Teenage Briton Arrested For Drug Trafficking

[mrvietnam2001]

Executions do NOT deter people from crime, instead, they condone killing as an acceptable means of solving problems and conflicts. Just look at the big blob between Canada and South America. Are their crime rates going down???

Good Point, if Thailands crime figures where as bad as The USA crime figures then i cant see too many people wanting to retire in Thailand. And USA slaughters many of its own people, in the name of the law, so maybe you are right.

Huh? Yu guys ever been to the US?

You show your ignorance really.

Mr Vietnam

[indigo]

i guess that one can still think that he was extremely stupid, but have sympathy for him. that is how i feel, at least.

yeah, he most likely knew (but who knows for sure) that he had the pills. but maybe he didn't know just how horrible the consequences are. i was listening to an interview with sandra gregory, this brit who was in lard yao for being a mule, on bbc (archives). she knew very well what she was doing was wrong (and she never once denied her guilt or begged for sympathy), but she was desperate for cash and needed it to fund her plane ticket home. anyway, she said that she never bothered to find out just how bad the consequences were (and of course, she admits that was stupid of her as well) if she got caught.

i really think that a lot of travelers are young and naive. most think they will not get caught. many think that their embassy will come to their rescue. some are just desperate for the money (like gregory, who was suffering from dengue fever at the time). i also think that is important to educate young and first time travelers who are setting off to SEA that there ARE consequences and that they really suck. gregory spent a year speaking at schools, trying to get her message across to soon-to-be travelers.

anyway, i feel bad for the kid. sorry, but i do. yes, he acted stupid. but he must be scared shitless right now...

[Begs]

Executions do NOT deter people from crime, instead, they condone killing as an acceptable means of solving problems and conflicts. Just look at the big blob between Canada and South America. Are their crime rates going down???

Good Point, if Thailands crime figures where as bad as The USA crime figures then i cant see too many people wanting to retire in Thailand. And USA slaughters many of its own people, in the name of the law, so maybe you are right.

Huh? Yu guys ever been to the US?

You show your ignorance really.

Mr Vietnam

It must be some other USA that executes its citizens..........

[randyksf]

Executions do NOT deter people from crime, instead, they condone killing as an acceptable means of solving problems and conflicts. Just look at the big blob between Canada and South America. Are their crime rates going down???

Good Point, if Thailands crime figures where as bad as The USA crime figures then i cant see too many people wanting to retire in Thailand. And USA slaughters many of its own people, in the name of the law, so maybe you are right.

Begs and medish

The US Slaughters many of it's own people????????

I am not sure what dream world you live in?

The death penalty is only used for 1st degree Murder. As of November 12th there were 60 executions FOR MURDER out of a population of 270 million plus.

BEGS?.. Please explain your statement with all the facts.

Something you might not be aware of is a thing called freedom of the press. This combined with sensationalistic tactics to sell papers. Thus causing stories to be over embellished.

I am sure you both watch real TV, Cops and the other idiot TV shows that are played here in English. For that I feel sorry for you if you feel that is your impression of America and its people.

You satiated that people don?t want to retire here and in the US.

Thailand is simple: The medical service is not as advanced for geriatric care and the culture is too different. Most people above the age of 60 don?t want to start all over with language, food, and a general way of life.

As for the US: I really have no idea where you hatched that idea from? If have ever been there are tones of people from different countries. The only difference is that America has all races so if you see and older person walking down the street you can't tell they aren't born there.

There is a small population that should be locked up in all countries. America is not perfect by any means ,our current president is an idiot. (Freedom of Speech) Unfortunately every country has its political bumps.

America is also a huge Island separated from other country?s. The isolation of America and its vastness causes most Americans to have a miss guided view of the world. In much the same way people view America.

Keep on Topic and don't bash other peoples homes.

[sbk]

just a few things that struck me:

actually thailand has nearly DOUBLE the per capita murder rate of the US.

as for death penalty, lets face it, this guy won't get it, they don't seem to execute farang, just other foreigners. not that it has slowed anybody down. and how many movies have been out about foreigners getting thrown into nasty thai jails? doesn't seem to have deterred this guy. not sure there really is anything that would deter people just stupid enough to think smuggling drugs is a good way to make money.

and about the body cream . BODY CREAM?? for a 19 year old english guy? what's that all about? and what's he saying, that he bought unopened jars of body cream from tescos and the ecstasy was already in them????

[Begs]

Begs and medish

The US Slaughters many of it's own people?

I am not sure what dream world you live in?

The death penalty is only used for 1st degree Murder. As of November 12th there were 60 executions FOR MURDER

BEGS?.. Please explain your statement with all the facts.

I am sure you both watch real TV, Cops and the other idiot TV shows that are played here in English.

Keep on Topic and don't bash other peoples homes.

Randy, its a forum,................................. i think 60 executions is a lot, you may not, i do, its my opinion, and do i watch American cop shows,......... no......................... Too much shouting by the cops.....i watched a few of them..but the .."GET OUT OF THE CAR WITH YOUR HANDS UP!" screamed at ear busting levels is all to much for me.........

