Begs Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 Tax, i would say he knew what he was doing, as to where he was going, who knows, but it would have been a country like NZ, Aus, Singapore, Japan e.t.c., if some one was gonna plant something on him, they would not have planted 3.5 million bahts worth, just 1 or 2 will do. And nobody is gonna risk 3.5 million bahts worth, if they dont have a set plan. I would guess that the kid had bought them over from the UK, sold a few, met someone that said he could sell the whole lot in one hit in another country, (Australia has federal police working undercover in Bkk), maybe he met one of those. The Aussies dont want him, so they tell the Thai police. The fact that such a young kid got caught suggests that he knew full well what he was doing, cos an organised gang probably would not trust a young lad with that ammount, he was pulled in by a tip off by the farang police working in Bkk is my opinion, and his age also would make him not too streetwise and easily taken in. He is certainly gonna regret the day he went to Bkk Airport, you see if they had nicked him in town, its just another nicking, he could say that somebody left them in his room, if he is nicked at the Airport, he is Trafficking, bang to rights nicked. No defence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnustedt Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 The fact that such a young kid got caught suggests that he knew full well what he was doing Yeah, didn't we all do stupid stuff when we were teenagers? I know that I did! I hope that they give the kid a fright but are understanding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveYo Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 Hold it guys. You got this all wrong of what I said in past Post. Pardon me for not being so detailed but I thought you dudes knew better of what I was mentioning. I said after I passed customs and passed them completely and was cleared from customs and was now entering the public section of the airport. My stuff is on a cart. Before I even came close to these people with some remote machine outside of customs area they were standing around and looking etc. I know I already did see customs officers and they have their scanners inside the customs area. I also know I was cleared and turned in the paperwork as required. Yes these people that are out in the public area, I am not saying they are not allowed to scan, but at same token once out in the public it is not mandatory. Because when you arrive here at O'Hare in the International terminal, once you are cleared from Immigrations and from Customs here, they do not do anymore scanning. You go outside and greet your loved ones period. This is exactly how they approached me word for word. And it was a WOMAN mind you. "Sir, that is a large box, could you place it here" This box happens to be completely sealed and security tags not broken at all from original departure and I also know this box was completely checked out via customs hands because they opened it and emptied it at O'Hare and they repacked it and sealed it themselves and I stood there watching it myself. So understand that much OK So with me having this knowledge, I did say those exact words to her, and even pointed to the box that it was security sealed. I told her I respectively decline any further scanning. I am out in public now and not a security threat to airport personnel. If customs cleared me inside the airport I am finished. Now if customs inside the airport wanted my stuff scanned YES one has to comply with their request. But once outside and in public, NO. Yes they were picking people at random out in the public area. If one gets scanned out in the public, then they should scan everybody. Not individual perks to their liking. I know airport rules well. So that is what precisely what I am saying. Anything inside from customs inward you are bound to comply to their rules. Anything outside and in public you are not bound to comply unless it is the police and they have reason to stop you and make such request. That is a different story all together. I hope this straightens things out so you dudes can understand clearly. Remember my point. I am outside and in the public area, past customs and immigrations. Daveyo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Begs Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 The fact that such a young kid got caught suggests that he knew full well what he was doing Yeah, didn't we all do stupid stuff when we were teenagers? I know that I did! I hope that they give the kid a fright but are understanding. Well maybe they will take his age into account, but i think he will be tried as an Adult............................. hence...Adult sentence...Class 1 drugs...Death penalty....... commuted to life. Some years ago in Bangkok a Tourist was caught in Patpong with 6 Ecstacy Pills, he got 18 months for each pill,...9 years!! This kid is Bolloxed......... A couple of years ago he was still in School......Now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveYo Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 It didn't say this part on the first article I read. Now we all know what took place. The kid was leaving Thailand, so it had nothing to do with entering Thailand. This was the first impression I was given. I wonder where he got caught. On the first scan before you check yourself in or inside the customs