Thai Tourist Guide Arrested With 11.9 Kgs Of Ice Drug

[webfact]

Thai tourist guide arrested with 11.9 kgs of ice drug

A Thai tourist guide has been arrested in Bangkok for allegedly smuggling 11.9 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine from the North, police said Friday.

Pol Maj-Gen Harnpolnit Wibul, deputy commissioner of the narcotics suppression division, told a press conference that Jasor Saewang, a resident of Chiang Rai, was arrested in front of a house on Arunamarin Road in Bangkok Noi district at noon Thursday.

Acting on tip-off, police followed Jasor's car from the Arunamarin Intersection to the house and stopped the car.

The search found the drug hidden inside.

Harnpolnit said the drug was worth about Bt240 million on streets.

-- The Nation 2010-01-08

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[gunnyd]

Looks like the suppliers used the same technique for smuggling drugs into the US. Send 10-20 mules through the port of entry at once. 1-2 getting caught is factored in their minds. I would be interested to know if the source of the ice was the same as the 4.2KG found on the Iranian mule. Poor bastard.

Confess and avoid death or get an even better deal, not that spending 25+ years in the Bangkok Hilton is like going on holiday. Busting these mules makes for a nice picture in the newspaper and on the TV, but I seriously doubt that it even made a dent on the supply.

Lets have the hang 'em high group chime in. For my battle cry is: Legalize Legalize, Legalize!! Why spend the money on prison space and the cost of locking up inmates?

And if you are really serious about the "War On Drugs" get the suppliers and quit wasting money and resources on the bottom of the food chain. Of course you would have to be completely naive to think that. The suppliers have paid off all of the right people and will never see the inside of a prison cell.

Edited January 8, 2010 by gunnyd

[sharecropper]

Tour guide smuggles drugs?

I wouldn't like to go on one of his 'trips".

[PhilHarries]

Tour guide smuggles drugs?

I wouldn't like to go on one of his 'trips".

Magical mystery tour?

I don't see how this case ties in with the Iranian. He was coming into Thailand through Suvarnabhumi and this guy was, according to the article, smiggling the drugs down from the north. But who really knows how these things work?

[animatic]

Sadly legalize won't work because it essentially is already legal,

but highly controlled because of it's debilitating dangerousness.

So in what way can this lose 2 to get 8 through method be countered?

On of the few ways coming to mind , though draconian to the nth degree:

Anyone caught with over a kilo of Ice, is given a sentence so harsh,

that even the stupid and utterly desperate decide the deal is no good.

More sniffer dogs and machines, but still the human animal still is in control of them,

and thus subject to the usual human forces and lures.

[slapout]

What society perceives as harsh sentences are already in place, life, death. etc. My understanding is that many of the carriers are users themselves or in desperate need of money. Legal access is probably the only real avenue for the former group as well as taking the big bucks out of the market potential for the latter group.

Alternate plans; poison every third shipment intercepted and then let it go on through, if this does not meet with your acceptance, then put to death anyone caught with a quantity for resale (predetermined) and the death sentence to include 3 generations of family.

See I do not have an acceptable, iron clad solution either.

[animatic]

In the days of Siam,

8 generations back and then forward was considered proper.

Harsh is certainly subjective.

And doesn't take into account those few who are blackmailed of

coerced against their reason to do this mule business.

When your child is being held hostage by someone who killed your other child,

you might not consider a harsh sentence a risk to far.

I do know this Ice, is BAD BUSINESS, as it was when it was simple meth powder

back in the 60-70's and subject to R. Crumb's all to poignent drawings of

Haight Ashbury collapses of reason.

[screamingeagle]

11.9 kgs of ice drug is worth 42 milllion Baht????

[BSJ]

Prison is too good for these purveyors of death. Let em suffer the same end as some of their customers.

[dom samui]

11.9 kgs of ice drug is worth 42 milllion Baht????

Mister The Nation says 242000000,00 baths...

[brahmburgers]

Prison is too good for these purveyors of death. Let em suffer the same end as some of their customers.

Some of their customers do it for a party high, then wake up the next morning and go about their regular biz. You want the guy to get a buzz from speed - and have some fun at a party?

No, of course not, you want him to suffer - like the small % (who of us really knows?) who may suffer from abuse of such drugs. It might be 0.5% ...who you gonna go to for reliable statistics - the Thai government, Uncle Sam, Right Wing Christians?

