Australian Women Arrested In Phuket Over Bar Mat

[loong]

Allthought this is a different issue, it seems as if the Aussie media is on a warpath...

As I was uploading this, the story this thread is on is the Second headline on Sky News.

According to Sky news, she is facing a minimum of 1-3 years, maximum of 3-5 years. The problem was she refused to sign a declaration right after the incident in the cop shop because it was written in Thai and during that time of night, no translator was available at the cop shop so she refused to sign. She refused to sign the declaration because she did not understand it and no one could translate it. Because she did not sign the declaration at that time, on the spot, it is apparently too late. If she signed it, she would have been released. I can't blame her for not signing something she could not read.. Only a fool would sign such a declaration in a foreign language without understanding it. The story lasted 5 mins on Sky news. She is out of jail but her passport has been confiscated and she is on bail.

Updated on msn:

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/815780...r-theft-charges

This sums it up: "To lock up this Melbourne mother for ... 18 days for the theft of a bar mat which other people have admitted doing is simply crazy."

I wasn't able to find this about the declaration on the link, or on Sky news.

Interesting if true.

[KayT]

From what I understood about this whole issue it was not so much the bar mat as the fact that she apparently abused the police when they asked her to open her bag.Now I dont know about anyone else but when in a foreign country and you are approached by police people for whatever reason,you keep your cool and comply within the bounds of the law and common courtesy.Even if she was drunk,as has been reported, she was still capable of maintaining decent behaviour one would hope.If not then the owner of the bar would then be held liable for serving alcohol to a drunk person.

This story has many sides and I feel that the way it has been reported is not fair to the LOS.

Thailand has a lot to offer but the drunk farang element causes a lot of problems here for many parts of the community.

Once this lovely lady stops crying victim and accepts her part in it all then the issue will go away.

[kiwikoppy]

If a police man stops you, you are polite and let them search your bags, it happens to me at leats once a month, wether I am driving my car or drinking in a nightclub. I am always polite and after 5 minutes of talking they let you go, never even have to pay the famous 100 thb for traffic offences you did not commit.

Trust me a smile and polite attitude comes a long way.

For this crime, they stopt her to check her bag, wether there was anything in there did not matter at that moment. If she actually stole the mat, the police would talk with the owner of the bar and after a few minutes of talk she would be released if the owner did not press charges.

Instead of that she decides to be abusive and disrespectfull to the police, even running away.

Even screaming or calling names at the police chef. In that moment the theft was not the crime anymore, the slandering of an official on duty is, can you guys remember a few weeks ago the guy at the airport? Same story, same result.

She deserves to be in jail for a couple of weeks, to cool down and learn to respect people.

Everyone knows that Thailand is a land of respect and even though it is not always received from others, as a tourist you should always give it.

And just for your information, if your slander a policeman on duty in The Netherlands, you will be arrested on spot, and with a little more force then they use here, so dont complain about the law here, it is the same in Europe.

[LAZYTERRY]

Assuming that there is not more to the story, I am seriously considering not visiting Thailand anymore. I do NOT condone theft, even petty theft, but this appears to be extremely harsh, especially for a country that has all sorts of hard-core criminals walking around free.

Another nail in the coffin that is Thailand tourism

Pay the corrupt police or go to jail. The police in Thailand are evil greedy xxxx. Thais have little respect for them and try to avoid the police at all costs. It's a shame that these things aren't reported in the western media as much as they should be.

[marsteele]

Allthought this is a different issue, it seems as if the Aussie media is on a warpath...

As I was uploading this, the story this thread is on is the Second headline on Sky News.

According to Sky news, she is facing a minimum of 1-3 years, maximum of 3-5 years. The problem was she refused to sign a declaration right after the incident in the cop shop because it was written in Thai and during that time of night, no translator was available at the cop shop so she refused to sign. She refused to sign the declaration because she did not understand it and no one could translate it. Because she did not sign the declaration at that time, on the spot, it is apparently too late. If she signed it, she would have been released. I can't blame her for not signing something she could not read.. Only a fool would sign such a declaration in a foreign language without understanding it. The story lasted 5 mins on Sky news. She is out of jail but her passport has been confiscated and she is on bail.

