Australian Women Arrested In Phuket Over Bar Mat

[Thomas1983]

The bar is obviously owned by an influential Thai - policeman or politician.Would a Farang owned Bar have undercover cops working in it? Would the police care if a Farang owned bar got ripped off? Certainly not, because the police are looking to do just that - rip off the Farang owned bar themselves by searching for unauthentic music on the computer or Thai CD's etc or absolutely any other "law" they can make up to extort baht from the owner. (yes, I've owned a Bar in Thailand so I'm talking from first hand experience)

So,this is some Thai scumbags bar and they are putting a tourist in jail for stealing a towel. I suggest you avoid this bar if you're ever in Phuket and tell everyone that you know to avoid it as well.

What is the Name of this Bar? Can anyone tell me....

Thais are always trying to rip the Farang off for every Dime!

[gatorhead333]

Personnally my biggest problem with this thread is the number of idiots who post without reading the facts of what happened.

The bar owner was not there at the time of the incident.

The bar owner did not press charges, the police have.

The woman is 36 (not 60 as someone wrote)....

I could go on but I am bored already and wondering why I even bothered.

hey so what bar owner not there he is responsible for how he has his personal paid gestopo crack people. this is like saying:" i let my dog run free while i was gone and my dog bite /ate you but i was out of town so no big deal"...

he is the one paying "undercover cops" to over react to simple drunken foul mouth beer mat thieves...

[katasyd]

The bar is obviously owned by an influential Thai - policeman or politician.Would a Farang owned Bar have undercover cops working in it? Would the police care if a Farang owned bar got ripped off? Certainly not, because the police are looking to do just that - rip off the Farang owned bar themselves by searching for unauthentic music on the computer or Thai CD's etc or absolutely any other "law" they can make up to extort baht from the owner. (yes, I've owned a Bar in Thailand so I'm talking from first hand experience)

So,this is some Thai scumbags bar and they are putting a tourist in jail for stealing a towel. I suggest you avoid this bar if you're ever in Phuket and tell everyone that you know to avoid it as well.

What is the Name of this Bar? Can anyone tell me....

Thais are always trying to rip the Farang off for every Dime!

Aussie bar, Bangla Rd, you can't miss it.

[sleir]

For those of you who couldn't read the Stat Dec:

They did not leave the bar with the mat nor did they intend to. It was a joke and they apologised and explained it to the police. After an ok from the police to leave, the bar staff stopped her and she was then arrested.

If this is true it does indeed reflect very badly on the Aussi bar. Not only were they indeed responsible for the arrest of the woman, but later Steve denied this and tried to blame it on misbehaviour on her side. On top of that the policemen were most likely hired and paid by him and thus should have escalated the whole thing in a satisfactory manner for the customers. But many Farang scum bar owners tend to adopt the Thai way of dealing with such things: try to get the max out of a situation like this and deny any wrong-doing, counting on too little bad publicity compared to his personal gain. Like I said all based on the assumption that this declaration is indeed true.

[bonobo]

 

It is pathetic that they (the police) have allowed this to get so out-of-hand that it has become an international incident. And Thai people will suffer because of that.

An international incident?? Give me a break. The world needs to worry about some dumb Aussie sheila? I'd say it's an incident that the Australian Embassy needs to deal with, end of story.

I seriously doubt any single white males will pay scant regard to this "international incident". They come here for other reasons, not to steal bar mats, whatever that is.

So only single white males are tourists here?  Well, this was a married white female, so that is at least one person who doesn't fit your demographic.

And yes, it is an international incident.  Haven't you bothered to read the posts here?  This is being played up by the Australian press, at the very least.  Rightly or wrongly doesn't matter--people are forming an opnion about Thailand based on them.  And even if memory is short, in the meantime, people who rely on tourism will be making less to take home. And on top of the economy, Thai political unrest, other well-publicized crimes against foreigners and/or perceived police abuse, well, that is just one more blow to people who are just trying to make a living.

Whether you think the accused is completely innocent or a nefarious criminal, it is really impossible for a rational person to think that this will have a positive effect on Thai tourism or even the international reputation of the country.

[bungy007]

What's wrong with a little ON THE SPOT justice? $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ This had already gone far out of proportion to the crime. Another Simon fiasco in the making.

