Briton Gets 18 Years, Nine Months For Atm Fraud

[Carmine6]

ATM fraud isn't quite the same as robbing a store. If there's a foreign bank involved, who takes the loss? The bank where the withdrawal occurred or the bank where the account is at? If Thailand were to get a reputation for lots of ATM fraud or not taking fraud seriously, foreign banks would eventually just not allow ATM withdrawals in Thailand.

The recent ATM security enhancements mentioned in another thread didn't just show up out of nowhere. It clearly got to be a big problem. This guy's mistake is he picked the time when they're cracking down and they're going to make a big example of anyone caught. They clearly want to send a message to the others out there to think twice about doing it in Thailand. Just a few year penalty someplace else? I'm betting more than a few of these guys are going to be thinking about moving on.

And even way more people than that will be thinking about not coming on vacation or to live, to a place that sends the message "we are retarded" from their courts, or from posts on Thai visa....

Really, this is going to be the thing to scare people off? Not murders or rapes or tour boat deaths or people being scammed, or difficult business conditions, but this harsh sentence for ATM fraud?

[gmac]

18 years for petty fraud when politicians and businessmen do the same type of thing on a massive scale yet escape punishment or are given a slap on the wrist.

In no way am I condoning this man's actions but the punishment should fit the crime and in no way does this punishment fit this crime.

Who was the judge? Attila the Hun?

I totally agree.

Just give him a slap on the wrist.

And the pe3does should get two slaps on the wrist.

There is the law, break it and you do the time.

To tired of people defending actions with "but the other guy only get this sentence"

O.J Simpson got away with murder, does that mean I can commit any crime in the US?

I suspect that would depend on who you are and who you know!

Chances are a Thai (son of someone important) committing the same offences, as in this ATM case, would have been out of jail uncharged in hours!

Edited March 22, 2009 by gmac

[animatic]

They won't serve the whole term but the message will be sent.

And posters of the original sentence should be put up at ALL ATMS.

Then let them off in 3 years after the scare of their life.

Is justice even handed in Thailand?

Course not. Did you ever think it was?

Doesn't make it right, but that is the way it is.

This kind of multiple card multiple account multiple bank theft

is VERY hard to track down and prosecute a even more so

across international borders and timezones.

No doubt this also figured in this let the foriegn thieves know that

they WILL get disproportionately slammed for trying it here.

There are so many egregious flames above I am not sure why ANY of this thread is still posted...

Edited March 22, 2009 by animatic

[jackspratt]

Right. Please forward your views to my regulatory body. I'm sure they will value your position.

Which Probation and Parole Service would that be then?

[jackspratt]

There seems to be a general theme amongst the hang 'em high brigade who infest this forum. Doesn't matter what the crime or misdemeanor, there is no sentence long enough, or prison tough enough, to satiate their barbaric desires for revenge.

Rather sad, really.

How about the pathetic babblings of the pc brigade who are not only content with screwing the West but feel the need to infest forums over here? Perhaps we should let them all go free for the sake of morality; then, with a bit of luck, said brigade can have their houses burgled, their bank accounts emptied, and ultimately their eyesight broadened.

I say make the 18 years solitary so they can have a proper think about it.

Jacr,

You picked this person perfectly, it seems the only thing missing from the urbandictionary's description of you jackspratt is your picture.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=dweeb

Golly gosh - you got me there neverdie.

I have been trying to develop the self confidence and vanity to emulate you, and use my own photo as my avatar.

Can you PM me the name and number of your psychiatrist - he may be able to assist me

Edited March 22, 2009 by jackspratt

[PeaceBlondie]

I'm too involved to moderate, but there are some posts needing deletion.

What some of us are saying is that this farang committed a serious white collar crime,and deserves to spend time in prison - maybe five or ten years. But from what we know of Thailand and prison sentences, theft of money seems a much more serious crime here than cramming hundreds of protesters into a boxcar to smother to death, or gunning down suspected dope dealers, or a billion baht tax evasion scheme by a prime minister. Or running over people at a bus stop in a Benz.