area when your next stop is immigrations? I am betting inside before you see immigrations. That for sure will catch dope either on person or inside your carry on luggage. The first scan of course is everything you going to bring with you. That is why I asked that question. Tip off from someone? My guess is from the supplier who gave the crap to the kid or someone who knew of the buy and his departure dates, or the supplier got caught themselves or the supplier was in fact undercover cop. In either case the kid was awful stupid to even think of trying to go home with this stuff. It is so POSTED EVERYWHERE WITH WARNINGS at the airport. In any rate they were making a beeline for him because of the tip off and were about to nail him either way. Facing DEATH PENALTY at age 19 is the pits. I can sympathize with the kid if someone set him up, but cannot sympathize if he knew precisely what he was doing and had full intent etc. Only question now is will the authorities go easy on him as of penalty. Best case scenario, get life and persona non grata and do the time at home country or get kicked out for life and have his sentence suspended. Daveyo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Begs Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 Not a chance of a suspended for Class 1, he wasn't taking them home, they are more expensive in Thailand than they are in UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveYo Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 Hey Begs--------- really more expensive in Thailand. Wow. What is the price of one pill in UK vs one pill in Thailand. Just wondering cause I am not familiar with street dope prices. Daveyo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlenTuk Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 Another link, Same story but with a picture of him, If he has been stitched up i have pity on him. silly boy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rakthai Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 There's no excuse, the quicker we stop this pushers the better. It's one thing turning a blind eye on people using things at home but come on dealing and transporting them through customs?? dick head!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlenTuk Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 rakthai, I think your comment is fair. Death penalty or not his life has theoretically ended. He might have had better luck hiding them somewhere else !! IE : His Ears Sorry ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parryhandy Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 Hey Begs--------- really more expensive in Thailand. Wow. What is the price of one pill in UK vs one pill in Thailand.Just wondering cause I am not familiar with street dope prices. Daveyo Ectasy pill in the uk would cost you about 3 quid. if you bought the amount this guy was carrying it would probably be even cheaper. Found with the same quantity in the Uk the kid would not spend more than 3 years in jail if that.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Begs Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 .Found with the same quantity in the Uk the kid would not spend more than 3 years in jail if that.. Saying that perry, if he had been caught in Singapore he would be hanged. You need very small ammounts to get the Mandatory Death Sentence in Singapore. End of the day, people know the sentences in Asian countries, its not like its not well publicised, i feel sorry for the kid,..... but he knew what he was doing, of that i have no doubt.......... just that at 19 years of age we are all invincible.......or so we think..............i know i did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaiAdventure Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 I don't condone what the Brit did but also don't judge...that is a job for the courts. But what is puzzling me is that "Drugs are Illegal" blah, blah. Death penalty...deserves it, blah, blah attitude which, seems only to apply to foreigners. The question is "Would the authorities treat a Thai in the same scenario identically?" I am not convinced that they in the light of the following article. Excerpt from Georges Posting "3 Mil. Of Thailand's 63 Million People Use Drugs! Thais use morality against meth" Turning the dealers in to police would have solved nothing, Sumalee said, because they would be set free after paying bribes and would mock the elders."I was arrested as I was about to give up dealing," said Narong Supanyo, a farmer who shriveled from 216 pounds to 140 pounds because of his addiction. "I had just sold my last two pills, when 10 or so police drove up the road." He said that if he had paid a $75 bribe to the officers, they would have let him go immediately, but he had only $50. Narong said he spent 48 days in jail, and still had to pay police $163 to be freed. I would be interested to know how many Thais are spending life imprisonment for dealing/traffiking in the Bangkok Hilton compared to foriegners. Is this rough justice?... or blatant example making? Answers on a post card to the Ministry of Foriegn Affairs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolling Stone Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 Thai nationals are treated the same when it comes to large amounts of dope. The story about the old guy said it all "he sold his last 2 pills" two is far fewer than 3400. Thais actually get the