Phuket Police: Aussie Arrest No Laughing Matter

[ThaiEye]

Would you try and steal something on sale in a pub worth $60AU in your home country?

Would you run away from the police in your home country?

Would you verbally abuse the police in your home country?

What kind of 'mother' is she?

Have a look at the beer mat, they are nice and on sale in the Aussie Bar:

Edited May 20, 2009 by ThaiEye

[Lancelot]

The silly cow deserves everything she gets except the cash handouts from the Australian media.

Why is she a cow? Why does she deserve everything she gets? Are you suggesting that the Australian media is paying her for her story? I'm American, but I totally reject your suggestion that she is being paid by the Australian media. Good for the press -what ever the country- for covering this most unfortunate incident.

And shame on you for your complete lack of decency and compassion!

[abloch01]

She's stupid for not simply filing that report and paying the fine but I can see how being in the situation can be confusing. I was stopped by Thai police once because my rental motorbike was missing something on the license plate. The police man gave me a piece of paper that was completely in Thai and told me to sign it. This being my first time in Thailand and not knowing how things work here yet, I refused to sign anything that I could not read. So the police guy simply ignored me and let me stand there for about 10 mins. When I asked what the matter was he simply spoke in Thai. A woman translated it for me. He said I was causing trouble and he doesnt want to deal with me. I simply didnt want to pay a fine for whats clearly the fault of the owner of the motorbike. So I just signed the dam_n paper and went on with my night.

For a country that lives from its tourism industry, Thailand sure hasnt done much to make life easier for tourists. I love Thailand the country but I hate the general attitude that foreigners are treated like ATMs.

I also hope that people are boycotting Mr. Woods Aussie Bar in Phuket. I dont understand how you can raise hel_l because of a stupid bath towel. That is the dumbest thing Ive ever heard and I hope nobody ever goes to his bar again and he goes out of business soon. If I would live in Phuket I would go see Mr. Woods myself and tell him what I think of him.

[grantbkk]

Speaking as a longtime professional journalist, the original article above from the Phuket Gazette is a pure piece of C**P.....

I have no idea what the lady really did or didn't do. But.....

--the article totally fails to have the police even minutely address the key issue in the case: that friends of the woman claimed then and are reinforcing now that she knew nothing about it and it was a joke they played on her. True or not, the police commander doesn't even touch that subject in the article.

--the article quotes the police commander as saying his men did what they did originally because the owner of the bar insisted on pursuing the case. Then later, the article directly quotes the owner of the bar as saying he doesn't want to pursue the case. So which is true? The owner originally wanted to prosecute and then changed his mind later? Or the police commander is misrepresenting the original position of the owner. The article doesn't give you a clue.

--the first paragraphs of the article says the police detained the woman for stealing the bar rag... Gee, I don't believe she's admitted guilt or been found guilty in any court. So how about, for ALLEGEDLY stealing at least.... unless innocent until proven guilty got lost somewhere along the way.

Any way you cut it, all of this over a bar mat is a ridiculous overreaction -- unless the woman involved really did something to hack off the local BIB.... There were some hints of that originally, but the latest accounts seem to suggest that wasn't the case.

My verdict is... Phuket Gazette.... crappy journalism, if you can even call it that.

Your opinion of the article and your grasp of the facts are right on. However, you can be too hard on the so called journalists in Thailand. They are tightly controlled by the government and usually don't have the requisite schooling or training necessary write a news story. The best you can ever do here is three or four of the five things we want to read in most new articles: Who, what, when, where and why. We cannot set our expectations too high or we are almost guaranteed to be disappointed. You may find, like me, that news sources are serving there masters and not the public. Most news here is manipulated in some way and may be total fabricated in some cases.

[blakeimage]

Som Nam Na...

