.

Very interesting,

if not just to see how

a journalist can check his facts and suspend judgement.

http://www.andrew-drummond.com/2009/03/10/...n-the-sht-blog/

"Ex-Pats who live in Thailand are people who can't make it in the real world"

My ex-wife......

Perhaps that's the only sort of farang your ex-wife meets in her line of work.

I think each of the women from my six successful divorces in the USA would be spouting the same sort of rhetoric. They just might not understand the real world.

If Andrew Drummond's story is more correct than the reported Thai version, then Simon is really getting screwed over due to loss of face by the immigation officials, and the bumbling of the British Gov't for not verifying the authenticity of the passport.  Also interesting to note that in AD's report, his collar bone could be seen in the passport photo, but he certainly wasn't "naked" as the Thai immigation say.  Hmmm, let's see his passport photo and we can all judge for ourselves.

Given Drummond's track record on Gary Glitter, Boilerrooms and so on

it puts more faith in the professionalism of his work.

It seems he is focusing on the cause of the issue.

Outbound flights on Fridays Saturday and Sunday...hmmmm.

I sometimes wish "Investigated News" was as trendy as "Breaking News."

Both together. Cracking.

Saw Burrows pic on Facebook. He is massively muscled. Any suspicions that his behaviour was a case of "roid rage" ?? Saw happen once at a gym...not pretty.

That being said, I say let the guy go back to the UK and be over with it. He won't be coming back for certain.

Well now the true facts about this story are beginning to be revealed.......!

Hope the self-righteous "hang 'em high brigade" might think a little more before they rush to cast the first stone.

Of course, Jingthing is so right, every lousy news item from Thailand (and just look at the list on the first page of TV's news thread!) adds another nail in the tourist industry's coffin. I don't think I've ever seen a country so intent on self-destruction (Zimbabwe excepted!) No wonder the puppet-in-chief is "worried about Thailand's image abroad".

Seems to me like you have this backwards.

It appears that the British Embassy was at the heart of this man's problems.

I'm curious what does the Prime Minister have to do with any of this.

Was he the one responsible for the British Embassy ignoring one of their own citizens?

I think that both Thai Immigration and the British Embassy are responsible for this farce. In respect of the Thai Puppet in Chief, then of course he's worried about the image, as this whole thing is a complate nonsense. How can someone be remanded in bail for telling someone to <deleted> off (if he actually did), whilst suspected murderers and people responsible for the death of over 60 people have been given bail. These sort of stories coming out of Thailand are increasing in number, and I have no doubt that the image of Thailand overseas is taking a bashing at the moment. In fact Thailand isn't even that much value for money these days for tourists, so these sort of stories only compound the reasons to stay away.

How can someone be remanded in bail for telling someone to <deleted> off (if he actually did), whilst suspected murderers and people responsible for the death of over 60 people have been given bail.

they did offer him bail at 2,000 GBP, but he didnt have the money to pay.

Still going on....

He gave it a bit of UK 'large', which in the UK would have received a slap on the wrists.

Unfortunately, he was not in the UK and maybe he was dealt with a bit harshly but hey.....you are in Thailand with a different culture and beliefs.

Same as the couple who had sex in Dubai on the beach and got banged up! In the UK, it's acceptable, in Dubai, it's not!

Give it 'large' to officials in the UK = not a problem!

Give it 'large' in Thailand = they don't accept or understand it or don't want to understand it= problems!

How can you say that Thailand is at fault?

In some cultures it's ok to marry your daughter etc, in Thailand, giving it 'large' to officials is obviously not acceptable!

Yes, this is bad publicity for Thai tourism. Maybe it serves a lesson to future tourists, that some behaviour to Thai's is not acceptable!

For f**ks sake, if you sneeze in US customs, you are some kind of terrorist threat, hence the reason everyone is a bit 'meek and mild' there.

Yes, maybe everyone has over-reacted a bit and this poor bloke has taken the brunt of Thai irrationality, but who is to blame?

I would say the guy that gave it UK 'large', he thought that his actions would be interpreted the same as a UK official....and guess what, they were not!

They should now send him home, he has learn't a hard lesson and maybe the Thai's have learn't how naive and stupid a UK citizen can be as well!

Sympathy....a bit, but mate, you ain't in Majorca, you are in a country with deeply rooted values and 'giving it large' just don't pay off sometimes. Either accept it or don't bother coming here!

None of us like some of the things that go on in Thailand, but guess what, you don't have to come here, it's your choice!

What a load of <deleted>.

agreed!

Well now the true facts about this story are beginning to be revealed.......!

Hope the self-righteous "hang 'em high brigade" might think a little more before they rush to cast the first stone.

Of course, Jingthing is so right, every lousy news item from Thailand (and just look at the list on the first page of TV's news thread!) adds another nail in the tourist industry's coffin. I don't think I've ever seen a country so intent on self-destruction (Zimbabwe excepted!) No wonder the puppet-in-chief is "worried about Thailand's image abroad".

Seems to me like you have this backwards.

It appears that the British Embassy was at the heart of this man's problems.

I'm curious what does the Prime Minister have to do with any of this.

Was he the one responsible for the British Embassy ignoring one of their own citizens?