Updated on msn:

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/815780...r-theft-charges

This sums it up: "To lock up this Melbourne mother for ... 18 days for the theft of a bar mat which other people have admitted doing is simply crazy."

I wasn't able to find this about the declaration on the link, or on Sky news.

Interesting if true.

The declaration is a standard thai police proforma. It is an admission of guilt. Designed to strealine the judicial system cut out the use of lawyers, or medling embassy staff. Quite innovative really simply sign then off to prison or what ever other penalty they wish to impose depending on the size of your wallet. No it is not in english, french, german or any other language this impairs the process just sign and case solved.

[aussiestyle1983]

Allthought this is a different issue, it seems as if the Aussie media is on a warpath...

As I was uploading this, the story this thread is on is the Second headline on Sky News.

According to Sky news, she is facing a minimum of 1-3 years, maximum of 3-5 years. The problem was she refused to sign a declaration right after the incident in the cop shop because it was written in Thai and during that time of night, no translator was available at the cop shop so she refused to sign. She refused to sign the declaration because she did not understand it and no one could translate it. Because she did not sign the declaration at that time, on the spot, it is apparently too late. If she signed it, she would have been released. I can't blame her for not signing something she could not read.. Only a fool would sign such a declaration in a foreign language without understanding it. The story lasted 5 mins on Sky news. She is out of jail but her passport has been confiscated and she is on bail.

Updated on msn:

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/815780...r-theft-charges

This sums it up: "To lock up this Melbourne mother for ... 18 days for the theft of a bar mat which other people have admitted doing is simply crazy."

I wasn't able to find this about the declaration on the link, or on Sky news.

Interesting if true.

What I wrote about Sky news was what I heard on the TV. It could be on their website as well?

I just put in the MSN link in addition.

BTW, from what I saw of the bar owner on the news, he looks like a decent bloke. I feel this has more to do with the Thai police and they way they are handling it. I don't blame the bar owner for sueing or doing whatever he has to do if he loses business, but suing goes both ways. I hope the Thai authorities don't let this get out of control.

[marsteele]

What I wrote about Sky news was what I heard on the TV. It could be on their website as well?

I just put in the MSN link in addition.

BTW, from what I saw of the bar owner on the news, he looks like a decent bloke. I feel this has more to do with the Thai police and they way they are handling it. I don't blame the bar owner for sueing or doing whatever he has to do if he loses business, but suing goes both ways. I hope the Thai authorities don't let this get out of control.

If you log onto 3AW.COM.Au you can hear a one on one interview with the woman and also an interview with the bar owner. Get two (2) stories but sorry no interviews with thai authorities.

[garyh]

I do believe "shakedown" is the appropriate word in this situation. 20,000 baht and she would have walked free. Now it's going to cost her a lot more to stay here for the court proceedings and end up with a measly 500 baht fine and deportation.

These types of actions by police against tourists have enormous potential for disrupting people's lives in their home countries. Perhaps she will loose her job, maybe her home. Who will take care of her children while she's stuck in Thailand ?

Sad that those involved have no idea of how much harm is being done to Thailand and to the victim's lives by episodes such as this. Those responsible for cleaning up corruption in Thailand are either powerless or couldn't care less.

I understand your point but.....

20,000 baht and she would have walked free...... How can you say this???? You indirectly support this corruption, because you know that people can get away with paying them off..... this is exactly what will keep it alive!

Unfortunately for the woman, she is the example that may assist in one small, possibly very small step towards cleaning up Thailand's corruption........ at least people are aware now.... and action has some small reason to be taken. At least people are aware, and that's a good thing.

I hope the Ozzies pull up their socks and completely ridicule the Thai justice system, but mostly the police and military authorities of Thailand; which are, have been and will continue to be the most rotten problem ever in this country.

They say they tried to bribe there way out of it! Whats the penalty for bribing a police officer in Thailand?

[steelepulse]

Maybe I missed it somewhere, but this undercover policeman was not in a uniform correct?  Let me ask you if a random person comes up to you and says "open your wallet/purse" do you just automatically do so?