I have to agree. Yet another fiasco - lack of education on both sides maybe the culprit. Thailand used to be a very easy going place ten years ago and then Purachai started his crusade/clean up campaign -the country has been on a downswing ever since. Word has spread of Thailand being a great destination for partying a la full moon parties (with blind eyes turned) and the West is buying this hype. However, the reality can be far different, from litter patroling officers out to extract huge fines for those who drop their litter when unable to find a litter bin to trumped up charges as in this case and that of Simon Burrows.

I have said this before, Countries and travel agents should make all aware of these incidents and prospective visitors should be made to sign a waiver which makes them acknowledge that if they holiday in Thailand there is every chance they will fall foul of the 'authorities' in some way. therfore, accept the Embassies will be able to do little for you and you will be at the mercy of third world 'justice'. Go at your own risk but accept you are on an exteme vacation with dire consequences if it all goes wrong.

On the other hand, the BiB appears unaware of the power of the internet. They probably think that these actions will go undetected by the rest of the world. It has to be said that these lads aren't the sharpest knives in the draw and given the 'Thai way' of living for today without thinking of the consequences of their actions. As a consequence, their foolish belief in arbitary powers may well be their downfall. I mean, its not going to go down well with the mafia and the top brass when pickings are so slim by boycotts that they can no longer trade up their mercs, fund their mia nois/ children's expensive over seas education, expensive trinkets to placate the Mrs and their promotions to C10 etc. No no, I see dark days ahead for the low level BiB who have thought themselves so indespensable.

[rafval]

Don't tell me Thais and Farang get treated the same either. EVERY time the police see me in a taxi at asoke intersection I am pulled over and thoroughly searched as cars of thais have flown on by before me. How many thais are hit up with "give me 20K and you won't have to go to the police station"

they would do the same to Thais too if the Thais had 20000b, it has nothing to do with race

Lol, garbage dude. I am repeatedly stopped and Thais I know living in my same area never are (some with more cash than me.) It has EVERYTHING to with race.

Next you'll be telling me there is no racism in Thailand. Lolapalooza. About the only place I've been to that (openly) has pricing schemes based on the colour of your skin...

yep, I will say that, they go for the farang because they know they have money and they know they arent going to have connections to higher people, call it racism if you want but the reality is that, like the girls, they are only interested in your money, not your skin color

[mc2]

What's wrong with a little ON THE SPOT justice? $$$$$$$$ This had already gone far out of proportion to the crime. Another Simon fiasco in the making.

this has probably already been mentioned (i havent read the whole thread) but read she tried to bribe the police at the station and they refused, probably making things worse for her.

[BigC]

A Melbourne mother is stuck in Thailand charged with theft and facing time in a Phuket jail cell.

Thirty-six-year-old Annice Smoel says: "I get very scared when I see police. I'm just trying to keep it together, so I can get home." Undercover police arrested Smoel in the early morning hours of May 3.

Patong Police claim Smoel stole a bar mat from Phuket's Aussie Bar. Smoel spent the next day in a four-metre-by-four-metre cell with three other women.

Police have confiscated Smoel's passport. Smoel says she is struggling with a severe language barrier and doesn't know what will happen next.

She is facing between two and five years jail - and has not been given any food in the past four days according to her lawyer.

3AW Breakfast is speaking to Smoel, her husband and lawyer now.

all i can say is for anyone else to not go to the aussie bar. unless they help this lady out

[Texpat]

to expect an Aussie to stop thinking like an Aussie on holiday is stupid.

Be prepared to suffer the consequences, then.

And stop whining.

When I went to Oz, the wench at the airport customs counter tried to take my avacados. I was OUTRAGED! I was LIVID!

Oh the humanity! Surely, this petty, stupid law was created for the unwashed Chinese, Lebanese and Indian slobs with their cardboard luggage and bags of rotten fruit they would slurp down and irresponsibly scatter the seeds -- ruining the glorious, vast wasteland desert that is Oz. Not ME!

But then, suddenly, like the Grinch stealing Christmas, with my sleighful of joy teetering on the verge of disaster, I had an epiphany. My brain grew to the size of ten tourists (plus two). I realized that I wasn't at home and I would have to yield to the laws of the land I was now in. A broad grin crossed my face and my heart glowed with kindness as I turned over the little green globes of goodness to the nice lady.