I think that both Thai Immigration and the British Embassy are responsible for this farce. In respect of the Thai Puppet in Chief, then of course he's worried about the image, as this whole thing is a complate nonsense. How can someone be remanded in bail for telling someone to <deleted> off (if he actually did), whilst suspected murderers and people responsible for the death of over 60 people have been given bail. These sort of stories coming out of Thailand are increasing in number, and I have no doubt that the image of Thailand overseas is taking a bashing at the moment. In fact Thailand isn't even that much value for money these days for tourists, so these sort of stories only compound the reasons to stay away.

Sad but true. The British Embassy let down one of their own without a doubt - nothing to brag about there and yet another shameful episode of putting geo politics above the welfare of their charges. As for the Thai government - they are in real danger of frightening off the brand of tourist they are trying to attract - middle class families. Whilst a backpacker may take this as a part of the 'adventure' though would gladly avoid it, middle class families with responsibilities to fulfill are going to balk at the risk of arbitary imprisonment on the whim of a low official who is having a bad hair day. Far better to holiday in the sun in a more reasonable country. Thailand is really in need of being told the facts of life in the big world! Their PM gets it but then he has had an international education

And then Simon is black. I can’t help feel that he is right when he says: ‘In Thailand there is no perception of a black Englishman’.

Thank you, Andrew Drummond. I say the same thing. Look at the ROOT CAUSE of this fiasco. They would have not given his passport a second look if he was not black.

http://www.andrew-drummond.com/2009/03/10/...n-the-sht-blog/

"And then Simon is black. I can’t help feel that he is right when he says: ‘In Thailand there is no perception of a black Englishman’."

You know, last year during the Beijing Olympics I was in Thailand and watching it on TV. One of the medalists was a black British woman and one of the Thai people I was with asked, does England have such people? So in respect to the quote above, I would have to agree, to some extent, that a % of Thai people do not have a clue that the English are an ethnically diverse people.

TheWalkingMan

And then Simon is black. I can’t help feel that he is right when he says: ‘In Thailand there is no perception of a black Englishman’.

Thank you, Andrew Drummond. I say the same thing. Look at the ROOT CAUSE of this fiasco. They would have not given his passport a second look if he was not black.

http://www.andrew-drummond.com/2009/03/10/...n-the-sht-blog/

The "ROOT CAUSE" was his foul mouth.

If he has not kept his mouth shut we would have heard no more.

Andrew Drummond is a hack for the British gutter press...delighted to see so many here who lap it all up like simple little felines.

If he has not kept his mouth shut we would have heard no more.

Look up the phrase ROOT CAUSE. If they hadn't questioned his passport, he would have been stamped on through and never had any occasion to be "rude".

Fact is they did question the passport. As a black man I'm sure it was not the first time he had been faced with such scrutiny.

If he had kept his cool he would avoided all the unpleasantness.

Take what Andrew Drummond says with a sniff of salt. His record of accurate of detailing is appauling. Then again what do you expect from someone who tries for the UK tabloids. This was the last story he published in The Sun (not The Times as reckoned at the top). Blames the police for the first initial report, but Drummond on the other is the first 'reporter' to usually throw in the bait and cast doubts on any police reporting.

http://www.andrew-drummond.com/2009/02/23/...owpiece-bridge/

Fact is they did question the passport. As a black man I'm sure it was not the first time he had been faced with such scrutiny.

If he had kept his cool he would avoided all the unpleasantness.

That is absurd. His embassy did not verify his passport as valid. He would have been screwed anyway. People want to condemn a man who was basically just very unlucky, and the beginning of his bad luck obviously started because his passport was questioned. Why was it questioned? Grow up, why do you think?

Coz he wuz black?

Big deal. He must have had that before. Why did he lose the cool? Did he think telling the immigration official to "fuc_k off" would endear him with the locals?

He lost his cool because he is a human being. Most of us would have lost our cool if our passport was questioned and our embassies agreed we were carrying a fake passport when we were not. Are you aware what Thai prison is like from at least reading about the barbaric conditions, what happens to people traveling on false passports, put two and two together, this was a disaster for Simon and he freaked out. Amazing the number of those who claim they are Mother Theresa's here. Hard to believe from the same people who have ZERO COMPASSION for this Simon fellow.

"And then Simon is black. I can't help feel that he is right when he says: 'In Thailand there is no perception of a black Englishman'."

You know, last year during the Beijing Olympics I was in Thailand and watching it on TV. One of the medalists was a black British woman and one of the Thai people I was with asked, does England have such people? So in respect to the quote above, I would have to agree, to some extent, that a % of Thai people do not have a clue that the English are an ethnically diverse people.

TheWalkingMan

Whilst I would certainly agree that a percentage of Thai people assume the Uk to be a "white skinned " country I cannot imagine for one minute that an immigration officer in the job for more than a day is not aware of the reality.

I wouldn't swear at any immigration official in any country and if I did I would only have one person to blame.

Nar song nam naaaaaaaaa

24 pages of bickering, name calling and conjecture on a thread about a man none of you have met, in a case none of you have the facts for, concerning a passport and photo none of you have seen. Guess none of the armchair detectives learned anything from the bodyless head case.

He lost he is cool because he is a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

You say one thing out of place to an immigration/police officer in America and youll be tasered. Be rude to one in Canada (as what happened last year, big case) youll be tasered and killed.

You cant go around insulting officers like immigration here in Thailand or anywhere else, or you are asking for problems. He should have known better.