By your logic, you would want all purveyors of booze (approximately 15,000 folks in each small city) to suffer the worst that alcoholics suffer. Can you cop to that?

For my battle cry is: Legalize Legalize, Legalize!! Why spend the money on prison space and the cost of locking up inmates? And if you are really serious about the "War On Drugs" get the suppliers and quit wasting money and resources on the bottom of the food chain. Of course you would have to be completely naive to think that. The suppliers have paid off all of the right people and will never see the inside of a prison cell.

I have to agree. It's the choice between which option is worse. The current system targets the mules, and can't touch the suppliers/manufacturers. Prices are sky-high, and quality is crap. With a legalized option, like the Methadone program in the US (been going for 45 years), users could be counseled, quality and dosages monitored, and thug dealers put out of business. They do it in Switzerland, among other places. It's not pretty, but it's a heck of a smarter option than the current system.

[swifty5x5]

11.9 kgs of ice drug is worth 42 milllion Baht????

Mister The Nation says 242000000,00 baths...

Yes/ And we keep drugs illegal why?

[londonthai]

poison every third shipment intercepted and then let it go on through

large portion of the confiscated drugs and up on th streets anyway, sold by the corrupted cops. One of the reasons, they are hard on drugs, is that they would like to get chunk of the profits.

the government tries to controll it, not because of harm to the citisens, but because it's a huge untaxed profits going to criminals, who undermine and corrupt the system of governance.

the title of the thread, referring to the profession of the mule, is in this case irrelevant, as he was "off duty", travelling alone in his own car and not using tourists as a cover up

[Scott]

I wonder how the scales used to weigh this stuff works--or if someone is dipping into the bag. It would seem the Iranian probably had 5 Kg, but was caught with 4.2 and this one has 11.9, not 12 kilos. Makes one wonder.

[thai1234]

240 million baht for 11.9 kg

is about 21 million a kilo

or 21,000 baht a gram.

No idea about street price of drugs in Thailand, but that seems an awful lot.

Newspaper report wrong?

[mogoso]

240 million baht for 11.9 kg

is about 21 million a kilo

or 21,000 baht a gram.

No idea about street price of drugs in Thailand, but that seems an awful lot.

Newspaper report wrong?

As the arrest was made through use of a tip, I'd say this carrier was more than expendable. He probably was deemed unreliable and served up on a silver platter by his employers to give someone from the BIB a bone. As a Thai he knew the consequences of being caught with this amount of drugs. So whether coerced or paid he appears to be a patsy, who knows nothing, but looks good in the paper.

Doesn't matter whether you believe in legalization or strong punishment the law is the law. I can see the legalization of most drugs, including opiates, but meth is the one drug that should be illegal. I've seen its effects on people since the 60's and have yet to see good from it on long term users. Addicts are just walking skeletons waiting for death to come calling on their destroyed mind and bodies.

[animatic]

240 million baht for 11.9 kg

is about 21 million a kilo

or 21,000 baht a gram.

No idea about street price of drugs in Thailand, but that seems an awful lot.

Newspaper report wrong?

On the other hand

42 million divided by 11,900 grams

is 3,529baht a gram, or about $110 for uncut product.

Sounds like a not illogical street price.

[anon8]

in Pattaya this garbage goes for around 1000b 1gr

just 2 years ago ice was not even mentioned in Pattaya, now it's everywhere. There's more of it around, also use of heavy drugs has lost the stigma. I often notice how younger guys brag about using, only 2years back users would never admit.

Everybody here probably knows somebody who is using, the big tell is rapid aging..

[bellste]

11.9 kgs of ice drug is worth 42 milllion Baht????

It say 240 million.

[DegenFarang]

Tour guide smuggles drugs?

I would like to go on one of his 'trips".

.

[animatic]

in Pattaya this garbage goes for around 1000b 1gr

just 2 years ago ice was not even mentioned in Pattaya, now it's everywhere. There's more of it around, also use of heavy drugs has lost the stigma. I often notice how younger guys brag about using, only 2years back users would never admit.

Everybody here probably knows somebody who is using, the big tell is rapid aging..

At street level cut it three times, and there's your 1,000baht price.

Of course government agencies ALWAYS inflate the price of a haul

based on some estimated street price of one hit. As opposed to what

the intended buyer of the haul would have paid for it.

Yes rapid aging is a dead givaway...

sad that people don't see this in those around them

and make the connection of what's doing it, and don't take it.

In some ways Thai teens are the perfect target for this trash.