I have been to Thailand countless times, and each of those times - without fail, I have seen a bunch of Australians and/or other nationalities behaving badly and treating the Thai community with the lowest of respect. The Thai people work hard for their money and obviously don't appreciate theft as a 'practical joke'. These people need to use more common sense. You are leaving Australia to VISIT a very different country with different morals, culture, people and traits. While we might think it's a big "ha-ha" stealing a bar mat, The locals obviously do not.

The hospitality portrayed by the Thai people cannot be faulted, They are friendly, talkative, welcoming and very caring. You would not find such hospitality many other places around the world. When drunken hooligans come crashing into their town expecting them to bend over backwards, I am not surprised the Thai Police have little or no tolerance for foreigners.

The family are the only ones to blame in this scenario (and the friend). Pointing the finger at the thai police scolding them for being so harsh is wrong. While I do think 5 years is quite a harsh sentence, If they had of demonstrated a bit more respect - perhaps the circumstances would have been a-lot different.

[deanosan3]

as we all know, the embassies are not there to protect us filthy proles anymore . They are there for industry.

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.

Now this statement is strange indeed as the Embassy does not get involved in these issues (i was told in writing before)

They always suggest you get your own lawyer

now we have the PM of OZ directing resources to the bar mat stealer of Phuket

GIVE ME A BREAK

[hansnl]

This is, were it not so unbelievable sorry, becoming a comic opera.

Indeed, this is exactly what Thailand needs.

Tourism is going down the drain, and the only answer from Thailand in general is making Thailand look more and more stupid and unattractive.

I am so sorry for this country and for all the people who eek a living out of tourism.

Edited May 20, 2009 by hansnl

[webfact]

source: http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/world/5579774

Australian mum arrested over Thai bar 'prank'

May 20, 2009, 8:00 am

An Australian mother of four has been arrested in Thailand after friends snuck a bar towel into her handbag, a move which has led to Thai officials refusing to let her return home.

Annice Smoel, 36, spent four nights in a tiny cell with three other inmates before she was released on bail. Thai police have confiscated her passport and she is required to report to authorities every two weeks as a condition of bail.

It is expected to be 14 weeks before her case is heard in court.

Smoel told the Melbourne Age that her arrest for allegedly stealing a bar mat from a Phuket bar during her mother's 60th birthday celebration was "totally unbelievable".

Mrs Smoel told the paper that she just wanted to get home to her daughters, aged 6, 8, 11 and 12. She has already missed one daughter's birthday and while another needed an appendectomy.

"If they wanted to teach me a lesson they have well and truly done it," she said.

Ms Smoel told an Australian radio show that she didn't do it. She said a friend had confessed to police that she had done it and there was video evidence proving her innocence.

"One of the girls involved went down to the police station on Sunday morning and confessed to the crime and apologised and they [Thai police] told her to go away. They didn't care," Ms Smoel told Radio 3AW.

"Apparently the police have 48 days to investigate the crime."

According to Ms Smoel's lawyer if found guilty she could spend up to five years in prison.

"She has received legal advice that suggests that if she is found guilty of night-time theft in Thailand, she faces two to five years' imprisonment," lawyer Brendan Murphy said.

"Annice Smoel is an innocent woman. She has not committed a crime, she did not place the bar mat in her bag, nor did she leave the premises of the bar with it in her bag," he said.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has commented on the situation saying all available consular assistance was being provided to Mrs Smoel and he was concerned that "all the facts be established".

"I've just been advised about this, the Foreign Minister and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade are on top of this case," he told reporters in Melbourne.

"They are providing every level of consular assistance to the family and the individual concerned."

[skilling]

Nothing suprise me anymore in this country. What a great job the thai´s keeping up to get the tourist industry back up!!

[Wildliferescue]

The case can be quite easy;

I read yesterday that the bar owner did not want to press charges. If that is true there is no case at all. The police cannot keep someone without the owner of the stolen goods reporting the matter at the police station or with a senior police inspector.