[grandpops]

From what I understood about this whole issue it was not so much the bar mat as the fact that she apparently abused the police when they asked her to open her bag.Now I dont know about anyone else but when in a foreign country and you are approached by police people for whatever reason,you keep your cool and comply within the bounds of the law and common courtesy.Even if she was drunk,as has been reported, she was still capable of maintaining decent behaviour one would hope.If not then the owner of the bar would then be held liable for serving alcohol to a drunk person.

This story has many sides and I feel that the way it has been reported is not fair to the LOS.

Thailand has a lot to offer but the drunk farang element causes a lot of problems here for many parts of the community.

Once this lovely lady stops crying victim and accepts her part in it all then the issue will go away.

Thats a sensible post and well balanced. It is the drunken falangs that get all the problems here as always.

You are right. Contrition, a bit of humility and acceptance of guilt (lets not forget the bag had the mat in it) and its all forgotten.

A Western liberal attitude should be left at home when visiting Thailand. For all its "ways" Thailand is a very desirable place to live and most of us long term expats who accept it as it is, have no problems.

To the Bogans threatening a boycott of the bar. It only takes 40 or 50 people who live in Patong to agree with the owner and his bar is safe and will remain busy. Most local people I know don't drink there exactly because it is full of loud drunken yobs. You all clear off and we might start going back

You are safer in there than in the backstreet bars believe me. This is the safest best run bar in Patong by all accounts so if you are scared.... stay at home.... please.

[loong]

They say they tried to bribe there way out of it! Whats the penalty for bribing a police officer in Thailand?

The usual penalty is freedom

Maybe I missed it somewhere, but this undercover policeman was not in a uniform correct? Let me ask you if a random person comes up to you and says "open your wallet/purse" do you just automatically do so?

There is some confusion as to whether these people were undercover police, security, or off duty police enjoying some free beers.

[DLock]

This isn't a prank.

Visiting Lotus and putting an electronic security tag on the back of your mates shirt and walking out of the store is a prank. She stole, got busted and at best, her friends should be expecting a severe beating when she gets home.

However, I tend to look at it from an opportunistic angle.

If I were her, I'd get a PR Manager on the case and start peddling my story to the highest bidder. A Current Affair will pay top dollar for this hot exclusive, as will Women's Weekly when she finally gets home after paying a 500 baht fine in court fines in a few months. Stop whining and spouting for free - get paid.

Why not go a bit further and setup a Paypal account and ask all you Australians that are outraged and will never visit Thailand or the Aussie bar to donate a few dollars to help her out while she lies on the beach in Phuket awaiting her day in court, or to fly her poor children over to enjoy a few months at the Holiday Inn on Beach road.

She could milk this for a lot of money if she was smart...but then again...if her past actions are any indication...oh, never mind...

[COBRA22]

So to all the people posting and claiming that the 36 year old mother of 4 was abusive and demeaning of the Thai Police where is the evidence?

I have read and listened to her interview, the interview of her friends that were with her on the night and at the Police station and all refute this accusation.

The Australian Bar Owner in his first Radio interview said he was not in Thailand at the time and did not have any involvement or knowledge of the event at the time. So he certainly can not claim to be a witness to this alleged tirade of abuse.

If she had a language barrier problem with the Thai Authorities how is it that they could understand the alledged abuse but could not explain the charges being alleged or understand her claim of innocence.

So contributors just jump in without any research on the topic, that ok for an opinion base topic but don't state issues as fact if you have know idea.

[dirkthai]

Amazing Thailand ppfff

I just told a friend of mine about this news and he read it on a local german blog already wow.

So I check it in google , and there are already : 22.800 search results for : australian woman stole bar mat

Check it out : http://www.google.co.th/search?hl=en&q...mp;aq=f&oq=

That means within a couple of days it will but double / Tripled ... means more and more people will read it.

And the bigger news papers will collect this news aswell and print / publice it also.

Wow Thailand you doing a Great Job , Tourist will stay away and will Visit Malasia or Cambodia ...

Nice for your own economy , did the PM say something about this News .... well I doubt it...

Within a couple of days I will check google again to see how many websites has taken over the news.

[pagallim]

Amazing Thailand ppfff

I just told a friend of mine about this news and he read it on a local german blog already wow.

