Aussie Mates In Thai Jail Nightmare

[Farma]

Aussie mates in Thai jail nightmare

Paul Weston

April 26, 2009 12:00am

TWO young Australians, best mates since primary school, have been locked up in a Thailand jail after their dream holiday turned into a nightmare.

Jacob McGrath and Paul Johnson, both 22 from Yamba in northern New South Wales, had saved hard for 18 months to go on a fun-filled two-week trip to Thailand.

But on March 26, the day they were due to fly home, the Australians were arrested by Thai police and charged with making a false statement.

Police said that items the Australians claimed had been stolen – including a laptop, iPod, sunglasses and digital camera – were later found by officers during a search of their hotel room.

Family members back in Australia said details of the subsequent investigation and hearing in a Chiang Mai court were sketchy, but the pair pleaded guilty to the charge.

The Sunday Mail believes the use of an interpreter after the pair's arrest led to communication problems and a misunderstanding of Thai law.

Mr McGrath and Mr Johnson were sentenced to two months in the city's feared prison, where their heads have been shaved and they share a cell and open toilet with up to 35 other inmates.

Con't http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0...725-953,00.html

[sriracha john]

Aussie mates in Thai jail nightmare

Paul Weston

April 26, 2009 12:00am

TWO young Australians, best mates since primary school, have been locked up in a Thailand jail after their dream holiday turned into a nightmare.

Jacob McGrath and Paul Johnson, both 22 from Yamba in northern New South Wales, had saved hard for 18 months to go on a fun-filled two-week trip to Thailand.

But on March 26, the day they were due to fly home, the Australians were arrested by Thai police and charged with making a false statement.

Police said that items the Australians claimed had been stolen – including a laptop, iPod, sunglasses and digital camera – were later found by officers during a search of their hotel room.

Family members back in Australia said details of the subsequent investigation and hearing in a Chiang Mai court were sketchy, but the pair pleaded guilty to the charge.

The Sunday Mail believes the use of an interpreter after the pair's arrest led to communication problems and a misunderstanding of Thai law.

Mr McGrath and Mr Johnson were sentenced to two months in the city's feared prison, where their heads have been shaved and they share a cell and open toilet with up to 35 other inmates.

*continuation of above*

Mr McGrath, who was school captain at his primary school in Maclean, was a successful staffer in a Yamba real estate office, taught music and had been studying music at Southern Cross University in Lismore.

In correspondence since his arrest, Mr McGrath assured his shocked parents: "It's really not that bad. We're OK."

His mother, Yamba businesswoman Sue McGrath, told The Sunday Mail she had offered to travel to Thailand to support her son.

"I did want to go over. But Jacob said there was no need, that they are both fine," Mrs McGrath said.

"They're both lovely kids. They're not dole bludgers.

"Jacob had worked six days a week for 18 months to go on this holiday.

"They're both looking forward to coming home and saying what happened. The boys want to be able to give their own account."

New Zealand missionary Kathryn McDaniel, who regularly visits the Chiang Mai prison to help foreign inmates, said the young Australians were in good spirits.

"I can assure you they are safe and well," Ms McDaniel said yesterday.

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman would only confirm that two 22-year-old Australians had been jailed for providing a false statement to police.

"The sentence was four months in prison for the two of them, which was reduced to two months," the spokesman said.

A senior female staffer at the Yamba real estate agency where Mr McGrath worked said that he had specialised in their holiday accommodation section.

"Jacob is a great kid. He was a pleasure to have around.

"It's one of those (unfortunate) things that happen in life that you learn from," she said.

The Johnson family declined to talk and referred all inquiries to their Yamba solicitor, David Nelmes.

Mr Nelmes said both families were maintaining contact with DFAT to ensure "the safe return of their sons".

"They've been read emails from both of them," he said.

The pair are not expected to be released from prison until the end of next month.

PARTY'S OVER: Jacob McGrath (left) and Paul Johnson are reportedly holding up well in Chiang Mai.

[Texpat]

So they decided to file a stolen property report just before flying home?

Maybe scam some insurance money?

dam_n, my very low regard for Thai cops has just improved ever so slightly.

[Sel]

Police said that items the Australians claimed had been stolen – including a laptop, iPod, sunglasses and digital camera – were later found by officers during a search of their hotel room

It use to be so much easier to claim on your travel insurance, just a trip to the cops to get the paperwork. I suppose they check up on your story now.

[BigSnake]

Strange, very strange seem like to nice clean cut young men, why on earth would they lie about a stolen Lap top and sunglasses, got to be much much more to this story, would be nice to hear their side of the story once they are safe and sound back down under.