If the bar-owner actually did press charges and wants to see the case to court the police is not to blame, if the woman does confess to the charges she can go to court the same day and she will probably be fined and receive a short suspended jail term. If she denies the charge it might take a lot longer as the local chief of police, or in a later stage the prosecutor, might ask for more details before going to court. The fine will surely be higher this way, and even a short jail-term is possible.

The easiest way out is the withdrawal of the complaint by the bar-owner however, think he has had enough bad publicity now....

As a person who is involved with wildlife protection I hope to see the Phuket police enforce the laws on the island regarding wildlife as serious as the above matter; baby monkeys, gibbons and lots of other protected species are illegally paraded along Patong for photo opportunities with tourists for years now and even written complaints to the chief have not made any difference yet...

[TerryLH]

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

I wonder what they thought was going to happen at the end of their 'silly joke'.

Maybe they thought the woman would find the mat in her purse later on, they'd all have a giggle over how funny it all was, and then go back to the bar and return the mat?

I suspect returning the mat to the bar was never part of the plan.

I also don't think they'd be apologetic if they hadn't been caught.

Probably a little harsh for petty theft, but...

I wish her well and hope she gets home to her 4 children quickly.

I think this quote from her attorney says a lot.

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

[jfchandler]

To the various posters who are posing the view...do the crime...do the time, etc etc...

I've seen scant little evidence of any kind presented publicly to suggest that the women involved played any active, knowing role in the "theft". Maybe she did, but I haven't heard or seen any evidence in the media reports or accounts from police to back that up...

Perhaps she didn't handle her dealings with the Thai police in the smartest manner...or maybe she did. But underneath it all, where's any proof that SHE actually committed any theft??? To the contrary, most of the accounts presented thus far suggest she was an unwitting dupe.... not a thief.

[MeetJohnDoe]

I have been to Thailand countless times, and each of those times - without fail, I have seen a bunch of Australians and/or other nationalities behaving badly and treating the Thai community with the lowest of respect. The Thai people work hard for their money and obviously don't appreciate theft as a 'practical joke'. These people need to use more common sense. You are leaving Australia to VISIT a very different country with different morals, culture, people and traits. While we might think it's a big "ha-ha" stealing a bar mat, The locals obviously do not.

While I generally agree with your sentiments, it seems to me in this case something has gone awry. Sure theft is wrong (and whether it was put in her bag by friends as a joke or not is beside the point) it seems to me the bar owner or manager is going a little over the top here. If the women was caught leaving the bar with the item in her possession, it seems to me a reasonable monetary compensation could have been agreed on the spot. From the photo, the towel is quite large and to roll one up and place it in a bag unnoticed would be quite difficult. Maybe she refused to pay compensation and became argumentative so the authorities were called in.

[ChangMaiSausage]

Okay they should not have stole the bar towel but..... there does seem to be more to the story than what has been told. The bar over reacted and the following incident with the police seems like someone has lost face.

Just think how many people will now go to the Aussie bar to steal bar towels now.... I bet they stop putting them on the bar in the next couple of months.

Edited May 20, 2009 by ChangMaiSausage

[tischmibkk]

And I sincerely hope that word gets around in the world on how the Patong Police operates.

I was myself involved in a case there last week when some parking guards attacked a friend who parked his car at a parking outside of their "paid-parking area". They beat him up for 40B!!!

TOURIST POLICE:

Seconds after, a tourist policeman passed there on a motorbike and when i told him about the incident he just drove off. At the police station nobody felt like coming there after we repeatedly asked for them to come.

I think it's her good right to get as much publicity and money out of the story to cover all the expenses she must've had so far for lawyers, hotels, flight changes etc.

THAI POLICE:

The Thai Police was obviously were befriended with the parking guards letting them tell the story although we wanted to file a case. Suddenly, it was us who it first (although none of us was hitting at all since there were about 5 more guys just waiting for that). They never took a name or statement but instead were interested in our blood alcohol level without even asking if one of us was driving.

