Pensioner Tells Of Thai Prison hel_l

[dauu]

Pensioner tells of Thai prison hel_l

Mon, June 15 2009

By Ben Johnson, Reporter

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 01635 564601

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Pensioner who faces assault charges tells of one-month hel_l spent inside Thai prison walls

A PENSIONER from Burghfield Common has told of his “horrendous” experience after he spent the last month in a Thai prison.

Although temporarily released, 62-year-old David Harris, risks being sent back to the Nong Plalai Remand Centre for ten years if he is convicted of an assault which left a man with a fractured skull.

Now, desperate family and friends are trying to get him home and have enlisted the help of Wokingham MP John Redwood to put pressure on the British Foreign Office to get him back.

Mr Harris was arrested by Thai police on January 16 following a fight with a Welshman on New Year’s Eve and his passport was confiscated until he returned to the courts in May.

However, in May, Mr Harris was unable to post bail and was thrown into horrific prison conditions until friends and family could raise the £2000 require to release him.

It was there that he was forced to share an over-crowded 15 by 30 foot cell with more than 70 prisoners as a member of the lowest echelons of the prisoner hierarchy.

Mr Harris slept on concrete floor just inches from an open and overflowing toilet and lost two stone during the ordeal because the food was inedible.

During his stay, Mr Harris claims one prisoner in his cell was beaten to death for stealing cigarettes while another was shot while trying to escape and left to hang on the fence for hours.

One prisoner sharing his cell died from TB and Mr Harris fears he too may have also contracted the disease.

He said: “The remand centre is horrendous. I never want to go back there.”

“I will never come back to Thailand. I used to love it here, thinking that the Thai's were such a nice people, but the way that they treat foreigners who have been caught up in their legal system is apalling.”

Friends and family managed to raise Mr Harris’ bail last Wednesday and he is currently staying with a friend and former Thatcham man, Adrian Holbrook, who now lives in Thailand.

Mr Holbrook said: “When we got David out he looked awful and had a very bad cough.”

Mr Harris, who worked as a painter and decorator, was on holiday in Thailand at New Year’s Eve when he was involved in a fight with a Welshman.

According to Mr Harris, the Welshman fell over during the course of the fight and fractured his skull - resulting in a 20 day hospital stay.

Mr Holbrook said: “David is not perfect, but who is? In the 25 years I have known him I have never seen him in a fight.”

How, Mr Harris, who proclaims his innocence, faces both criminal and civil charges for the incident and will make representations in the civil case next week.

According to Mr Holbrook, if Mr Harris cannot provide the court with all the evidence he intends to use in the case by June 15, despite his prison stay, then he will automatically be found liable for the full civil claim amount of £13,000 under the Thai legal system.

The troubles in Thailand have also cost Mr Harris his home in the UK as he was unable to pay rent.

newburytoday.co.uknewburytoday.co.uk

[Texpat]

Anyone else notice a trend here?

[wayfarer108]

Yep. Foreigners misbehaving more than ever before. And the Thais aren't letting them off as easily as they used to. Hope the geezer makes it home ok. And don't forget, we haven't heard the Welshman's side of the story.

[sanook2me]

Anyone else notice a trend here?

No!

<deleted> is a 62 year olde pensioner rolling about having fisticuffs in Thailand

I thought all the fighting with lager driven testerone was left in the West. As here it's so easy to get pussy that no one should be fighting with another man..just move on to the next bar and girl.

[pattaya_girl]

I use to know a guy from the UK who spent a Year in the Nong Plalai Remand Centre - he died not long after his release, he was 44, the one time I saw him after his release, he looked like a skeleton.

[samran]

Anyone else notice a trend here?

1) more people acting like idiots in a foreign country and expecting their government to use the full force of its diplomacy to get them out of jail?

or is it:

2) Backwards little brown people getting uppity with big superior white people?

[sriracha john]

62-year-old David Harris

sent back to the Nong Plalai Remand Centre

I believe this is located in Pattaya.

