Posting Bail In Thailand

[simple1]

Requesting some guidance from expats with hands-on experience. A member of my wife's extended Thai family was recently arrested at his Thai friend's house where police located a pistol. The bail is set at 20,000 baht. The family has 10,000 in cash and the balance to be guaranted by provideing papers by the house owner. The actual land for the house is owned by my wife who is acting as "landlord" of the house. My wife has been requested to countersign the house papers as the landlord for the balance of 10,000 baht. What are the issues if the arrested person is found guilty or absonds from bail?

Please only relevant responses regarding legal/financial outcomes, not your moral opinions. Thanks...

[taxexile]

What are the issues if the arrested person is found guilty or absonds from bail?

just ask yourself if you or your wife are prepared to possibly lose your house , or come up with the 10,000b should the arrested man abscond.

if he is foung guilty and fined , then i would imagine the bail money would be used to pay off the fine , and 10,000 may have to be paid before the house papers are returned.

if he is jailed then you would probably get your papers back.

if he is jailed and makes a deal with whoever , then the bail money will be lost and your house papers may cost you 10,000b.

[Simbo]

What are the issues if the arrested person is found guilty or absonds from bail?

just ask yourself if you or your wife are prepared to possibly lose your house , or come up with the 10,000b should the arrested man abscond.

if he is foung guilty and fined , then i would imagine the bail money would be used to pay off the fine , and 10,000 may have to be paid before the house papers are returned.

if he is jailed then you would probably get your papers back.

if he is jailed and makes a deal with whoever , then the bail money will be lost and your house papers may cost you 10,000b.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why did the police search the house? is your extended family member an accomplice to something. What are the charges. Guilt through association?

Sounds suspicious to me. I would keep out of this. Surely, if he is innocent, he will be found not guilty, unless there is more to it. Don't risk your money or your house. Let the Real Thai family get together and find the money.

[splitlid]

jesus simbo i wouldnt want to be related to you.

why dont you just give them the 10,000. its only a small amount and no security needed.

if it was my family and i had 10 grand then it wouldnt even cross my mind not to pay.

unless you know what a &lt;deleted&gt; he is and think his guilty.

in that case ignore the above.

[Digger]

jesus simbo i wouldnt want to be related to you.

why dont you just give them the 10,000. its only a small amount and no security needed.

if it was my family and i had 10 grand then it wouldnt even cross my mind not to pay.

unless you know what a &lt;deleted&gt; he is and think his guilty.  

in that case ignore the above.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'd agree with Splitlid - give them 10,000 cash is far better than signing over house documents.

[taxexile]

Let the Real Thai family get together and find the money.

they already know where they can find it , and they havent had to look very far.

[pnustedt]

A couple of years ago a neighbour in our village was arrested when police searched his house because of an illegal still. They found a gun and he was arrested. We were away from the village at the time but apparently he asked friends to look for us

My wife subsequently went to see the police - to settle the account - to be told that he had "the wrong sort of gun" - apparently he had some sort of automatic machine gun. I am quite sure that if it was just a pistol we could have sorted the problem out at nothing like the sums you are talking about. Is there some other extenuating circumstance?

Be prepared to lose any sums you part with - I would definitely not sign over the deeds of any property that I wanted to keep.

Incidentally, we saw the neighbour in the village a few months later so the poice didn't keep him in for long.

[nokmdk]

There is no way i'd let my wife sign over or hand over the ducuments of her house/land. This is Thailand and too many things can happen. If your going to get involved then give the cash only. I'd think the minute they know there is a farang backer, things will only get more complicated and they will want more and more.

be careful.

[Dragonman]

Agree with pnustedt. Have you spoken to anybody to give you full charges?

Just write off the 10000 baht and say that it's the last time.

[Khun Larry]

Seems you have two choices....

1. Fork over 10,000 and kiss that 10k good bye [comment removed /cc]

2. Don't get involved... it is a "Thai matter"

Option 1 probably leads to more requests for cash.

Edited April 7, 2005 by chanchao