To sum it up:

1. Phuket Police doesn't make allegations without evidence -> complete bullshit !!!

2. They are only interested in offenses that brings them money...if someone's abused or hurt they don't care. But if (someone is farang and) they can press money out of allegations then they are really fast in doing something.

3. There always seem to be plenty of witnesses around that can tell about how badly some foreigner behaved...

Of course, it's in the bar owner's interest to keep the police happy and play their game. Otherwise he has to pay more to them.

What a shame what's going on here. This country is running itself systematically into the ground

[TAWP]

People think they can 'joke around with stupid/ignorant locals' and then get shocked when they get slapped with after-effects...

[tbokich]

She is mostly guilty of being a woman and probably a disagreeable one that did not keep her mouth shut. I find myself arguing with authority in Thailand from time to time as they laugh at me. I often forget to say yes sir, if you please sir. Is Thailand a safe place to holiday? I also carry a taser now!

[meelousee]

All she needed to do is file a report as she saw it, pay the fine and move along. But OH NO she has to be right the lawyer will cost her 10000 times more than the fine.

I can hear it now " I am not paying 2000bt fine, I did not steal the towel" ha ha ha see I got off without a fine and only paid my lawyer 5000 Dollars

Real smart turdbrain.

I would see these knot heads in my bar all the time, they think because they are a paying tourist they can act like fools, push people around and do not have to pay the consequences. Since all I know is hearsay and second opinions about rhumor I would say if 1/2 of what she supposedly did is true she will get what’s coming to her.

And yea where the heck are the tourist police?

And why is the bar owner pressing charges? Why just give her the darn towel and be done with it? I know that the towel is not worth 2000Bt as he says I had custom towels, they were like 500Bt each because I bought 50 if I had bought 100 they were only 300Bt each

Publicity for the bar?

Something(s) we don’t know I am sure, seems to me it is owner =VS= tourist on more than a towel.

Edited May 20, 2009 by meelousee

[stiggy]

If Thai national stole from an Ozzie pub then resisted arrest , they would be charged and then possibly deported.

Its double standard to suggest that the Australian women should face anything different, she has been caught doing something stupid.

Why should the bar owner put up with this petty theft ? I have seen Ozzie bar owners take young thieving backpackers in Australia out the back for some "attitude adjustment"

She will be fined then deported for a drunken moment of stupidity what is all the fuss about?

[DP25]

Would you try and steal something on sale in a pub worth $60AU in your home country?

Would you run away from the police in your home country?

Would you verbally abuse the police in your home country?

What kind of 'mother' is she?

Have a look at the beer mat, they are nice and on sale in the Aussie Bar:

Huh, that's a lot different than the "beer rag" they keep on talking about in the press. Thought they were exaggerating about selling them for 60$ (not sure how much that is in baht) but I can understand it now.

[ThaiEye]

Som Nam Na...

While I do think 5 years is quite a harsh sentence, If they had of demonstrated a bit more respect - perhaps the circumstances would have been a-lot different.

Bullsh*t, 5 years exggerated press. 5 years is the maximum sentence possible for theft in Thailand ie.... perhaps given to bank staff for stealing tens of millions.

Petty theft cases are usually nothing more than a suspended sentence and small fine - and that's all she get.

[dbrenn]

In the Aussie Daily Telegraph (paper edition) this morning, it is claimed that the lady in question:

1) Took flight and had to be chased down the beach

2) Was abusive to the police down at the station

3) There was a photo of someone holding the bar mat. It is quite an elaborate one - about one metre long and decorated with the pub's own artwork

4) The group who was with the girl was complaining that there was 'no man around to help them negotiate a bribe, as this was all that the police were after'

She may have panicked, but is there more to this that what was originally reported? Abusing the cops anywhere is a good way to get locked up.

[coalminer]

Have a look at the beer mat, they are nice and on sale in the Aussie Bar:

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm????????????????

