Phuket Bar Mat Lady Denied Usa Visa

[saintofsilence]

BAR mat mum Annice Smoel's dream family trip to Disneyland is in tatters after she was denied a US visa because of her conviction in Thailand.

Ms Smoel had planned to take her four daughters to Disneyland to make up for the family's Thai nightmare.

The trip was all but cancelled after the US embassy knocked back her application for a non-immigrant visa, the Herald Sun reports.

Ms Smoel is ineligible because she is listed as a convicted criminal after she was jailed for stealing a bar mat in Phuket.

The 36-year-old Melbourne mother said her daughters - aged six to 12 - would be shocked by the latest drama.

"They are going to be devastated, absolutely devastated by this," Ms Smoel said.

"They've been having nightmares and coming into mum's bed at night since I got back.

t would have been the perfect way to take their minds off all of what's happened."

Ms Smoel received a conviction, a six-month jail term suspended for two years and a small fine after she agreed to plead guilty to theft in exchange for her freedom.

She was given her passport and allowed to leave Thailand after 18 days.

At a meeting with the US embassy in Melbourne yesterday, Ms Smoel was told her conviction for stealing rendered her ineligible for a non-immigrant US visa.

She could be barred from travelling to the US for up to seven years.

"They told me that normally you have to wait five years after a suspended sentence expires to be eligible for this type of visa," Ms Smoel said.

"That's seven years away, my girls will be grown up by then."

Ms Smoel's only recourse relies on the wording of the Thai theft charge.

If her conviction is for a misdemeanor charge and not a felony charge, she may get a reprieve from US authorities.

"I've got to get all the Thai court documents translated into English and hope the charge is a misdemeanor and not a felony, but I'm not very hopeful," she said.

The family was originally to fly to the US in May when Ms Smoel was trapped in Thailand after the bar mat prank.

A US embassy spokesman said it did not comment on specific cases.

http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,2831...5014090,00.html

[Carib]

Euro disney In Paris. Problem solved.

[sanmiguellight]

She'll have to go to Euro Disney

Or via Mexico!

Edited June 11, 2009 by sanmiguellight

[sanmiguellight]

Euro disney In Paris. Problem solved.

Beat me to it by 30 odd seconds.

The real Mickey Mouse lives in Florida though!

Edited June 11, 2009 by sanmiguellight

[Carib]

Euro disney In Paris. Problem solved.

Beat me to it by 30 odd seconds.

The real Mickey Mouse lives in Florida though!

True, but it is beyond me how Donald Duck survived 75 year in the States wearing no pants.....

[pattaya_girl]

The world is a big place, there are plenty of other places where she can take her children - If some Country refused me a Visa because I had stolen a bar towel, I would never step foot in that Country again, I would spend my cash elseware.

Edited June 11, 2009 by pattaya_girl

[Fun2Fun]

That one is not very media shy :D

And Hong Kong Disneyland is fairly close to Australia.

[Boo]

deleted a post & a couple of replies to it.

Do not refer to this women as a "cow" & do not make up stories that she slapped a police officer. That was never reported & she was never charged with being abusive either verbally nor physically.

If you are unable to comment without being derogatory or lying then do not post.

[britainmal]

The US consulate official who did that is totally wrong. They should be worrying about more serious criminal applicants or the ones who want to live in the country ilegally. How did they know of her record in Thailand, when the office is in Australia. I hope she did not put it down on the application. They would of never known, otherwise.

[chiang mai]

The US consulate official who did that is totally wrong. They should be worrying about more serious criminal applicants or the ones who want to live in the country ilegally. How did they know of her record in Thailand, when the office is in Australia. I hope she did not put it down on the application. They would of never known, otherwise.

The US Consulate official was absolutely correct, she has a criminal record and the rules apply to her as well as any one else, hopefully she will learn to adjust her future behavior and attitude as a result.

[Texpat]

She's a criminal.

Undeniable.

Well done US Embassy.

[Carib]

The US consulate official who did that is totally wrong. They should be worrying about more serious criminal applicants or the ones who want to live in the country ilegally. How did they know of her record in Thailand, when the office is in Australia. I hope she did not put it down on the application. They would of never known, otherwise.

The US Consulate official was absolutely correct, she has a criminal record and the rules apply to her as well as any one else, hopefully she will learn to adjust her future behavior and attitude as a result.

Does that mean that a US convicted citizen travelling outside the US will not be allowed back in again, or if one gets convicted outside the US ?

[Merlin]

Does that mean that a US convicted citizen travelling outside the US will not be allowed back in again, or if one gets convicted outside the US ?

IANAL, but no, because a US citizen would not need a visa in the first place. . .

[MeetJohnDoe]

Why Euro Disney...HKG is closer. However, they probably have similar restrictions on entry rights for those with criminal records too (as does Australia).

Do agree that she is an undesirable due to her Thai criminal record and therefore does not quality for a US tourist visa. Too bad for the kids...must suck that mum has a record.

Edited June 11, 2009 by MeetJohnDoe

[JetsetBkk]

She's a criminal.

Undeniable.

Well done US Embassy.

Ditto.

Well done USA! Now she knows what that 500 (?) baht fine really cost her.

Still, looking on the bright side, now she can add another chapter to her book.