death penalty (not all) and actually have the sentence carried out where as I do not believe a foreigner has executed for drugs at least a western foreigner not sure on Asian foreigners. You guys are right this kids life is done. He will have to do 8 years here then do a big stretch in Britain. I think Britain is one of the only western countries that actually sticks to the Thai courts rulings and makes their nationals actually serve the sentence upon return. Bummer but like many said he knew the risks. I just cannot imagine why people @#$%^&*() with drugs in SE Asia. I have been a regular smoker of hemp since I was 16 but have never and will never partake in SE Asia its simply not worth it. It sucks not being able to but it would suck even worse to have to spend 1 day in a SE Asian cell. No doubt the guy must be amazingly stupid to try and take drugs out of the kingdom after successfully getting them in. What in the world was he thinking. I remember reading an article last year in the post where they said an ecstasy pill in the kingdom was like 400-500 baht. I am not up on the drug prices of the world but I don't believe in the west or Austrailia the price could be that high. Luckily the kid is young and strong just hope he can keep himself from becoming a junkie in the Hilton. Keep it real! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pablo H Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 [ThaiAdventure Posted on Wed 2003-11-12, 04:51:13 ] [ don't condone what the Brit did but also don't judge...that is a job for the courts. But what is puzzling me is that "Drugs are Illegal" blah, blah. Death penalty...deserves it, blah, blah attitude which, seems only to apply to foreigners. The question is "Would the authorities treat a Thai in the same scenario identically?" I am not convinced that they in the light of the following article. QUOTE] No, they usually shoot their own before they can arrest them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrvietnam2001 Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 If they ask why you refuse, just tell them what i said. I have been scanned since my departure and my luggage has security tags on it and it is not tampered with, so therefore i refuse the scan. Then say Khop Khun and get out of there and mind your own business. No Mr/mrs customs officer you cannot search my bag cos Dave Yo says you cant alright. Khop Khun LOL! Mr Vietnam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrvietnam2001 Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 A couple of years ago he was still in School......Now... He's in a different school now. Mr Vietnam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thalenoi Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 "Connell had travelled from Britain to the United Arab Emirates city of Dubai before flying to Bangkok. He was caught on his way out of Thailand through Bangkok after a tip-off, a statement said. " He was on his way OUT of Thailand and tipped of, probably by the bad guys he bought the yaba from. They get double pay: for ther drugs and denouncing the stupid boy and maybe they get the dope back to sell it again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pablo H Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 I believe the drug he was caught with was Ecstasy and not Yaba. From what I am reading I gather that some people feel sorry for this guy, referring to him as a young boy. He is 19, I think, he is a man. I was brought up not far from where he came from and believe me you learn to grow up fast there. Had he not been caught, he would be a lot richer now and probably bragging about how he got away with it, then planning his next trip. As the saying goes "don't do the crime, if you can't do the time". Then again he might not have to do any time if they kill him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monitorlizard Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 DaveYo, This may work in the US (Ohare) but not in Thailand. Although I doubt it would there as well. In Thailand, they can check you or your car anytime they want to if they wish. This buiness of importing your Rights from America is very dangerous and very bad advice to give. Thai police randomly check people's pockets in public, stop people's cars, etc. And even force people to take urine tests in public places to check for drug use. There is no such thing as search warrants. Very silly advice if you ask me. And I would not argue with customs and cite your rights. They are just doing their jobs which is protecting public security. They scanned the guy's bag after passing security even if they had security tags on it. Well guess what? The security tags didn't prevent the smuggling of drugs did it? So I doubt the Thai immigration will follow your advice in the future and leave you alone. Besides I think it is very suspicious when you decline them to scan your bags. If you have nothing to hide then you will cooperate. Unbelievable. I am glad they caught the guy. If you do the crime you must be prepared to do the time. Reminds me of the Brit who was flipping the bird at the Thai police after getting busted at the airport. I wonder what ever happened to him? People need to be aware that Thailand is a sovereign country with its own laws. They are under no obligation to follow laws protectings your rights in a similiar manner in your home country. I hope people who are reading this