So I check it in google , and there are already : 22.800 search results for : australian woman stole bar mat

Check it out : http://www.google.co.th/search?hl=en&q...mp;aq=f&oq=

That means within a couple of days it will but double / Tripled ... means more and more people will read it.

And the bigger news papers will collect this news aswell and print / publice it also.

Wow Thailand you doing a Great Job , Tourist will stay away and will Visit Malasia or Cambodia ...

Nice for your own economy , did the PM say something about this News .... well I doubt it...

Within a couple of days I will check google again to see how many websites has taken over the news.

[/quote)

1035 (Phuket), and Google already up to 32,900!!!

[think_too_mut]

For me, the relevance of this post is not whether the lady actually committed an offence or not, it's more to do with the Australian (and no doubt soon to be international) perception of justice in action in Phuket, and the broader context of Thailand. I would also anticipate a lot more 'horror' stories of treatment in Thailand surfacing, through blogs etc. Will it influence the decision of (particularly Australian) tourists to visit Thailand, I think undoubtably. The hotel and bar owners in Bali must be smiling this morning.

Exactly right.

This incident is receiving massive press coverage. Anyone watching it would be too scared to go to Thailand. The main issue for the general public is that you can be thrown into a filthy Thai jail without a trial for a trivial offence. This has happened to a 36 year old mother, not some Jordy lager lout. It's now obvious that everyone's in danger of upsetting an inferiority complexed Thai cop and getting thrown in jail. (not that you can blame them for having inferiority complexes; ugly, dumb, bad teeth, small penis, no personality)

We all go on holidays and get a bit drunk and sometimes play-up. But we don't expect to be thrown in jail for small misdemeanors. Thailand tourism will suffer for this. That's the issue no matter who thinks whom is to blame.

The ***** deserves 5 years for not knowing that.

Which policeman would let go someone yelling at him "motherfuc_ker", "piece of shit"...

Now, she is saying - had there been a man to bribe police, she would have been free. Look at even bigger skunk, her husband.

Interestingly, they don't say what actually happened and how she insulted the officers (at the airport, a banner says "You may be prosecuted for insulting officers").

The bar owner said what is actually happening - she yelled insults that made police insist on the harshest possible follow up on the procedure.

If I were a PM of Thailand, I would have asked Kevin Rudd to work on his population's education while this white trash is rotting in jail for 5 years.

Just 2 months since that moron Harry was freed, another blunder came from Oz. Drunk rubbish can hold anyone as primitives and then kick up the stink?

Who knows what she might say after she is back - let he think about that for a few years. She could be writing a book too.

[george]

Update:

Phuket Police: Aussie arrest no laughing matter

PATONG, PHUKET: -- Kathu Police Superintendent Grissak Songmoonnark has defended the actions of his men in detaining Aussie holidaymaker Annice Smoel for stealing a branded bar towel from the Aussie Bar in Patong earlier this month.

Col Grissak told the Gazette today that the matter was a clear case of theft and that his officers had sufficient evidence to prove her guilt.

Ms Smoel has been widely quoted in the Australian press as saying she was the victim of a practical joke played on her by friends, who secretly placed one of the bar’s trademark bar towels into her handbag as they were preparing to leave.

As far as Col Grissak is concerned the case in no laughing matter, however.

“The officers checked Annice’s handbag and found the towel inside. The towel is a symbol of this bar. It cannot be bought anywhere else,” he said.

“The police brought her to Kathu Police Station for questioning, but she refused to admit her guilt and continued to insist that she was joking with her friends,” said Col Grissak, who has extensive experience in the ways of foreigners from his work as head of the Tourist Police in Bangkok.

“This is not a joke. The police do not make allegations without facts to back them up,” he said.

The owner of the Aussie Bar insisted [at the time of the arrest] that the police press charges and bring the case to court, he said.

“The police must uphold the law. We kept her in custody for 48 hours before releasing her on bail,” Col Grissak said.

However, it has been widely reported that Ms Smoel actually spent four nights behind bars.

Ms Smoel’s case isn’t the first time the Aussie sense of humor has backfired on the streets of Patong, he revealed.