Thailand di kwa

[Guest IT Manager]

That answers my question then. As for last Feb/Mar crackdown...I wasn't aware there was one.

In my viaalge about 350 yards from my house, on a sunday night at exactly midnight a fire-fight started.

2 boys about 18 & 20 dead, cops all around.

No reports in the press, but they appeared to have been killed in "gang related incident". There were at least 20 police involved, and yes I did see them.

When I discussed it in the village a couple of the guys said, "good" drug traffickers. One old man said "how do you know they were... you won't let police drink here because you don't trust them".

Seems light will dawn. I am sorry about some parts of what happened to the kid. If he had 5 or 6 maybe yes write it off to stupidity.

Facts we know:

He is on welfare/benefits based on what his father said.

Benefits would have to be stretched fairly thin to do a Thailand holiday wouldn't they?

Conclusions:

He was doing a run for someone who paid for the trip?

If so we can deduce:

He knew he was carrying as he had been paid to do so.

If he was tipped to the police, IMHO someone on the same flight had a lot more.

Just my thoughts. I still think he was a <deleted>.

[A. BOOZER]

Although I have never been into the drug culture, it has always been my understanding that drugs in the U.K. were quite expensive and considerably more costly than in the LOS. Therefore it does seem rather strange to me that an unemployed 19 year old would have access to the funds for purchasing such a large quantity of tablets. Possibly I am missing something, but cannot see the business sense if this lad is truly guilty, however the other question is, how would anyone in baggage handling be aware that he had two jars of cream suitable for hiding these tablets? On the other hand, it does seem unlikely that a 19 year old would be bothered to carry cream{of any description} at all!

Sounds like a very silly young man to me!

A. BOOZER

[Bob Chittie]

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!!!!

Come on now. This was a stupid move but do you really think that putting him away for life will have any positive affect? The guys at the top producing it and selling TENS OF MILLIONS OF PILLS IN A SINGLE SHIPMENT are the ones who need to be stopped.

if you read up on this kid, he was just at his mum's house a couple weeks ago asking to borrow 5 pounds. Doesn't sound like he was the real succesful type. He got himself here and figured he could make a quick buck back home. Stupid? Yes. But let's not fool ourselves into thinking that locking him up will create a safer or better society. Jesus, he's only 19. And obviously the Thai authorites don't think so, but shouldn't ecstacy be treated differently than say heroine or cocaine? Life or death seems completey over the top here.

[Bob Chittie]

The vindictive nature of most of these posts is frightening. If most people here had their way anyone who broke the law would be tied up and burned in public. And guess what, people would continue to try to make quick money in stupid ways. As I said before, the guys who need to be stopped have nothing to do with a 19 year old kid from England. His execution or life sentence will serve no purpose.

[taxexile]

bob

its precisely attitudes like that,sympathy for the young lad, poor kid,bit thick and naive, etc. coupled with lax sentencing,that will encourage more and more of these young lads and ladesses to take risks.

if the mules are put off from carrying the stuff, then it wont get carried,or at least less will get carried.

maybe he will tell the thai authorities who this shipment was destined for and maybe someone further up the chain will be caught.maybe.

if he bought the stuff in the uk,then he will probably have been dealing small time on the streets and will not be short of money for the trip. he may have had to borrow some money to buy the pills.he was a small time rascal with big ideas.

wanting a pile of money to count and spend.

now he can count the cockroaches as they scurry around his feet.

i dont feel sorry for him in the slightest.

there are plenty of honest ways to make money. its a choice we all have to make.

and a nineteen year old street lad from the uk is not some naive pitiful creature,they know the score. if they put their guile to better use,they could do well in life.

but a lot of people will always look for the easiest way, its down to laziness.

often the easiest way entails activities of varying degrees of criminality.

and yes, it would be nice to catch mr. big , but they are often too clever.

probably starting out as young mules, just like this kid,but got away with it a few times and progressed to bigger and bigger deals,eventually employing his own mules.

thats why i'm pleased they caught this lad and i hope they throw the book at him and lock him up for a long time. we,the public,need protecting from these people,

and it is the duty of the police and the courts to provide that protection.

[mrvietnam2001]

however the other question is, how would anyone in baggage handling be aware that he had two jars of cream suitable for hiding these tablets? On the other hand, it does seem unlikely that a 19 year old would be bothered to carry cream{of any description} at all!

Sounds like a very silly young man to me!

A. BOOZER

Obviously "pills" look like pills and not "skin cream" when going thru a scanner.

Should be slapped just for being stupid. But life sentences or death for things like this when child pornographers and other exploitation which is a fact in the LOS runs rampant would indicate there's a lot more money involved in cases like this for governments and that's telling of the culture and direction of the government afterall.

I suppose there are those who would claim that the latter is a result of the former Ha!

