Is Buying Diazepam Or Valium A Ticket To Jail?

[lvxpat]

As Nancy Grace would probably say- "Breaking News". Major "CRACKDOWN" on dangerous criminals in Phuket Thailand. Last year through brilliant police work the "world class" tourist destination, in order to make it safer for all visitors excelled in confiscating 9 of the well known notorious Valium tablets from a cartel and stopped one Motorcycle Taxi driver for riding on the sidewalk. "Well done BIB, keep up the good work. It's now safe for the millions of tourists to come over and rent Jetskis.

[bangkok blue]

Never heard anything so ridiculous in all my life! After the Canadian tourist who got a shoeing from a tuk tuk driver over 50bht and now this load of hogwash, I will not be setting foot in Phuket anytime in the near future!

The question does have to be asked as to how the young Kiwi caught the attention of the old bill in order for them to find the Valium in his possession?

[Jingthing]

This kind of thing happens in Bangkok and Pattaya as well. Its usually a police money shakedown for things like Viagra. They usually aren't interested in arresting, its all about the wallet.

Edited January 24, 2010 by Jingthing

[peecee]

It is illegal to buy these substances in Thailand without a prescription from a physician. They are scheduled drugs and nowhere in the UK or US where the same system exists, can these be bought over the counter.

The fact that some pharmacies sell these does not make it a legal transaction in any way and, if you are caught with it, however unjustified this seems, it remains illegal.

The difference is that in the UK the police would then go and arrest the supplier of the drug!

[Hawk]

The Thai police have no pride but they do have a price, just like a common whore.

[RickBradford]

The fact that some pharmacies sell these does not make it a legal transaction in any way

In any country with a legal system based on common sense, the mere fact that a licensed pharmacist dispensed the medicine without question would in itself amount to a legal defence for the purchaser.

Obviously, this analysis does not extend to Thailand, where common sense is extremely uncommon.

[nonghoidave]

It is illegal to buy these substances in Thailand without a prescription from a physician. They are scheduled drugs and nowhere in the UK or US where the same system exists, can these be bought over the counter.

The fact that some pharmacies sell these does not make it a legal transaction in any way and, if you are caught with it, however unjustified this seems, it remains illegal.

"The fact that some pharmacies sell these does not make it a legal transaction in any way and, if you are caught with it, however unjustified this seems, it remains illegal." So why isn't the pharmacist arrested????

Suggestion: just drink your whiskey, and quit commenting and passing judgement on circumstances you have no knowledge of.

Me? I feel for the kid. You're 17. Someone tells you that you can buy the drugs at pharmacy, you're gonna call a lawyer to see if it is legal? Yeah, riiiiiight.

[bangkok blue]

So am I right in saying it's against the law to possess Viagra without a prescription???

[Jingthing]

So am I right in saying it's against the law to possess Viagra without a prescription???

I believe that it is.

The jails aren't big enough ...

[animatic]

Somehow the words Nancy Grace and crack down, never seem to fit together.

Sort of like Amanpour and supermodel.

[dom samui]

Really Thailand is just a joke sometimes - actually most of the time.

The pharmacy is not responsible. The 17 year old tourist is.

Prostitution is illegal and those foreigners running related establishments in Pattaya must be stopped, while right next door the package tourists are bussed into the Thai run massage parlors all day, every day.

nud_e dancing is illegal unless the brother of Somying Na Ayutta so and so owns an interest, in which case, full on lesbian sex is a-okay.

The rule of law must prevail and the red shirts must not be allowed to march to the airport. (Yellow shirts with friends in high places, here's the keys to the air traffic control tower).

All bars must close at 1am unless they are run by local mafia, in which case they are welcome to blare non-stop base til 8am. (Anyone on Samui will have some idea what I am referring to).

They don't even try to hide the hypocrisy anymore.

Okay, I'm going to stop now before I go on a long rant.

[brownlegs]

What a vile combination of sanctimonious, nauseating, judgemental nonsense in support of Thai corruption and hypocrisy! Punish a boy for buying valium! Are you insane? Where is your sense of mercy justice or charity?

[geriatrickid]

Equally shocking is the assumption of people in here that drugs like cialis, viagra, and valium are harmless. It is somewhat puzzling that there will be a hue and cry that the (A) H1N1 vaccine is unsafe and dangerous, but the aforementioned drugs are not. Valium and its related family of anxyliotics are demonstrated to be highly addictive. One of the telltale signs of heart disease is erectile dysfunction. It is a warning sign that there is something wrong. Popping cialis or viagra doesn't address the underlying problem. There can be some serious side effects from these drugs because of the manner in which they control blood circulation. Unfortunately the users of such drugs do not want to hear about it. There is a greater likelihood of an ADR from these drugs then there is from a flu vaccine. Read the product monographs and you will understand why their use must be monitored.