“We once had a case of an Australian man who stole a shirt from a deaf-mute [street vendor]. He ran away, but was later caught. After he was apprehended, he said he was just playing a joke on the vendor. This is not a joke. If we don’t catch this bad guy, the deaf guy loses his shirt,” he said.

Due to a lack of English language skills among the general population of Thailand, deaf-mute people are commonly employed as retail salespeople on the streets of popular tourist destinations in Thailand – possibly because they are good at using hand gestures.

Col Grissak admitted that the Australian Embassy in Bangkok was concerned with Annice’s case and had asked for details and updates.

“I replied with the facts, saying that we were only enforcing the law,” he said.

Ms Smoel was well looked after during her stay at the Kathu Police Station, where male and female suspects are kept in separate cells and given two meals a day, he continued.

Her case has already been forwarded to the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office, he said.

“I do not know when her court hearing will be,” he added.

Locally, some people have joked that Ms Smoel is now facing an extended “Burrowes vacation” and will now be at the mercy of the slow-moving Thai legal system before she will be able to return down under to see her four children. Her passport has been confiscated by the police.

Aussie Bar owner Steve Wood said Ms Smoel’s problems were largely of her own making and that it was his understanding that all she had to do was file a police report and she would have been fined and released.

The Gazette tried to contact Ms Smoel at the Graceland Hotel in Patong but was told by her husband Darren that she was unwilling to say anything unless her solicitor was present.

The Gazette was then told to contact her solicitor, Bernard Murphy of Morris Blackburn, in Melbourne.

Why she would choose to be represented by a solicitor in Australia for a fairly straightforward case in Thailand remains open to conjecture.

Mr Wood, who has made it clear that he now has no interest in pressing charges, has his own explanation.

“I think they are holding out for some money from the media in Australia. Everyone tells me that all she had to do was file a report at the police station, and I can’t think why else she hasn’t already done so,” he said.

Once the case does go to court it is likely Ms Smoel will escape with a small fine.

-- Phuket Gazette 2009-05-20

[cmsally]

They say they tried to bribe there way out of it! Whats the penalty for bribing a police officer in Thailand?

The usual penalty is freedom

Maybe I missed it somewhere, but this undercover policeman was not in a uniform correct? Let me ask you if a random person comes up to you and says "open your wallet/purse" do you just automatically do so?

There is some confusion as to whether these people were undercover police, security, or off duty police enjoying some free beers.

I would go along with this. If this is the case it would be a scenario of random Thai male trying to interrogate Farang female. Why would anyone cooperate with people in a bar (out of uniform) in a country where you don't speak the native language. For starters if these police are in a bar drinking they shouldn't be trying to mix alcohol and work, its not a good combination. If you have security staff it should be obvious and they shouldn't be drinking. If the police want to come and frequent the bar, fair enough, but not to interfere in the security arrangements while drinking. Unfortunately the more the story gets retold it is probably impossible to decipher what actually happened. But the fact that at the beginning the bar was not pressing charges but the police were, certainly seems strange.

In a case of theft, if the owner doesn't want to press charges the thief is normally released immediately.

I think we all realise if this wasn't simply a tourist with no "back up" the outcome would have been completely different.

Maybe someone should print off the front pages of the Aussie newspapers and deliver to Phuket head of police. He can digest them over his morning coffee.

[katasyd]

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/i...90520-beut.html

I put bar mat in bag: friendPeter Gregory, Sherrill Nixon

May 20, 2009 - 12:05PM

A woman who placed a bar mat in a friend's handbag in a Thai bar says it is ridiculous and appalling that the Melbourne mother of four is facing up to five years' jail over the prank.

Annice Smoel, 36, has made an emotional plea for help from the Federal Government after she was charged with theft and spent four nights in jail over the practical joke that backfired in the Phuket club.

A woman, identified only as Kate, said this morning she was one of the friends who confessed to police and staff at the Aussie Bar that she had put the mat in Ms Smoel's bag while Ms Smoel was elsewhere in the club.

"It was just a prank," Kate told radio 3AW.

"She did not [know about it]. She was at the other side of the bar at another table with a group of people."

Kate said Ms Smoel was crying in the bar and at the police station after she was confronted over the incident, but denied she had abused police as alleged by the bar's owner.