[monkfish]

To remain on topic: I think the harsh sentences are more to do with who owns the banks in Thailand than anything else. As someone alluded to earlier the rich and powerful are protected while the poor are exploited.

Agreed 100%.

There seem to be a lot of Bankers on this forum!

[Phatcharanan]

I think its wonderful. Wish we had the same sentences in the UK

[Oberkommando]

I think its wonderful. Wish we had the same sentences in the UK

Why? So the UK can deteriorate into a corrupt lawless state where fear and intimidation rule and the Police are the biggest organised criminal gang in the country, similar to Thailand, where sentences are handed down based on social and financial status, rather than taking into consideration the actual crime committed and people affected?

No thanks.

Edited March 22, 2009 by Oberkommando

[PattayaUnited]

This really hits home the severity in Thailand for crimes involving stealing money. Regardless of whether the sentence was to long or not long enough the fact is now in black and white if you steal money in Thailand by fraud or deception your are going down for years and years end of story. I simply can not fathom what the feeling must be like to be sentenced to 18 years in a Thai jail. Other then hope your going to be pardoned i really do not see any point in living. That surely is enough now to deter people from doing the same thing and if it isn't then you must be medically insane.

[brahmburgers]

What some of us are saying is that this farang committed a serious white collar crime,and deserves to spend time in prison - maybe five or ten years. But from what we know of Thailand and prison sentences, theft of money seems a much more serious crime here than cramming hundreds of protesters into a boxcar to smother to death, or gunning down suspected dope dealers, or a billion baht tax evasion scheme by a prime minister. Or running over people at a bus stop in a Benz.

Agreed. What will it take for justice to be meted out objectively and reasonably fairly in Thailand? I don't have a snappy answer for that. Perhaps the same sort of across-the-board outlook adjustment that would get Thais to.....

>>>> be responsible for their domestic animals,

>>>> be moderately courteous drivers,

>>>> judge a man by his actions, not his station in life.

......................................................................am not holding my breath.

[Phatcharanan]

I think its wonderful. Wish we had the same sentences in the UK

Why? So the UK can deteriorate into a corrupt lawless state where fear and intimidation rule

Ever walked the streets in Longsight, Manchester? Or Hackney? How about St. Pauls, Bristol?

and the Police are the biggest organised criminal gang in the country, similar to Thailand, where sentences are handed down based on social and financial

That doesn`t happen in England?

status, rather than taking into consideration the actual crime committed and people affected?

No thanks.

Edited March 22, 2009 by Phatcharanan

[monkfish]

I think its wonderful. Wish we had the same sentences in the UK

Why? So the UK can deteriorate into a corrupt lawless state where fear and intimidation rule and the Police are the biggest organised criminal gang in the country, similar to Thailand, where sentences are handed down based on social and financial status, rather than taking into consideration the actual crime committed and people affected?

No thanks.

Again you hit the nail on the head!

One thing I ask myself is why is this being published now?

1 year after sentencing? and then only by the pucket gezette and not international newspapers?

I'm baffled! was it a cover up or what?

[Carmine6]

I think its wonderful. Wish we had the same sentences in the UK

Why? So the UK can deteriorate into a corrupt lawless state where fear and intimidation rule and the Police are the biggest organised criminal gang in the country, similar to Thailand, where sentences are handed down based on social and financial status, rather than taking into consideration the actual crime committed and people affected?

No thanks.

Again you hit the nail on the head!

One thing I ask myself is why is this being published now?

1 year after sentencing? and then only by the pucket gezette and not international newspapers?

I'm baffled! was it a cover up or what?

The way it reads is the sentencing was "several weeks ago" so in February or March 2009. The son's trial is still pending. The arrest was in 2008.

Original stories in 2008:

http://www.phuketgazette.net/dailynews/index.asp?Id=6285

http://www.phuketgazette.net/dailynews/index.asp?Id=6311

[neverdie]

There seems to be a general theme amongst the hang 'em high brigade who infest this forum. Doesn't matter what the crime or misdemeanor, there is no sentence long enough, or prison tough enough, to satiate their barbaric desires for revenge.

Rather sad, really.