[QED]

Strange, very strange seem like to nice clean cut young men, why on earth would they lie about a stolen Lap top and sunglasses, got to be much much more to this story, would be nice to hear their side of the story once they are safe and sound back down under.

Very very common occurrance amongst that agegroup. My brother once told me that he did the same when he was at law school, basically paid for his holiday, but that was some years ago when there weren't such checks in place. Looks pretty cut and dried to me.

[Sel]

Strange, very strange seem like to nice clean cut young men, why on earth would they lie about a stolen Lap top and sunglasses, got to be much much more to this story, would be nice to hear their side of the story once they are safe and sound back down under.

I reckon a new group called the yes shirts are setting them up because they are no shirts

[ovenman]

I reckon a new group called the yes shirts are setting them up because they are no shirts

I wonder whether their passport photos also feature them shirtless?

[Texpat]

From the tone of the story(s) it seems they're taking their lumps and have learned (are learning) a lesson.

While I think they're scummy for trying to commit fraud, I applaud their acceptance of the punishment.

Quite unlike another species who would whine and rail and scream at the mere hint that they've done anything wrong.

Edited April 25, 2009 by Texpat

[Chris Lawrence]

They be talking about this holiday for a long time!

Sad if they are innocent.

[IanForbes]

Sounds like they are learning one of life's lessons at an early age. They will survive and hopefully will be the better for it in the long run. When you do a crime and don't get caught it often leads to worse crimes and greater danger later on.

[borisloosebrain]

I can't believe the immediate assumption that these guys are guilty - this in a land where an honest cop is harder to find than a virgin in Patpong - gimme a break -would falang guys think up a scam without hiding the stuff first ? Thais would - they are that dumb usually but tourists with at least half a brain ????

Have you never heard of cops being involved in scamming Westerners / tourists in hope of getting a bribe or three ?

I've had cops steal money from me and dare me to make a complaint . may be they did try and do a scam and if so they are are really really dumb and som num na but it's just as likely that they were set up by a bar girl /policemans mia noi and threatened with worse unless they complied and pleaded guilty.

I wonder who has the laptop now ? Has it been secured as police evidence or just disappeared into the bedroom of one of the cops school -aged children ? You guys are sounding a bit holier than though me thinks.

[IanForbes]

We are only going by the statement that the two men SIGNED A FORM SAYING THAT THEY WERE GUILTY OF MAKING A FALSE STATEMENT. If they didn't do the crime then why would they sign a form saying they did? Of course I also wonder where the goods now reside.

What I can't understand is why they would leave the stuff behind in the first place when they were going to make a claim for its loss. I could understand it if they had sold it to someone before they left. Were they planning on returning to Thailand to retrieve the stuff later?

[bobo42]

We are only going by the statement that the two men SIGNED A FORM SAYING THAT THEY WERE GUILTY OF MAKING A FALSE STATEMENT.

Well, the form was probably in Thai, and I'm sure many an innocent person has been coerced into signing an admission of guilt. Quite likely, the lawyer told them "sign this".

But I think they are probably guilty because of their attitudes toward their punishment. They were stupid, didn't realize the possible consequences, and got caught. If they were really innocent victims of a police scam, I would think that the families would be raising hel_l with the media and their govt. (not that it would do any good, but usually there is some outrage).

Just from the small scraps of the story we have here, my bet would be that they screwed up and they know it. Only they and the BiB know for sure.

[Absingjul]

What I can't understand is why they would leave the stuff behind in the first place when they were going to make a claim for its loss. I could understand it if they had sold it to someone before they left. Were they planning on returning to Thailand to retrieve the stuff later?

According to the story I read the CM police came the same day they called (22/3). The pair were still in the hotel room with the 'stolen' goods.

It is a common scam, usually they split up with one person traveling ahead with the property before a claim is filed. Probably too much lao khao to think straight.

[JimmyTheMook]

Funny how the idiot useless Thai cops can lock up a couple of Westerners for possibly trying to pull a small low end scam yet can't do sh!t to provide security for their own Prime Minister or vising dignitaries

[hanno]

Without assigning any guil, I know for a fact that a lot of people try to pull these sort of scams (I am a Hotel Manager and have guests try to pull this quite often).

[SoiGirlHunter]

If guilty let them rot

[Cecilly]

Fair suck of the sav. You lot are overlooking the obvious. The stuff was knocked off by hotel staff and then they were tipped off by the cops when the AOz lads reported the theft to the cops. Next step ... the hotel mob put the stuff back ... the cops arrive at the hotel and check the room ... BINGO! ...

[rott]

Large percentage of newbies on this thread. Not saying it's relevant, just unusual.