I was thinking that this famous bar would not have Bar Girls and now I see 3 of them holding up a towel.

Stevie, are they freelancers?

[grantbkk]

I hope the self righteous police colonel will investigate just how this farang named Woods came about owning a bar in Phuket and if he is properly paying his share of all taxes. Sounds like some law may be stretched here. License laws need to be enforced and hours of operation in the Australian Bar demand to be scritinized due to the questionable behavior of customers that Mr. Woods cannot control.

I will pay three times the actual cost of a "bar mat" for the bar and during the grand re-opening I will give the first 500 paying customers a free Australian Bar "bar mat" as a commemorative gift.

[TAWP]

And I sincerely hope that word gets around in the world on how the Patong Police operates.

I was myself involved in a case there last week when some parking guards attacked a friend who parked his car at a parking outside of their "paid-parking area". They beat him up for 40B!!!

Dear One-off-poster.

Tell your friend to pay the 40B next time.

Go home to your own country.

Best regards, you friend.

[tartempion]

The silly cow deserves everything she gets except the cash handouts from the Australian media.

And you are a fat frog with a small red dick? (nice avatar of yourself)

[jfchandler]

Your opinion of the article and your grasp of the facts are right on. However, you can be too hard on the so called journalists in Thailand. They are tightly controlled by the government and usually don't have the requisite schooling or training necessary write a news story. The best you can ever do here is three or four of the five things we want to read in most new articles: Who, what, when, where and why. We cannot set our expectations too high or we are almost guaranteed to be disappointed. You may find, like me, that news sources are serving there masters and not the public. Most news here is manipulated in some way and may be total fabricated in some cases.

Grant, I don't expect it (better/good journalism) here...knowing the realities of the country. But, if we and Thais don't aspire for better, we and the country will never get it.

I'm not an Aussie, so I'll leave it to them to sort out... But...regarding the lead of the article, I'd argue that the case IS a laughing matter. The rest of the world is laughing at Thailand for handling this case in such a ridiculous manner. Even if she really did it, it doesn't deserve 4 days in jail and two weeks or more stuck in Thailand sans passport... all for a bar mat...

[sawadeeken]

I can't believe this mountain being made of a mole hill........................ I have been to Thailand for many pleasant holidays, but I have just cancelled my booking for 4 of us and probably won't be going again........... There are many places that offer relaxing holidays without this over reacting.............. and after hearing of this magnification of a small infraction, and the fact that the owner of the AUSSIE BAR has let this thing go this far, count me out and hope that that owner of that bar lives long enough to recoup his losses over the bar mat................. He who lives in a glass house should not throw stones, and I will bet that the bar owner has a couple mis-deeds to his record as well.............

[blakeimage]

While I generally agree with your sentiments, it seems to me in this case something has gone awry. Sure theft is wrong (and whether it was put in her bag by friends as a joke or not is beside the point) it seems to me the bar owner or manager is going a little over the top here. If the women was caught leaving the bar with the item in her possession, it seems to me a reasonable monetary compensation could have been agreed on the spot. From the photo, the towel is quite large and to roll one up and place it in a bag unnoticed would be quite difficult. Maybe she refused to pay compensation and became argumentative so the authorities were called in.

Couldn't agree with you more mate. We always tend to hear the juicy, innocent side to the story. Unless you were there, sitting next to her, watching as the bar mat was rolled up - We will never know what actually went down.

Sure, It could have been as simple as her friend put it in the bag, but for the owner to act the way he did - The group of ladies may have been acting up all night, The bar staff could have been treated badly and exagerated the case when it was reported to the Boss... There's always tiny details that tend to get missed out when stories like this hit the internet. They are constantly changing with "apparently this, and reportedly that"...

[thelegend]

Already aproaching 2000 readers here and blanket coverage on media world wide......... you just can't buy publicity like this !!!!! Well done Thailand.... NOT!!!!!!