Yes, there are some irresponsible dispensers of scripts and pills out there, but that is an issue quite separate from the the nature of the drugs. If some of you want to be angry, be angry over the idiotic approach to pharmaceutical surveillance and the enforcement of the laws, but do not make claims that the drugs are "nothing". The two aspects of the case are quite unrelated.

Edited January 24, 2010 by geriatrickid

[IMA_FARANG]

Sure it's hypocritical of the police to arrest the buyers and ignore the sellers. Why did you ever expect Thailand to be fair?

What I'm wondering though is why the police ever noticed this 17 year old kid in the first place?

Yes, he was an idiot to have the drugs in his possesion...but you really can't expect a 17 year old, on his own, (I assume) in a strange country and with money to spend to be careful of his behaviour, can you?

I wonder if he was in a bar somewhere and was approached by the police who asked them for some kind of I.D., and he told the police to go #*## off. Even in Phuket I don't think the Thai police make it a practice to simply pick 17 year old tourists out of a crowd just to harrass. Usually the tourist does something. maybe unintentionally or under the influence of Alchohol, to "offend" the policeman or makes the policeman "lose face". I once heard of 3 U.S. Navy guys who were beat up in Bangkok by "enforcers" who worked in a Patpong bar. They insisted they did nothing at all to provoke the fight. Of course they did slap the face of one of the bar girls, but they said she "deserved it" for not bringing them beer that was cold enough for their taste. And they couldn't understand why them slapping the waitress in front of these "enforcers" was a problem. So they got beat up for "no reason" according to their logic.

What I would like to know is what started the whole incident...and why it escalated up to the point where the kid was arrested for one pill.

I guess we'll never know that.

[travelinthai]

Rules Schmules.

Anywhere in the west you can walk into a doctor and get a prescription for Valium and/or Xanax without fuss. As far as I have been informed doctors in Thailand will or can not prescribe this.

not true. Doctors will prescribe it as they can prescribe anything. It's gotta be a valid reason that's all.

[NanLaew]

What a vile combination of sanctimonious, nauseating, judgemental nonsense in support of Thai corruption and hypocrisy!

Thanks! It's not easy y'know.

Punish a boy for buying valium!

Kick his arse hard for sure. It's what my father did to me when I got caught for much, much less.

Are you insane?

Not medically but I have been known to have a few Jack Daniels socially. What's your excuse?

Where is your sense of mercy justice or charity?

Left it on the third baggage carousel from the right (the broken one) at Don Muang, late October 1984. I was clean outta Thai-style compassion after 5 years, sorry.

[Gats]

On the surface, this is an injustice.

However, I hold to my view that an adolescent should not be taking valium that is not prescribed for a medical condition.

This event might just very well have been a good thing for this person. What I would like to know if if this was a one off, or if the subject has an underlying addiction issue.

That being said, putting the adolescent in jail and holding him this long achieves nothing and does not help the subject.

Did he go to jail? Was he abusive to police?

I think this is a good article if it's on the surface true, but I can't help but thinking this kid was being pretty conspicuous about his recreational drug taking - cops the world over who turn a blind eye to a little recreational use will not let anybody parade it around by being totally wasted and looking like they're about to die in a convulsing fit... I'd be interested to hear about the circumstances of his arrest before jumping to judge the cops.

[dttk0009]

What a vile combination of sanctimonious, nauseating, judgemental nonsense in support of Thai corruption and hypocrisy! Punish a boy for buying valium! Are you insane? Where is your sense of mercy justice or charity?

Some people simply love to watch the world burn, my friend.

[anon8]

Where is your sense of mercy justice or charity?

/quote 'NanLaew'

Left it on the third baggage carousel from the right (the broken one) at Don Muang, late October 1984. I was clean outta Thai-style compassion after 5 years, sorry.

END quote/

Compassion, a human emotion prompted by the pain of others.

I am convinced that once we loose this ability, there is no longer much difference between a MAN and a soi dog.

Valium.. 9 tablets. Not 200 tablets, not dealing. Bought from pharmacy, the same way I buy Tramadol, a script med in EU, over the counter here. it is truly over the counter, not controlled substance, no script required in Thailand.. but I know this only because I happen to live here. The 17 yr guy, a tourist, a GUEST IN THIS COUNTRY. he had 9 tablets of valium, less harmful than whiskey, many could argue.. and so many people on this and the other thread are calling for his head, almost..