[brahmburgers]

There's a zero added on the value - each time the story gets told.

Too bad that Pattaya is getting pasted by yet another blemish,

MSG, aggressive katoy, ....and now ice - what's next on the self-affliction carousel?

Perhaps whitening cream cut with sulpheric acid, that will give a buzz.

Meanwhile, our sage legislators in Bangkok continue to classify hemp as a class 5 illegal drug. What's the world of nutzoid people coming to?

Perhaps the Hokey Pokey really is what it's all about.

[sharecropper]

in Pattaya this garbage goes for around 1000b 1gr

just 2 years ago ice was not even mentioned in Pattaya, now it's everywhere. There's more of it around, also use of heavy drugs has lost the stigma. I often notice how younger guys brag about using, only 2years back users would never admit.

Everybody here probably knows somebody who is using, the big tell is rapid aging..

Thanks for the warning. I look old as it is.

What kind of ageing facial characteristics mark out Ice users?

[gunnyd]

in Pattaya this garbage goes for around 1000b 1gr

just 2 years ago ice was not even mentioned in Pattaya, now it's everywhere. There's more of it around, also use of heavy drugs has lost the stigma. I often notice how younger guys brag about using, only 2years back users would never admit.

Everybody here probably knows somebody who is using, the big tell is rapid aging..

Thanks for the warning. I look old as it is.

What kind of ageing facial characteristics mark out Ice users?

1 year 5 months

3 years

And still legalization is the only logical solution to this problem. There isn't a single ice/meth/yaaba addict who can't get their fix tonight because they busted this low level mule.

Give people a choice: take rehab, when they choose not to then take comfort in the fact that legalization saves tax dollars on housing and feeding these idiots whilst they are in jail.

And they are killing themselves anyways, why stop them, they are adults, stupid mind you, but still adults. They choose drugs, so let them go to an early grave, and TADA! dead addicts don't cost the government anything but a poppers funeral.

Edited January 9, 2010 by gunnyd

[meom]

The pictures ain't pretty and very sad really.

What's even more sad is that due to the demonizing of ice (and other drugs) there's a great lack of harm reduction when it comes to drug use. You can't stop drug use so governments could do a lot more to inform people how to prevent some of the negative effects so you don't end up with a face like the woman in the picture.

[lioness]

That's the 3rd Tour guide I have heard of from Chiang Mai to be arrested for being involved with drugs, must go with the job.

[junglist]

I can see it all ready ICE packs being sold at 7-11 with that picture of the woman on the wrapper. Its sad but killing and jail only raise the amount of money the big boss makes. Legalize and then take your government funds and use it to help people who want to change, quit or better their lives. Chose your own destiny don’t chose mine for me.

[brahmburgers]

Yes those before and after photos are stark and spooky.

Perhaps to a lesser extent, tobacco, alcohol and/or foul air in cities does similar damage.

[wolf5370]

Its pretty well known that the IT industry puts out flawed, bogus and even virus ridden versions of software and games on to torrent sites to try andwater down and frighten off the "users" of such sites. It doesn't stop the Panthip Plaza level guys, but after a few viruses or waiting hours for a movies to download just to find its something entirely different, many less hardcore people just turn away. Makes little difference here of course because you can still go to many outlerts and buy them on CD instead.

However, how difficult would it be to put stuff in circulation that is either completely bogus or cut with something that gives you the shits all day or something (I'm not talkinmg about killing the poor sods). When the mules are caught, just swap their crap over, they play ball or its that jab in the arm they were going to get anyway. At some poinbt it gets saturated with crap and only the hard-core people ill know where the scores will be true-blue. Put sellers out onthe streets (undercover BiB specials) etc. Make it famous for getting rubbish drugs here and maybe the beach-bum-druggies will go somewhere else and even the locals would be less inclined.

Not perfect, of course, bt nbeither is anything else!

[wolf5370]

I can see it all ready ICE packs being sold at 7-11 with that picture of the woman on the wrapper. Its sad but killing and jail only raise the amount of money the big boss makes. Legalize and then take your government funds and use it to help people who want to change, quit or better their lives. Chose your own destiny don't chose mine for me.

People go to Amsterdam from all over Europe because it is well known that cafe's sell dope (even in cakes) legaly. Can you imagine if Thailand said that all drugs are now legal, the gates would be open to all the wrong types of tourists. An influx of junkies and druggies. Not sure that this would help keep the cost of law and order etc down!