See, that wasn't so difficult now, was it? Situational awareness and a few glasses of booze needn't be mutually exclusive.

[Duangta]

............Local newspaper Phuket Gazette reporters are with Steve Wood at the Aussie Bar as this report is filed. More details on the case will be reported in the Gazette Online this evening.

Ms Smoel has been charged with "night-time theft" and imprisoned for four days. Thailand makes a distinction between daytime and nighttime thefts, with the latter seen as more serious under Thai law.

Bar Owner Mr Wood has not pressed charges................

Phuketgazette

[bulmercke]

A bar mat and an undercover policeman? Thailand is slowly becoming Burma. Phuket, pattaya, Chiangmai are all places that should be avoided at all price. Their police forces belong to the most crooked in the country. Unfortunately the lady in question did not realize that she could do anything except looking for publicity. the fact that this case is now in the open means that she will get 2 years, half off because she will admit to the case (standard procedure, after all half the Thai inmates are in for doing nothing). If this case would have stayed out of the press, she could have paid the police, the owner, the prosecutor of the judge, which is all standard procedure in Thailand. Involving an embassy and appearing in the press will cut these possibilities almost off. Hiring a lawyer is an expensive waste time and resources. Good luck to the lady, after all Australia is not very famous for helping its citizens in the LOS.

Add the UK to that list.

[BigC]

sorry i am not sure i read this right. she stole a " bar mat "

like a table cloth and is looking at 2 years.

i wish my ex got 2 years when she took my motor bike 50 k in gold and 2 million baht. instead she got to keep it.

[Jdietz]

Funny thing is that back in Australia people seem to have no problem with her arrest and hardly any sympathy at all, regarding the comments to the Herald Sun newspaper.

Doesn't seem like tourism will be affected much by the arrest of another foul mouthed ozzie sheila...

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/comments/...077-661,00.html

[doggie888888]

It is pathetic that they (the police) have allowed this to get so out-of-hand that it has become an international incident. And Thai people will suffer because of that.

An international incident?? Give me a break. The world needs to worry about some dumb Aussie sheila? I'd say it's an incident that the Australian Embassy needs to deal with, end of story.

I seriously doubt any single white males will pay scant regard to this "international incident". They come here for other reasons, not to steal bar mats, whatever that is.

So only single white males are tourists here? Well, this was a married white female, so that is at least one person who doesn't fit your demographic.

And yes, it is an international incident. Haven't you bothered to read the posts here? This is being played up by the Australian press, at the very least. Rightly or wrongly doesn't matter--people are forming an opnion about Thailand based on them. And even if memory is short, in the meantime, people who rely on tourism will be making less to take home. And on top of the economy, Thai political unrest, other well-publicized crimes against foreigners and/or perceived police abuse, well, that is just one more blow to people who are just trying to make a living.

Whether you think the accused is completely innocent or a nefarious criminal, it is really impossible for a rational person to think that this will have a positive effect on Thai tourism or even the international reputation of the country.

I actually think it will have a neutral effect, neither positive or negative. Because this is an isolated incident where most rational persons will dismiss as a media beat-up. I haven't stopped going to Bali, no have many others I know, just becasue those Australian drug smugglers were caught and sentenced. However, an incident like the Bali bombing is what I would call an international incident that will have a negative impact on tourism. But we are talking about a bar mat here. So, some perspective please!

[bonobo]

I actually think it will have a neutral effect, neither positive or negative. Because this is an isolated incident where most rational persons will dismiss as a media beat-up. I haven't stopped going to Bali, no have many others I know, just becasue those Australian drug smugglers were caught and sentenced. However, an incident like the Bali bombing is what I would call an international incident that will have a negative impact on tourism. But we are talking about a bar mat here. So, some perspective please!

Exactly.  If she had been charged with murder, no one would bat an eye.  I doubt too many people would expect to go to Thailand to murder someone, so they would think this situation could never happen to them.

But to go through all of this for a bar mat?  Most of us have done something similarly wrong but minor in our lives, so it is far easier to imagine us in that place.  The fact that it was only a bar mat strengthens the arguement that this will have some effect on tourism.  