Why is it? Were we like that when we came to Thai? Does living for a long peroid of time in basically a foreign country make a man bitter, vengeful, cold hearted?

I have not been that long, but I hope this never happens to me.

Arguments how 'technically' he is on the wrong side of the law are simply bs. I am on the wrong side of the law every day when I'm running on foot across the street on red light. Cars that never, never stop on designated pedestrian crossings, they are all breaking the law as well, every one of them. So, please, people!

[NanLaew]

So am I right in saying it's against the law to possess Viagra without a prescription???

I believe that it is.

The jails aren't big enough ...

The solution then would be NOT to pop a dick hardener immediately before getting banged up. More room inside.

[NanLaew]

I am convinced that once we loose this ability, there is no longer much difference between a MAN and a soi dog.

Valium.. 9 tablets. Not 200 tablets, not dealing. Bought from pharmacy, the same way I buy Tramadol, a script med in EU, over the counter here. it is truly over the counter, not controlled substance, no script required in Thailand.. but I know this only because I happen to live here. The 17 yr guy, a tourist, a GUEST IN THIS COUNTRY. he had 9 tablets of valium, less harmful than whiskey, many could argue.. and so many people on this and the other thread are calling for his head, almost..

Why is it? Were we like that when we came to Thai? Does living for a long peroid of time in basically a foreign country make a man bitter, vengeful, cold hearted?

I have not been that long, but I hope this never happens to me.

Arguments how 'technically' he is on the wrong side of the law are simply bs. I am on the wrong side of the law every day when I'm running on foot across the street on red light. Cars that never, never stop on designated pedestrian crossings, they are all breaking the law as well, every one of them. So, please, people!

Some of my best mates have been soi dogs so don't start name calling. In fact a very good drinkin' buddy once described me as a 'dog with lips'.

If I throw a party and some punk decides to do drugs in my shithouse, as a GUEST IN MY HOUSE, he is going to have a problem.

I think that the abuse of prescription drugs is much worse, more prevalent and much more insidious than the abuse of illegal narcotics. However, it does keep most of the people happy and the rehab places make a killing.

Anyway, back to the OP. It get worse! He had NINE tablets and not just one? Maybe not a dealer but I am pretty sure he wasn't gonna be poppin' them all by himself now was he?

Please yourself.

Edited January 25, 2010 by NanLaew

[Jirapa]

On the surface, this is an injustice.

However, I hold to my view that an adolescent should not be taking valium that is not prescribed for a medical condition.

This event might just very well have been a good thing for this person. What I would like to know if if this was a one off, or if the subject has an underlying addiction issue.

That being said, putting the adolescent in jail and holding him this long achieves nothing and does not help the subject. The drugs should have been confiscated, his parents advised and that should have been the end of it. More importantly, the pharmacist should have his license revoked for dispensing to a minor without a script. The pharmacist was no different than a pusher that sells yaba to a 17 year old.

There's a big difference. A 12 year old can get Valium on prescription over the counter and a 21 year old can buy it over the counter without one but no one can get Yabba from a pharmacy even with proof of age! Okay he bought it when he was underage so fine him and the Pharmacy for not asking for ID. Lucky he did'nt get caught with 9 Yabba as that's another story, 17 or 50 years of age he'd be in trouble!

My mum who's 65 comes here twice a year and stocks up on antibiotics for the family from Pharmacies. In the UK you need to go see your doctor for a prescription but what's the point of waisting government money on doctors when you know what you need especially when you've been prescribed the same meds for 20+ years? My sister has had asthma for 40 years and here she can buy a ventolin inhaler over the counter for less than half the price of a prescription one in the UK!

Edited January 25, 2010 by Jirapa

[Jirapa]

Anyway, back to the OP. It get worse! He had NINE tablets and not just one? Maybe not a dealer but I am pretty sure he wasn't gonna be poppin' them all by himself now was he?

Please yourself.

He probably bought 10, took 1 and got caught with 9! So what? Yes he was probably going to POP them all by himself but probably not in one day! Have you ever been to a pharmacy and asked for one Paracetamol? Take 10 paracetamol and a bottle of spirits and your dead and that IS legal!

Only thing is he was 17 and not 21 so he got caught for buying Valium under age without a script. They probably could have charged him for alcohol consumption if they wanted to as 21 is the limit and most 17 year olds on holiday in Thailand have had a few drinks purchased illegally in bars or 7Eleven.