She said one of the other women in the group had told police that Ms Smoel had not been responsible for putting the bar mat in her bag, but the police were not interested in her confession.

"I was standing back watching from the other side of the glass [at the police station] ... [Ms Smoel] was not being abusive to anybody," Kate said.

"She was very upset, she was crying, she was very confused and emotional as to what had just happened. It was very full-on, there was a lot of bar staff and police and everyone was in our faces.

"It is absolutely ridiculous, it is just appalling."

Ms Smoel's lawyer Bernard Murphy also denied his client was abusive to police.

Her passport confiscated, Ms Smoel was released on bail after four days in jail but might have to wait in Thailand for 14 weeks before she appears in court.

Mr Murphy told the Nine Network that the behaviour of the Thai police has been ridiculous.

"We're hopeful that the Thai authorities will listen and understand that their behaviour to date has been completely ridiculous," Mr Murphy said.

"To lock up this Melbourne mother for what's effectively 18 days for the theft of a bar mat, which other people have admitted doing, seems simply crazy."

He said Ms Smoel had told him that she was not abusive to police.

"I have spoken to her and I've spoken to her friends and they all deny it," he said.

"She was tearful, she was very upset but, I must say: who cares?

"This is a woman who was arrested wrongly, she was a charged with a crime she didn't commit.

"She had had plenty to drink and if she did get upset that would be entirely understandable."

Since her arrest early this month, Ms Smoel has missed being with her eldest daughter, who had emergency surgery for appendicitis, and the 11th birthday of her second-eldest.

Her brother-in-law Gary Smoel, who with his wife is caring for the children while Ms Smoel's husband supports her in Thailand, said the 12-year-old was too upset to go to school.

Two other friends, who were travelling with her to celebrate her mother's birthday, have apologised in a sworn statement for hiding the bar mat in what they called a "silly" joke.

The women, named Samantha and Jodie, said in the statement that police were told Ms Smoel was unaware when they placed the mat in her bag.

They said police initially let her go, but she was stopped later by bar staff and sent to a police booth.

"What started off as a very silly joke has turned into a very serious matter and for that we are sincerely apologetic," the women said.

Yesterday, Ms Smoel described her horror at her time in jail. She said she believed she and her friends had been targeted because they were women "on our own" without a man to talk to police about a bribe.

"If there had ... been a man with us to do that for us, then that would have been done and that would have been the end of it."

She said she was not made aware that her husband, Darren, and mother were negotiating for her release.

"I just felt scared and hopeless and alone," she said. "If they wanted to teach me a lesson, they have well and truly done it."

But Aussie Bar owner Steve Wood told 3AW that he was told police had chased Ms Smoel to the beach, and that she had been disrespectful to a senior policeman.

"I think it's more an attitude problem than a crime problem," he said.

Mr Wood said the bar had not pressed charges over the missing mat, which he said was worth $50 or $60.

Darren Smoel said he would not return home without his wife.

Late yesterday, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said Australian authorities were providing consular support and had contacted the Thai Government.

Premier John Brumby said the State Government was doing all it could to bring Ms Smoel home.

"She's a Victorian and we want to get her back," Mr Brumby said

Edited May 20, 2009 by katasyd

[think_too_mut]

“I think they are holding out for some money from the media in Australia. Everyone tells me that all she had to do was file a report at the police station, and I can’t think why else she hasn’t already done so,” he said.

Haha, I thought so, another Harry, just quicker than writing a book.

Edited May 20, 2009 by think_too_mut

[ozzydom]

Latest on Nine MSN

The Australian woman arrested in Thailand for allegedly stealing a bar mat denies reports she was abusive towards police.

Annice Smoel's lawyer Bernard Murphy said his 36-year-old client was upset when police took her into custody but she was not abusive.

The mother of four, who spent four nights in a four-by-four metre cell, has been detained in Thailand for 15 days after having her passport confiscated.

She faces five years' jail for what Mr Murphy said was a joke, with two friends putting the bar mat in her handbag as a prank.

Steve Wood, the owner of the Aussie Bar in Phuket where it's alleged the bar mat theft occurred, said on Tuesday that Smoel had been abusive to police who had spoken to her at the bar.