How about the pathetic babblings of the pc brigade who are not only content with screwing the West but feel the need to infest forums over here? Perhaps we should let them all go free for the sake of morality; then, with a bit of luck, said brigade can have their houses burgled, their bank accounts emptied, and ultimately their eyesight broadened.

I say make the 18 years solitary so they can have a proper think about it.

Jacr,

You picked this person perfectly, it seems the only thing missing from the urbandictionary's description of you jackspratt is your picture.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=dweeb

Golly gosh - you got me there neverdie.

I have been trying to develop the self confidence and vanity to emulate you, and use my own photo as my avatar.

Can you PM me the name and number of your psychiatrist - he may be able to assist me

My Psychiatrist isnt cheap Jack, he's not a bulk biller & I'm not sure if your Centrelink Health Care card will be able to pay for him.

Maybe you can keep sellin some of your cheap advice to save up a consultation fee, its about $350 for half an hour .

[sassienie]

In the UK his sentence would have been a £100 fine plus 200 hours community service.

Dregs of the West take heed, in Thailand do the crime, be prepared to do the time.

Look at this in economics. The amount stolen is 100000 baht. Sentenced to 18 years 9 months.

That`s 14 baht for each day in prison up to the end of the sentence.

MUGS for sure.

Edited March 22, 2009 by sassienie

[loong]

Look at this in economics. The amount stolen is 100000 baht. Sentenced to 18 years 9 months............

Can you please quote your source for this information?

There doesn't actually seem to be much in the way of published info on this and I haven't noticed any details of the amount of money actually stolen

Edited March 22, 2009 by loong

[TAWP]

As this was organized he deserves every month he got...

There must be a difference between protesting harsh penalties for people with no or few options (like cutting of hands for stealing a loaf of bread to survive) and when some are doing luxury-crimes for their own luxury benefit.

[midas]

If these people wanted to take a gamble doing this kind of thing and then expected

to be treated fairly if they were caught they should not have chosen a developing

country with a ramshackle justice system in which to do it.

Nobody forced them to come to Thailand. They lost their gamble and

they have to pay the " price " according to local conditions.

[geriatrickid]

Again, I ask those defending this crminal, to please look at his past record. Does he have prior convictions? Has he ever been implicated in such activities before?

[neverdie]

Again, I ask those defending this crminal, to please look at his past record. Does he have prior convictions? Has he ever been implicated in such activities before?

Yes hard to imagine that he just woke up one morning and decided to go into the atm card manufacturing business after following a life free of crime & perversion

[jackspratt]

Again, I ask those defending this crminal, to please look at his past record. Does he have prior convictions? Has he ever been implicated in such activities before?

Can you point to any posts where this guy is being "defended". Every (on-topic) one I have read so far talks about the reasonableness (or otherwise) of the sentence.

And I am unable to find any reference or report of a "past record". In the absence of such, would it be reasonable starting point to assume there is not one - unless of course you belong to the group that subscribes to the theory of guilty until proved innocent (which I suspect you do).

But please feel free to answer your own rhetorical, straw man questions.

[sbk]

Off-topic, aggressive, abusive and insulting posts as well as their responses have been deleted.

Unbelievable. Lets do try to remember to mind our manners and forum rules when posting please, since the next one will earn a formal warning.

[Navalator]

18 years for petty fraud when politicians and businessmen do the same type of thing on a massive scale yet escape punishment or are given a slap on the wrist.

In no way am I condoning this man's actions but the punishment should fit the crime and in no way does this punishment fit this crime.

Who was the judge? Attila the Hun?

PETTY FRAUD???????? What planet are you from?

[kano85]

I Should say

if you want money work for it . Why are so many people lazy ?????????

Charlie

[Satayu]

Whether right or wrong recieving 18 years is a small sentence as the Thai Courts will charge and sentence ATM thieves not for the whole crime but for how many cards he had and how many times they were used. Do the crime do the time!!!!

[bartender100]

Nobody in this day and age should be subjected to the conditions in a Thai jail, i am far from being a do-gooder, but a dog in a dog pond gets better treatment, 18 years is a death sentence