post ignore's DaveYo's advice. I know you will be inviting trouble and arousing suspicion if you follow his advice. Yes, even in America. The customs operate under a completely set of rules and laws. I wouldn't want to mess with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axel Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 We still do not know what really happened. Bangkok Post had it this morning from Reuters (Page 3) pointing out at departure and 'following a tip-off'. Sympathy? In Thailand the legal age is 20. My own son was always upset, as per home country he was an adult with 18. As parent you think, he is a kid. Just think what you would feel if it was your son, who got caught, guilty, framed or whatever. Thanks God, our son went through educatin, schoolss in BKK without problems, you always worry what might happen and at least one lad was thrown out of school for soem drug offense, caught in school, not by police. I remember a case around 78 or 79, English girls, daughter of a Brit-expat in HKG, the amount by far not so big, so after a few years she got a Royal pardon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluebear Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 If he knowingly did it - PRAT If he was set up - why was he set up, he must be involved in the scene in some way. I dont think they would just pick anyone at random. PRAT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 Tax, i would say he knew what he was doing, as to where he was going, who knows, but it would have been a country like NZ, Aus, Singapore, Japan e.t.c., if some one was gonna plant something on him, they would not have planted 3.5 million bahts worth, just 1 or 2 will do.And nobody is gonna risk 3.5 million bahts worth, if they dont have a set plan. I would guess that the kid had bought them over from the UK, sold a few, met someone that said he could sell the whole lot in one hit in another country, (Australia has federal police working undercover in Bkk), maybe he met one of those. The Aussies dont want him, so they tell the Thai police I agree with BEGS, nobody set him up. With the current drug shakedown coming from the very top right now they are going to make an example of this guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axel Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 Dave Yo, I don't want to pick on you, but you got me wondering. May be there are a couple of things mixex up? Could it be the "nice" lady who questioned your big bag was not at all from customs but from airport security? You know since 9/11 they have all kind of checks in airports. Another point I mentioned yesterday, is customs at arrival. Hand over your customs form, the officer might ask you what you carry, try to lift your luggage for weight check. If asked you must make a verbal declaration. He let you pass but signals his colleagues in the hallway behind him. That's where the customs' inspection desks are. BTW, having passed customs and being out in the restricted zone at BKK a/port or being out and greeting your loved ones, you still can be stopped and asked to come back for customs control. Many, if not all, airports have CCTV even in the parking lot. I know a guy who lighted up outside Singapore's arrival hall, you can smoked there, was seen on the monitor and asked to return for control. Very obvious, you are not allowed to bring even one single cigarette into Singapore, so how can you have one. Suspicious! Myself was once sitting in Vienna/Austria in the control booth. A wall full of monitors. The customs guy was friendly since I passed in the red lane and explained to me, "we get them in the car-park area, when they very happily think they are through and hand over something to the party picking them up, that's when I call my colleagues on plain cloth duty..." Believe me, this happens all over the world. Your question on BKK departure. First x-ray is your check-in luggage only b4 you go to the counter. They are not interested in your hand luggage but nowadays ask for passport and ticket, as an extra security control on your identity. After check-in you move to air port tax and show your 500-Baht ticket, than through immigration. B4 you reach your boarding gate you come to the second x-ray-check. Here it is carry - on stuff and anything you have on you. That's the metal detector and an evtl. body search if the bells start ringing. A small free tip: I always carry a bit more than the allowed duty free stuff. It's inside the luggage. a) I always carry a duty free bag on top of all luggage. First rule of plausibility control, a guy who openly shows his booze, has nthing to hide. No offense to my fellow travellers, but I try to pass behind somebody who in Bangkok they might question more readily. While they bother him, nobody cares to stop me and the others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fox Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 QUOTE (DaveYo @ Tue 2003-11-11, 08:15:11) If they ask why you refuse, just tell them what i said. I have been scanned since my departure and my luggage has security tags on it and it is not tampered with, so therefore i refuse the scan. Then say Khop Khun and get out of there and mind your own business. Hi, As a former (voluntary) law enforcement personel in an Asian country, I wish to say that your advice could land people in more serious trouble. It is wrong to say that you could refuse a second or even a third