[Carib]

Does that mean that a US convicted citizen travelling outside the US will not be allowed back in again, or if one gets convicted outside the US ?

IANAL, but no, because a US citizen would not need a visa in the first place. . .

I know, but I think you know what I mean too.

[sanmiguellight]

Anyone who thinks she deserves this is a spiteful at best, she took a towel and has more then paid the penalty for this.

I am willing to bet that 100% of you Americans that replied to this thread have slept with a prostitute in LOS, thus breaking the law ..... ***flame removed***

[JetsetBkk]

Anyone who thinks she deserves this is a spiteful at best, she took a towel ...

A towel?

You are clearly well informed.

[Texpat]

Oh dear.

Still stuck on the bar mat, are we?

Do you honestly think that's the main point of her troubles? You really think there's not more to the story?

Come now ... did you just fall off the pumpkin wagon?

[TheLaughingMan]

The US consulate official who did that is totally wrong. They should be worrying about more serious criminal applicants or the ones who want to live in the country ilegally. How did they know of her record in Thailand, when the office is in Australia. I hope she did not put it down on the application. They would of never known, otherwise.

The US Consulate official was absolutely correct, she has a criminal record and the rules apply to her as well as any one else, hopefully she will learn to adjust her future behavior and attitude as a result.

She's a criminal.

Undeniable.

Well done US Embassy.

Unbelievable, she was completely innocent and didn't actually commit a crime, but people like you still insist that there is "more to the story" and want to believe whatever made up fantasy crime is in your head instead of the facts and witnesses. How can you hate white women so much you can be so outrageously delusional?

[moe666]

This woman has entitlement syndrome. First she demanded that the full weight of the Austrilian government should come to her aid now as a convicted thief she feels she is being denied her right to travel to the good old USA.

Lets see how did the US Embassy know she was a convicted thief how about it was the top news story in Austrailia and on this forum for a few weeks.

Some times good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people.

[Texpat]

Actions and consequences.

A good, if not bitter, lesson for her children.

[Texpat]

Dem's the rules San.

Laws are what separate civilized societies from the barbarians.

She doesn't have to like it, but that's the rule.

Does Manila have a Disneyland? Bangladesh?

Mabye a trip to Tasmania. Life ain't easy being a criminal.

Edited June 11, 2009 by Texpat

[jackdanielsesq]

You name calling wonks belong right there with her and her neurotic, depraved ways.

Do you seriously think anyone is going to welcome her with open arms?

Its not who was right or who was wrong, but what is right, and she didnt do anything right.

Thats the price one pays in a modern, cohesive, civilized society. Stealing bar mats is juvenile.

A 5/7 year hiatus is time enough for her to cool her jets. One should pity the poor lad married to it rather.

BR>Jack

BRAVO!!

[sanmiguellight]

Thats the price one pays in a modern, cohesive, civilized society.

But the country where she got the conviction has one of the most corrupt police forces and legal systems on the planet and is not a modern, cohesive, civilized society as you put it.

And the US is a Orwellian police state not a cohesive, civilized society.

[Texpat]

Have trouble with authority, do you san?

I'll bet you think Simon Burrowes got done over, too, eh?

Sheesh -- criminals.

[Carmine6]

Thats the price one pays in a modern, cohesive, civilized society.

But the country where she got the conviction has one of the most corrupt police forces and legal systems on the planet and is not a modern, cohesive, civilized society as you put it.

And the US is a Orwellian police state not a cohesive, civilized society.

So the Orwellian police state decided not to let her in. Why is that surprising?

[zorro1]

deleted a post & a couple of replies to it.

Do not refer to this women as a "cow" & do not make up stories that she slapped a police officer. That was never reported & she was never charged with being abusive either verbally nor physically.

If you are unable to comment without being derogatory or lying then do not post.

No problems Boo , you choose to believe the press, its my choice to believe eye witness accounts and the story from the horses mouth being the bar owner.

There is often a struggle when drunk during an arrest, it doesn't need to make the news every time it occurs. Now resisting arrest with a gun may have made head lines . Also do not call me a Liar , because it wasn't in the press doesn't make it untrue. I do take back the bit about the cow though, was over the top

[Ijustwannateach]

The people calling the lady a criminal are just silly/trying to provoke, in my opinion. But whatever happened at that bar, things got out of hand- usually arrests don't come from nothing (and if they did, the owner of that bar has had the black mark down in his book now and will be suspect if it ever happens again). While it may be a rough lesson for the lady, I think it is an even better lesson for scads of people of every nation about watching their behaviour abroad. Those who wish to be provocative, inflammatory, rude, aggressive, or otherwise antisocial may find that it is not appreciated; and unlike their own country the foreign countries are not obligated to let them in (kind of like Thaivisa).

I imagine her children will survive without the US trip until they are older. Millions of children do, somehow.

[Texpat]

I rather like the criminal ban.

Keeps out the riff raff. I would imagine a very large number of (ahem) people visiting Phuket and Pattaya (Bangkok, too) wouldn't stand a snowball's chance in hel_l getting to Disneyland.

Don't take it personally.

She's a garden variety criminal. A very poor one to boot.

Edited June 11, 2009 by Texpat