But Mr Murphy told the Nine Network that the behaviour of the Thai police has been ridiculous.

"We're hopeful that the Thai authorities will listen and understand that their behaviour to date has been completely ridiculous," Mr Murphy said.

"To lock up this Melbourne mother for what's effectively 18 days for theft of a bar mat which other people have admitted doing seems simply crazy."

He said Smoel has told him that she was not abusive to police.

"I have spoken to her and I've spoken to her friends and they all deny it," he said.

"She was tearful, she was very upset but, I must say, who cares.

"This is a woman who was arrested wrongly, she was a charged with a crime she didn't commit.

"She had had plenty to drink and if she did get upset that would be entirely understandable."

Smoel, from Montrose in eastern Melbourne, was released on bail after four days in jail but might have to wait 14 weeks in Thailand before she appears in court.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says the federal government will spare no efforts or resources to bring a satisfactory conclusion to Smoel's case.

He said he did not want to underestimate the degree of difficulty involved in the case.

Mr Rudd said he did not intend to comment on the specifics of the allegations against her.

"People will draw their own conclusions about that and the nature of the alleged offence," he told ABC Radio on Wednesday.

"What we're concerned about is that we provide maximum help and support to this individual and to her family in order to bring this to a swift conclusion."

Mr Rudd said staff at the Australian Embassy in Bangkok were working directly with Smoel and her family and with the Thai authorities on the case.

"We will spare no resources and no effort to bring it to a satisfactory conclusion," he said.

[Westerner]

Innocent fun, what a joke.What ever next

She ran away from the police, they had to chase after her and then she was abusive to them. Is this "innocent fun"?. She is an extremely stupid woman and now has to face the consequences.

[katasyd]

Innocent fun, what a joke.What ever next

She ran away from the police, they had to chase after her and then she was abusive to them. Is this "innocent fun"?. She is an extremely stupid woman and now has to face the consequences.

No evidence she ran, just Steve has claimed that and he was not even there, the police only mention the mat theft, not resisting.

Police don't press charges in Thailand unless the owner wants to, ask any Thai citizen, police do not want the paper work,only the baht paperwork.

Steve, please release the video footage, clear this up once and for all.

[Lozfranco]

But Mr Murphy (her lawyer) told the Nine Network that the behaviour of the Thai police has been ridiculous.

"We're hopeful that the Thai authorities will listen and understand that their behaviour to date has been completely ridiculous," Mr Murphy said.

"To lock up this Melbourne mother for what's effectively 18 days for theft of a bar mat which other people have admitted doing seems simply crazy."

"She had had plenty to drink and if she did get upset that would be entirely understandable."

Best sack the lawyer, telling the Thai authorities that they are ridiculous will not help matters at all.

[ozzydom]

This extract from the statement by the local police superintendant................................................

“This is not a joke. The police do not make allegations without facts to back them up,” he said.

The owner of the Aussie Bar insisted [at the time of the arrest] that the police press charges and bring the case to court, he said.

Seems to be lots of porkies flowing from all concerned with this event.

[bkkbob]

Just seen on Channel 7 television news Australia. Many people sending emails of misadventures at the aussie bar.

Link please.

I can't find anything about misadventures at Aussie Bar.

[CqK]

How do you know STEVE pressed charges? In the west the owner would have to press charges, but this is not the west, maybe he did maybe he didn't, but I doubt he did.

Thank You! I was wondering how long it was going to take for someone to finally point out that the laws in the "west" do not, or may not, apply, much to many's dismay, to the entire world!

[Old Croc]

They say the Best Job in the World campaign generated $100 million in free advertising.

I wonder how much negative free advertising this affair has generated for the bar concerned.

In the tv interviews shown around Australia this xxxx Woods couldn't keep the smirk off his face. (both of them!)

[Kervon]

Definitely agree. Not all the facts are in.

1: Why can't an off duty undercover cop drink in a bar?? Never seen it in Oz, UK or US? If half of you " I owned a bar" posters never saw an off duty cop in a bar then are 2 choices. One means you need a seeing eye dog. The other ???

2: Stealing is wrong no matter if it is worth 1 or a million baht. If you look at the justice system in most western countries the smaller the crime the bigger the sentence.