[njpski]

According to ABC News Australia, the woman tried to bribe the police.

Not a simple theft!

Silly, silly woman

[robokop]

I think you will find that a Aussie chap owns the bar, he looks like David Boone or Merv Hughes with his handlebar moustache.

He needs to step in and not press charges.

The story over here goes along the lines that BG placed the towel in her hand bag as a prank.

Security in the Hotel had observed what took place and got in to a discussion with the BGs and the woman walked out of the Bar leaving her Bag and the bar mat in the Bar. Undercover Police arrested her as she left the Bar on the street.

She has been locked up now for several days and the BGs have made representations to the Police and provide statutory declarations stating the Australian woman had no involvement in the episode.

But the Thai Police have said she will be held for up to 48 days before any charge is laid followed by going to court that will take at least 7 visits before any decision of guilt or otherwise is determined.

There is out rage from Humanitarian groups and high profile legal firs and Counsels.

Time for Australians to read a few reports on the Thai Justice system before considering a trip to LOS.

This are really hotting up down here.

You do not ever ever want to get involved in the Thai legal system or with the Thai Police. As a matter of fact, you do not ever ever want to get involved with any police in any country you are visiting. Simple rule of thumb, shut you mouth, do nothing stupid and mind your own business

[lennois]

Don't tell me Thais and Farang get treated the same either. EVERY time the police see me in a taxi at asoke intersection I am pulled over and thoroughly searched as cars of thais have flown on by before me. How many thais are hit up with "give me 20K and you won't have to go to the police station"

they would do the same to Thais too if the Thais had 20000b, it has nothing to do with race

Lol, garbage dude. I am repeatedly stopped and Thais I know living in my same area never are (some with more cash than me.) It has EVERYTHING to with race.

Next you'll be telling me there is no racism in Thailand. Lolapalooza. About the only place I've been to that (openly) has pricing schemes based on the colour of your skin...

yep, I will say that, they go for the farang because they know they have money and they know they arent going to have connections to higher people, call it racism if you want but the reality is that, like the girls, they are only interested in your money, not your skin color

Yup, I'll call it racism because it quite clearly is. Your argument is the same as "I don't like asians because they are bad drivers - nothing to do with the colour of their skin."

Both absurd generalisations, and both as racist as it gets.

[kangeroo]

it wouldn't matter what she took , she was a easy target and money was the number one objective , she probably got upset and said a few things that she shouldn't have and in thai thats not a good thing to do . thai will play the game get some real money out of it and then let her go . what i would like to know is how many times has she come to Thailand? .

[johna]

She says in the Radio interview that she has not been charged, she has not been into a court, and goes on to say….

The police have 48 days to investigate the case before handing it over to the prosecutor who will then decide on what charges if any to bring.

The governor must sign of on the prosecutor’s decision

If the prosecutor and governor can not agree the case goes to a higher court for a final decision.

Steve the bar owner says she insulted the chief of police, that potentially as Simon Burrows can attest is far more serious, and is a criminal offense, so we will just have to wait and see what charges the prosecutor brings.

The police, prosecutor, and governor may have their hands tied by the law.

Thais in general could not find Australia on a map, they do not read the foreign press, and would be surprised at your outrage over this case.

Over 800 people reading this, wow this should be on local news tonight.

[loong]

An international incident?? Give me a break. The world needs to worry about some dumb Aussie sheila? I'd say it's an incident that the Australian Embassy needs to deal with, end of story.

I seriously doubt any single white males will pay scant regard to this "international incident". They come here for other reasons, not to steal bar mats, whatever that is.

This woman didn't come here to steal bar mats, and from her corroborated statement, she didn't steal anything.

Potential tourists will take note that they may come to Thailand and be arrested and jailed for a very petty crime even though another person has admitted the guilt.

Certainly many tourists need to learn a lesson or two about how to address authorities here........Only been living in Thailand for 18 months however everyday I learn something new that would keep me out of trouble...

So after 18 months you are still learning, but you expect a 2 week tourist to be savvy enough to know how to keep out of trouble.

[aussiestyle1983]

If it is true that a bar girl or someone else put it in her bag as a prank and has come forward and admitted that to police, and police have ignored it, it just goes to show how backwards some Thais are.