Relax Grandad, kids on holiday in Thailand rarely die as it's easier to go overboard back home!

Edited January 25, 2010 by Jirapa

[SoCa9346]

The fact that Thailand's law and order processes are dysfunctional and pharmacies appear largely unregulated does not excuse any foreigner for purchasing prescription drugs, ie. knowingly breaking the law.

Or just because a home owner forgets to lock his front door at night does not excuse the opportunist burglar from stealing stuff that doesn't belong to him.

Social responsibility starts with the individual.

Well, informed expats might know the score, but it is totally unrealistic to expect tourists to know that SOME meds they can easily buy OTC without scrip when most ALL meds are available here OTC without scrip are illegal, and which ones. If they want to crackdown, the only ethical method is to go after the pharmacies, not INNOCENT tourists, and I do mean INNOCENT.

I can see where you are coming from without even raising an eyebrow at the words ethics relating to Thai law enforcement. The lawyers would love this dog fight in any ethical country now wouldn't they?

It's like the same kid drinking alcoholic beverages on the flight from New Zealand (not saying he did but for the sake of argument here). At 17 years old, there's not a lot that a kid can get away with in any jurisdiction in most civilised countries, be it smoking tobacco, drinking alcohol, consensual sex or recreational AND prescription drugs (without a prescription). It's always easy to claim youthful ignorance, replete with the look of wide-eyed innocence AFTER getting caught. Just because you think you can break the law and get a way with it is not an excuse to break the law.

My rule of thumb that stood me in good stead when I first became the 'international gypsy' at 20 year-old was, "If it's prohibited or illegal at home, it's probably best avoided elsewhere."

So let me see if I have the correct information, prescriptions are not issued by Dr's in LOS, but if you want to 'legally' buy Zanax you can do so a hospital or clinic.

[dsprtliving]

The fact that Thailand's law and order processes are dysfunctional and pharmacies appear largely unregulated does not excuse any foreigner for purchasing prescription drugs, ie. knowingly breaking the law.

Or just because a home owner forgets to lock his front door at night does not excuse the opportunist burglar from stealing stuff that doesn't belong to him.

Social responsibility starts with the individual.

Well, informed expats might know the score, but it is totally unrealistic to expect tourists to know that SOME meds they can easily buy OTC without scrip when most ALL meds are available here OTC without scrip are illegal, and which ones. If they want to crackdown, the only ethical method is to go after the pharmacies, not INNOCENT tourists, and I do mean INNOCENT.

I can see where you are coming from without even raising an eyebrow at the words ethics relating to Thai law enforcement. The lawyers would love this dog fight in any ethical country now wouldn't they?

It's like the same kid drinking alcoholic beverages on the flight from New Zealand (not saying he did but for the sake of argument here). At 17 years old, there's not a lot that a kid can get away with in any jurisdiction in most civilised countries, be it smoking tobacco, drinking alcohol, consensual sex or recreational AND prescription drugs (without a prescription). It's always easy to claim youthful ignorance, replete with the look of wide-eyed innocence AFTER getting caught. Just because you think you can break the law and get a way with it is not an excuse to break the law.

My rule of thumb that stood me in good stead when I first became the 'international gypsy' at 20 year-old was, "If it's prohibited or illegal at home, it's probably best avoided elsewhere."

So let me see if I have the correct information, prescriptions are not issued by Dr's in LOS, but if you want to 'legally' buy Zanax you can do so a hospital or clinic.

Xanex may be prescribed by a doctor here in the Land O' Smiles as most, if not all hospitals, have their pharmacy right there on the premises. The problem arises when the Mom & Pop pharmacies are handing them out like candies without the approval/consent of a licensed physician. Best rule is to make sure all your meds come in little plastic hospital bags with your name CLEARLY marked on them as issued from the hospital pharmacy. On a side note...after reading this thread i jumped up to go check my name was on the baggy for my Xanex!

[uts]

Rules Schmules.

Anywhere in the west you can walk into a doctor and get a prescription for Valium and/or Xanax without fuss. As far as I have been informed doctors in Thailand will or can not prescribe this.

IF THEY DO PRESCRIBE,

you will pay ten times the Western price!

[faranginbkk]

Valium is probably one of the most successful medicines invented, with curative effects and few side effects. See http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?...amp;name=VALIUM - the average patient's rating is 4.2 which is very high. A common cholesterol drug as Crestor has a rating of only 1.8 by patients who use it (plenty of side effects).