inspection if required to do so, and particularly at the air-port...... in cases of crime and drugs enforcement. Refusing them would land you up to a 100% body (strip naked) search. This procedure is practised by all law enforcement agencies by all countries if the need arises. My best advice is to be polite, do what they say, and nothing will happen to you, provided of course you are innocent. Best regards, fox Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbk Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 Its 3400 pills here, not 5! Its not like he's just some kid with a few for fun! Please! And thaiadventure, what an amazing statement in light of last feb/mar's drug crackdown. How many extrajudicial killings of Thai people were there? in the thousands i believe. My husband's cousin is doing life for selling yaba (stupid woman), another one down the beach is currently in the pipeline after getting caught selling e and marijuana to tourists. not only has everything she owns been confiscated but she has no bail. do thai people get it easier, no they get it harder! at least most foreigners have the (albeit small) protection of their embassies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indigo Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 does anyone have a link to that bangkok post article? thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axel Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 does anyone have a link to that bangkok post article?thanks! I tried this morning. Nothing. It is under their 'Home' - Section on page 3. Bangkokpost.net is sometimes slow or does not put all articles in. (They have no reference to 'Home'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indigo Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 yeah, i couldn't find it there either. i was wondering if i was missing something. i guess not. thanks for the information, axel! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxexile Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 from the uk daily telegraph...wednesday The father of a British teenager arrested on suspicion of trying to smuggle 3,400 ecstasy tablets into Thailand said last night he had no idea he had even left the country.Michael Connell, 19, from Bury, Greater Manchester, was seized after an X-ray machine at Bangkok's international airport detected the pills. He faces the mandatory death penalty if convicted but death sentences passed on foreigners are usually commuted on appeal to life imprisonment. Connell, an unemployed labourer, was held late on Monday evening, having travelled to Bangkok via Dubai. His father, Derek Connell, 48, a taxi driver, learned of his arrest when he tuned in to a local radio station at 9am yesterday. Last night, he and his former wife, Maureen, were waiting to hear from the Foreign Office. Mr Connell said: "This has hit me like a bombshell. We didn't even know he'd gone. He's no money and I've not lent him any, so how the ###### he's managed to get over there is beyond me. "I'm just in shock. I don't know what to do." His last contact with his son was late last week when the teenager rang with a request to borrow £5 "for a video and something from the chippy". He loaned him the money and gave him a lift to the video hire shop. The next time he saw him was on a television screen, flanked by Thai police officers, handcuffed and seated at a table laden with drugs. Michael Connell left his local secondary school with no qualifications. Since then, says his father, he has "probably not worked more than a month in his life". He had travelled to Bangkok a year ago to visit a friend. "He went out to see this lad I don't know," his father said. "He brought me back a [Manchester]United shirt." Mr Connell went on: "He'll be petrified." Beaches in southern Thailand are approaching the high season for raves and full moon parties at which many young European visitors take drugs. Connell, who has a brother, Adam, 17, is the youngest Briton to face Thailand's tough anti-drugs laws since the arrests of the Birmingham teenagers Karyn Smith and Patricia Cahill, aged 17 and 18, in 1990. If convicted he might face eight years in a Thai jail before becoming eligible for transfer back to Britain under a "Prisoner Transfer Treaty". Because of their age Smith and Cahill were each given a royal pardon after serving three years in jail. Since Connell is a little older, his chances of early release could be weaker. when i first read the story,i was prepared to have some sympathy for him on the basis that he may have been set up. after reading this article,and if the article can be believed,then any sympathy i might have had has just completely evaporated. another lazy yob,in all probability on benefits courtesy of the british taxpayer,using those benefits to fund a trip abroad to smuggle drugs for personal gain. long may he remain in the sweaty confines of a thai prison,with plenty of time to reflect on the errors of his ways. i sincerely hope it is many years until he can get "a video and something from the chippy" again. he fully deserves all that is coming to him, and, more importantly, some parents' teenage child may have been spared any harm from the drugs involved. well done thai customs. another one bites the dust! © Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2003. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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