3: Abusing officials is the same thing the British guy did and in the end he went through the system no thanks to his own ability to mouth off even after he was briefed how to behave.

Can do it with impunity in the US. BS!!

Try it in other Asian countries. Don't just use it to knock Thailand so you can see your name in print.

4: Doing a runner when drunk is a time honoured practice but not in Asia. If you run you are guilty no matter what

5: It's Thai rules that count not the rules of most of the posters who can only quote the Thai system as being corupt because they have never been here or if so never left Pattaya which makes them an expert

6: By the way if the various posters who indicate they wont holiday or whatever here. Fine. Don't. We are better off without you.

7: I like Icpossum's final line! That should get the do-gooders going

Just to add on the above great thumbs up posts.

People should look at things from a broader perspective instead of just standing for themselves.

Like what LivinLOS said... Stealing is wrong. Be it 1 Baht or 1mil Baht.

If one steals 1 Baht and get caught, don't expect to brush it off saying 'Come on..It's only 1 freaking baht? Where's the justice?.. Where's my Aussie Government? Where's my freedom of speech (or freedom to run..away from the police)'... Which is exactly what this lady and her company along with a few too many posters in this topic is portraying.

Folks who go along the lines of the latter should seriously think about times in future where probably their own stuff getting sniffed off... We'll see then where the justice in them sides.

You steal... You get caught... You plead for leniency... And pleading = to appeal or entreat earnestly.. And NOT DEMANDING.

Besides this, it is clear that the police had originally wanted to let the whole matter go, but she chose to 'TREAT' it like a joke in her drunken stupor. WHY? Because it's only a bar mat. So there ya go. Everything sums up itself.

[marsteele]

From what I understood about this whole issue it was not so much the bar mat as the fact that she apparently abused the police when they asked her to open her bag.Now I dont know about anyone else but when in a foreign country and you are approached by police people for whatever reason,you keep your cool and comply within the bounds of the law and common courtesy.Even if she was drunk,as has been reported, she was still capable of maintaining decent behaviour one would hope.If not then the owner of the bar would then be held liable for serving alcohol to a drunk person.

This story has many sides and I feel that the way it has been reported is not fair to the LOS.

Thailand has a lot to offer but the drunk farang element causes a lot of problems here for many parts of the community.

Once this lovely lady stops crying victim and accepts her part in it all then the issue will go away.

Thats a sensible post and well balanced. It is the drunken falangs that get all the problems here as always.

You are right. Contrition, a bit of humility and acceptance of guilt (lets not forget the bag had the mat in it) and its all forgotten.

A Western liberal attitude should be left at home when visiting Thailand. For all its "ways" Thailand is a very desirable place to live and most of us long term expats who accept it as it is, have no problems.

To the Bogans threatening a boycott of the bar. It only takes 40 or 50 people who live in Patong to agree with the owner and his bar is safe and will remain busy. Most local people I know don't drink there exactly because it is full of loud drunken yobs. You all clear off and we might start going back

You are safer in there than in the backstreet bars believe me. This is the safest best run bar in Patong by all accounts so if you are scared.... stay at home.... please.

Yes drunken farangs do cause a few problems but they are invited here to Party. I do not mean to be disrepectful but can I point out a couple of things in your post?

Lets not forget the bag had the mat in it........ Yes you are very correct in this...

Now the defination of THEFT is... Dishonestly appropriates property belonging to another with the intention of permantly depriving the other of such property.

Did this woman approriate this property (Mat) = NO friends admitt to that.

Did it belong to another = YES

Was the intention on her behalf to Permantly deprive = NO she was not aware of the contents.

Now the woman was in the bar and just say for instance she was aware that the mat was in her bag. Is that theft by just purely having it in there? NO Did she walk out of the bar with the item? NO

Ok I will put it another way. We go to the supermarket and select a few small items, we don't need a trolley only a couple of item but we place them in our personal bag. Have we stolen them at this point? I think not. We go to the cashier remove the items from our bag and pay for them.

Now if I went to the cashier and did not remove all the items and pay for all and walk out the door then yes I am guilty of theft for the remaining items..

Police officer with 18 yrs experience....

Edited May 20, 2009 by marsteele