According to Mr Harris, the Welshman fell over during the course of the fight and fractured his skull - resulting in a 20 day hospital stay.

Always amazing to hear of people traveling half-way around the world....and ending in pub brawls with people from their own area.... and a scrawny 62-old man at that...

Edited June 15, 2009 by sriracha john

[waza]

He should just plead guilty, That Aussie who shot and killed the American in Chang Mai got 2 years and the aussie sheila who pinched the bar mat ran from police, then abused them, got an apology. Both pleaded guilty. He should should get off fairly easy..(edited bit) Just an observation, but it seems the more you fight the thai system the harder the penalties.

Edited June 15, 2009 by waza

[thirdeyedmt]

Anyone else notice a trend here?

No!

<deleted> is a 62 year olde pensioner rolling about having fisticuffs in Thailand

I thought all the fighting with lager driven testerone was left in the West. As here it's so easy to get pussy that no one should be fighting with another man..just move on to the next bar and girl.

My thoughts exactly, you would think at 62 getting to the boozer would be enough, forget about having a roll around while your there

[jackdanielsesq]

I have seen several Brits - whom I must presume, didnt have too much choice or freedom before - go the same route.

I cannot understand why two numbnuts would even dream of putting themselves in harms way?!

That is a zero-sum game - especially in a foreign country. No class, obviously.

Put the testosterone to good use - make someone happy - including yourself.

No doubt he has the same abominable record back home.

I hope Karma bites him in the ass - real hard. Imbeciles.

BR>Jack

[sanook2me]

He should just plead guilty, That Aussie who shot and killed the American in Chang Mai got 2 years and the aussie sheila who pinched the bar mat ran from police, then abused them, got an apology. Both pleaded guilty. He should should get off fairly easy..(edited bit) Just an observation, but it seems the more you fight the thai system the harder the penalties.

I read in the paper that it has come out she did abuse the Thai police and its all on record.

How funny that at the time it was reported that she wasn't drunk, didn't run away or abuse the police

and people believed this BS...

[samran]

He should just plead guilty, That Aussie who shot and killed the American in Chang Mai got 2 years and the aussie sheila who pinched the bar mat ran from police, then abused them, got an apology. Both pleaded guilty. He should should get off fairly easy..(edited bit) Just an observation, but it seems the more you fight the thai system the harder the penalties.

I read in the paper that it has come out she did abuse the Thai police and its all on record.

How funny that at the time it was reported that she wasn't drunk, didn't run away or abuse the police

and people believed this BS...

well she was white, blond, and reasonably attactive. She also had white, blond, doe eyed children crying on TV for their mummy. So of course she couldn't have done it, could she?

[Maizefarmer]

Anyone know how the 13K civil penalty has been arrived at?

[waza]

Anyone know how the 13K civil penalty has been arrived at?

My guess is 70% for the legal staff and 30% for the victims compensation.

[ozzieovaseas]

Anyone else notice a trend here?

No!

<deleted> is a 62 year olde pensioner rolling about having fisticuffs in Thailand

I thought all the fighting with lager driven testerone was left in the West. As here it's so easy to get pussy that no one should be fighting with another man..just move on to the next bar and girl.

Yes, and strange that the article does not divulge the age of the mysterious welshman.

Seeing how the accused is the ripe age of 62, it could be possible that the welshman was even older, which would have significant bearing on the case.

I once was told a story of a tourist in LOS who was king hit (by a thai) and died from head injuries due to falling backwards and hitting his head on the pavement. It turns out the tourist guy made fun of the thai guys child, who were both close, within earshot and understood perfectly well what was being said.

I'd never care to repeat what was supposedly said other than to say it was a very nasty and poor taste comment,basically speculating and making fun of a disability that the child may or may not have had...you get the drift.

Anyway,as the other poster said there's always two sides of a story and hopefully in this case the truth will come out in the end and justice will be done.