I would definitely not continue with my holiday to LOS this July if my dirt cheap air ticket was refundable. My Thai wife doesn't want to visit Thailand again, and many people who I work with in the transport industry will no longer visit Thailand. They will return to Bali since a long time has passed since the bombings. These guys go on holidays to Thailand in big groups twice a year, not for the right reasons, but nonetheless, they still spend a lot and have most likely contributed to the construction of many homes in the poorer regions...

I'll take my chances in Bali from now on. Then again, Bali is probably safer than LOS given all the protests and other problems there.

[carvets]

sorry i am not sure i read this right. she stole a " bar mat "

like a table cloth and is looking at 2 years.

i wish my ex got 2 years when she took my motor bike 50 k in gold and 2 million baht. instead she got to keep it.

She must have taken it during " the day " when theft is less serious.

[Texpat]

Seems the same ill-informed posters who tried to convince themselves the Burrowes case was about his passport are now trying desperately to convince themselves this case is about a beer mat.

It's about taking idiots to task.

[aussiestyle1983]

Thais in general could not find Australia on a map

I'd be surprised if they could even find Thailand...

[bungy007]

to expect an Aussie to stop thinking like an Aussie on holiday is stupid.

Be prepared to suffer the consequences, then.

And stop whining.

When I went to Oz, the wench at the airport customs counter tried to take my avacados. I was OUTRAGED! I was LIVID!

Oh the humanity! Surely, this petty, stupid law was created for the unwashed Chinese, Lebanese and Indian slobs with their cardboard luggage and bags of rotten fruit they would slurp down and irresponsibly scatter the seeds -- ruining the glorious, vast wasteland desert that is Oz. Not ME!

But then, suddenly, like the Grinch stealing Christmas, with my sleighful of joy teetering on the verge of disaster, I had an epiphany. My brain grew to the size of ten tourists (plus two). I realized that I wasn't at home and I would have to yield to the laws of the land I was now in. A broad grin crossed my face and my heart glowed with kindness as I turned over the little green globes of goodness to the nice lady.

See, that wasn't so difficult now, was it? Situational awareness and a few glasses of booze needn't be mutually exclusive.

Stop it Tex - you crack me up, man! Your last sentence is a real pearl and perhaps the 'off duty BiB' should have it stamped on their foreheads . Tell you what though, interesting that we haven't heard anything from the owner, steve! One poster towards the beginning metioned that they know he reads TV so why not a peep? He's probably down the Ozzie Embassy right now trying to change his name just in case any Aussie Rules Footie players enter his more than tarnished establishment grunting,

'Are you the owner Steve? We want to take you outside and show you a little home grown hospitality of our own based on the good old ANZAC spirit of mateship - i.e. we don't dobb our own into the BiB We're up for a game of 7 aside and Steve is the ball!' Oh! says Steve, 'You blokes have the wrong man, I'm Tarkwin and I'm a little lost. I'm looking for the library and someone told me it was in here".

[Bosse137]

Many strange details in this story..!Why would a woman leave her handbag out of sight? How did the police know,that the mat was there?Did they sit and stare at her handbag all evening?If so,if they saw what happened,then logically they also saw WHO put the mat there.Why did they not interfere at that moment?If they did not see it,again,how did they know? Collaberation with somebody in the bar,perhaps? Many qestions,few answers.

[doggie888888]

I actually think it will have a neutral effect, neither positive or negative. Because this is an isolated incident where most rational persons will dismiss as a media beat-up. I haven't stopped going to Bali, no have many others I know, just becasue those Australian drug smugglers were caught and sentenced. However, an incident like the Bali bombing is what I would call an international incident that will have a negative impact on tourism. But we are talking about a bar mat here. So, some perspective please!

Exactly. If she had been charged with murder, no one would bat an eye. I doubt too many people would expect to go to Thailand to murder someone, so they would think this situation could never happen to them.

But to go through all of this for a bar mat? Most of us have done something similarly wrong but minor in our lives, so it is far easier to imagine us in that place. The fact that it was only a bar mat strengthens the arguement that this will have some effect on tourism.

We'll just agree to disagree

[kangeroo]

it must be very distressing for her and her friends , the thai lawers would be happy and I'm sure there will be some generous hand out of cash which is exactly what this is about .