[elektrified]

There was an almost identical story in this forum just a couple of months ago about a British kid that pulled the same scam here in Chiang Mai and also got caught filing a false insurance claim.

[sriracha john]

Local men in Thai prison

THEY were just two, young Australian mates at the end of a laid-back holiday in Thailand getting ready to fly home.

But 22-year-olds Jacob McGrath and Paul Johnson, both from the North Coast, now sit in a Thai prison with shaved heads, sharing a single cell with more than 25 other prisoners.

The pair, who are friends from high school in Maclean, were due to fly out of Thailand on March 23 and return home after their money ran out.

The day before they were scheduled to come home, they reported a stolen laptop, iPod, digital camera, and sunglasses to police in Chiang Mai, in northern Thailand.

But when police came to investigate at their hotel room, they located all the missing items.

The young men were arrested and charged with supplying false information to police.

Just four days later, they appeared in court and, after pleading guilty to the charges, their sentences were reduced from four to two months.

Since then, they have been sleeping on camping-style mattresses in a cell which sometimes houses 35 other prisoners at a time in Chiang Mai Prison.

Their heads were shaved and they are forced to use an open, communal toilet in the corner of the cell.

They are allowed to go outside only twice a day and then for only one hour at a time.

Although Jacob and Paul appeared in Chiang Mai Court on March 26, The Northern Star understands their first visit from Australian authorities was not until five days later on March 31 at the prison.

Their families knew nothing of their fate until they were contacted by a New Zealand missionary, Kathryn McDaniel, who regularly visits the prison to help the foreign inmates.

Visiting hours at the prison are restricted to two, one-hour sessions a week, and when Ms McDaniel visits she prints out emails sent by their parents and holds them to the prison glass so the young men can read them.

Since Australian consular officials learned of the young men’s situation, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has been in regular contact with their parents back home.

“There were two Australian men arrested in Chiang Mai on the 22nd of March,” a DFAT spokesman said. “They appeared in a Chiang Mai court on the 26th of March. They pleaded guilty to three charges relating to making false statements and were sentenced,” he said.

“The department was first alerted to this case on the 27th of March.”

Jacob has been studying contemporary music at Southern Cross University, which he has deferred at present.

- Lismore Northern Star / 2009-04-24

Edited April 25, 2009 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

Although Jacob and Paul appeared in Chiang Mai Court on March 26, The Northern Star understands their first visit from Australian authorities was not until five days later

oopsie?

[Badbanker]

Police Translators are required by law to inform the people they are translating for, that misdeclaration on a Thai Police Report is punishable by a 1 year jail term and or a 10,000 baht fine!

Many people do it but some cops realise it is false and are just get so peeved that they are being used, they come and check the hotel rooms with predictable results.

BB

Edited April 25, 2009 by Badbanker

[bdenner]

If guilty let them rot

Where do some of you whackers come from? Your tag indicates you are probably guilty of more serious crimes than these two.

Just reading between the lines, IMHO, they are sure to be much wiser for the experience.

[sendbaht]

Poor guys, at young age we all do and have done stupid things. Some never got caught and some do.

I do not wish anyone 2 months in a Thai jail or any jail but this will be a life lesson and I am sure they both

will come out of this better people.

What happens? Not sure they ever want to come back to Thailand, or maybe they do, but will they be allowed to

come back to Thailand or be black listed?

[Ulysses G.]

Most of us have done stupid things when we were young, but doing stupid things in a 3rd world country, takes real stupidity. Two months in the monkey house, might convince them to be a little less stupid when traveling abroad in the future.

[highonthai]

What happens? Not sure they ever want to come back to Thailand, or maybe they do, but will they be allowed to

come back to Thailand or be black listed?

Interesting question, now with a criminal/conviction record would they be granted a tourist visa?

I would like to know also.

[john b good]

So they decided to file a stolen property report just before flying home?

Maybe scam some insurance money?

dam_n, my very low regard for Thai cops has just improved ever so slightly.

So you believe the story then.

There are two sides to every story and you just might not have heard the correct one.

Don't jump to conclusions. It could very well be you next

[keo]

"Jacob had worked six days a week for 18 months to go on this holiday.

looks like he was trying to make some of his hard earned skrilla back with the classic holiday insurance scam. I know people who have done this here in the past (australians in fact) and had no problems.

Oh well, shit happens, get the wrong cop on the wrong day, and bam! holy sh@t batman!

They have made their beds, now they have to sleep in them... in a cell, in this terrible heat, with 20-30 other inmates, and an open toilet.

som nam na

Edited April 26, 2009 by keo