Even if justice is served "thai style" the guy chose to come to this country, chose to drink and chose to punch someones lights out so at the end of the day he has no choice but to abide by the laws of the land and the fate thats handed him.

Sure, the conditions in these gaols in are less than perfect but there are a lot of folks who would argue that such conditions act as a very good deterrent for people to behave themselves.

To bad that in these cases it could take just one guy to walk away (or at least talk his way out of fisticuffs) for all this tradgedy to have been avoided.

[crudy21]

While i do have some sympathy for the silly old bugger, he really should know better. Perhaps he was attacked first like another poster said we don't have the Welsh mans story.

Hope he manages to get home.

[waza]

While i do have some sympathy for the silly old bugger, he really should know better. Perhaps he was attacked first like another poster said we don't have the Welsh mans story.

Hope he manages to get home.

I doubt if the other guy was charged as well. Anyone got a link to this news story?

Edited June 15, 2009 by waza

[Texpat]

actions and consequences

[Misplaced]

Anyone else notice a trend here?

1) more people acting like idiots in a foreign country and expecting their government to use the full force of its diplomacy to get them out of jail?

or is it:

2) Backwards little brown people getting uppity with big superior white people?

EXACTLY! If you can't do the time than don't do the crime. Simple isn't it?

I mean really, what do you expect? The guy to have his own private room with TV and toilet? C'mon this is not America.

Edited June 15, 2009 by Misplaced

[Maizefarmer]

His local MP is going to have words with the FCO - oh yer!

I certainly hope he doesn't bank on getting any help/support form the FCO...............

[capco1]

Sorry but I don't feel sorry for the goat, he should of acted his age and had some respect in a foreign country....This is not the wild wild west!!

[Texpat]

I think the problem is that he was acting like he does in his country.

[pattaya_girl]

A 62 Yr old pensioner fighting in Thailand, I would be ashamed if it was my Father.

He should have known better really at his age.

[ThaiEye]

"I will never come back to Thailand. I used to love it here, thinking that the Thai's were such a nice people, but the way that they treat foreigners who have been caught up in their legal system is apalling."

Friends and family managed to raise Mr Harris' bail last Wednesday and he is currently staying with a

Besides the appalling British OAP, the appalling bias report, what else i found appalling was that this trash newspaper can't even spell

Edited June 15, 2009 by ThaiEye

[TheLaughingMan]

He should just plead guilty, That Aussie who shot and killed the American in Chang Mai got 2 years and the aussie sheila who pinched the bar mat ran from police, then abused them, got an apology. Both pleaded guilty. He should should get off fairly easy..(edited bit) Just an observation, but it seems the more you fight the thai system the harder the penalties.

I read in the paper that it has come out she did abuse the Thai police and its all on record.

How funny that at the time it was reported that she wasn't drunk, didn't run away or abuse the police

and people believed this BS...

What paper, source? Since you are constantly calling everyone a liar you should back up what you say.

[frenchFARANGbkk]

So british !

;-)

[highlander76]

What a f"cking fool 62 years old and getting into a bar fight in Thailand . I have no pity for the d"ckhead

[sanmiguellight]

So british !

;-)

Coming from the nation without doubt the rudest people on the planet.

Good to see the ThaiVisa judge and jury and have found him guilty before any trial.

Edited June 15, 2009 by sanmiguellight

[sassienie]

So british !

;-)

So true.

It`s easy to walk into a fight but takes more guts to be able to walk away.

When living in Thailand, there are two main rules to abide if one wishes to live in peace and harmony here:

Keep your head down and keep spending the money.

[Oberkommando]

Besides the appalling British OAP, the appalling bias report, what else i found appalling was that this trash newspaper can't even spell

So? Neither can the two leading English language daily papers here.

The Thai Justice system is a complete farce, so this guy needs all the help he can get, guilty or not.

It's amazing the amount of foreigners that come onto Thaivisa and denigrate their own kind.

You'd never get the Thais doing it.

I guess there's a little irony in that.