Rgrds

Mr Vietnam

[DaveYo]

Hi all , been reading and catching up on some posts here. Many of you have some very good points and observations. Especially as follows:

The kid borrowed money from Pappy before he left.

The kid had no job.

The kid had no savings or even any government assistance as of funds.

The kid had "body Cream" which for the most part usually is for women. Men hardly deal with body cream except for shaving or sunburn.

Question: How he get the money to make such trip in the first place.

How did he manage to live in Thailand completely broke. It said he

was departing Thailand.

How long was he there.

If he was broke upon entry how did he find available cash to make

purchase for 3,400 pills.

If you had no money to start with upon departure why leave in the

first place.

Plus many other unanswered questions that many of the members have posted here.

My opinion. If Thailand was truly really serious about eradicating drugs, go after the suppliers and the kingpins, and not some flunky like this kid. Flunky's can provide valuable information and can lead the police higher up the tree if the police were smart enough to make a sweet deal as exchange pending verification of such information.

As a note to all of you. Many of you may not believe this statement as follows: Many of the drug suppliers and kingpins are in fact people who are very rich and wealthy and have lots of power and hold high positions within the Government. If one was to start looking in that direction than at some flunky watch the tsunanami effect. Yes they are good, and killing the drug dealers is a way for them to silence this deadly information that would otherwise lead directly to them if the Police ever were to stop making hiccups and do some action.

Why, I know this is very much a good possibility. Back in the 70"s in my so called hey days, in the City of Chicago there were 4 people right smack in the government who were the main honcho suppliers of dope. The USA Government had links to the manufactures and even to this day other than Noriega of Panama was such higher upper ever exposed. To this day money talks the B/S walks even in USA. That is why you never hear of such in the news.

Just putting my obvious 2 cents worth as facts.

Daveyo

[D80]

Hmmm

In my opinion, I think the facts are against him already. So, it looks like he's going to be put away for quite some time.

Foreigners... well.... westerners really, don't get executed in Thailand as far as I know. But the way the current PM is operating, .... well.. we never know, do we?

I don't believe in the death penalty. I don't think it works (as in, to the benefit of the society). Prison is not really that effective either, really. But since there isn't much else that society can and will try out, that's just the way it is for now.

I think he deserves some form of punishment, obviously. But the severity of it, I will decline to comment. Up to the court now anyway....

[Bob Chittie]

bob

its precisely attitudes like that,sympathy for the young lad, poor kid,bit thick and naive, etc. coupled with lax sentencing,that will encourage more and more of these young lads and ladesses to take risks.

if the mules are put off from carrying the stuff, then it wont get carried,or at least less will get carried.

i think your idea is the logical one, but unfortunatley it just doesn't work. Lock up for life or execute anybody who is involved with drugs. This will then serve as a deterent to anyone who might consider it. And this will result in a decrease in drug smuggling. it sounds good, but just doesn't work. You only have to look at countries like America to see the threat of severe punishment has little to no affect on those who would consider drug running.

I repeat again. Nothing will be accomplished in this kid's life imprisonemnt. It will make certain people feel satisfied that the war on drugs is being won or that there is justice in the world. But you only have to look a little further, try the Burmese border, to see that you are basking in your own delusions. Millions upon millions of pills are being sent into the country. Those responsible will not be touched. Those on the other end, both the users and the those who would consider making a quick buck, will be the ones to pay. And the cycle continues. At what point do we stop and conceed that the current approach is simply not working? The prisons continue to fill up. The drugs continue to flow.

[tuky]

The following is an extract from a book I have just finished reading.

"I do not tell this story to bring pity upon myself. I know that many people hate me for what I did and would believe that I deserved whatever I got. I can only ask those people to keep reading. If, at the end of my story, you still believe that anyone could deserve the horrors that I saw, then you, too, are a criminal. A vengeful and sadistic one. Maybe you just haven't been caught yet"

Extract from "The Damage Done, twelve years of ###### in a Bangkok prison"

Written by Warren Fellows, published by Asia Books Co., Ltd.

This is the story of an Aussie caught with 8.5kgs of heroin at BIA.

After reading this autobiography I came to realise that death might be the easier option, especially when the sentence is 40 years. I am sure 10 years in Bang Kwang would be punishment enough.

I bought it on the way out at BIA, well worth the read.

[DaveYo]

Listen bringing what 9 Kilos of heroin, or some other drugs does not justify the ends or the means. With that amount there is definte intent to distribute and to make money.

We being those that don't take drugs know that street dope eventually will either destroy your mind or even kill you. Many employers today require you go to the cleaners to be tested if such is in your system and they can know going as far back as three years if you have even so much as smoked some reefer.

Rehabilitation - big question mark fellas. How does one rehab a person who murdered like 20 people or 40 people like in Seattle? How does one rehab burglars who are the biggest thieves ever and cost many of us heartaches and also millions of dollars or baht lost to thefts. How about those who rape or maim or those who kill simply because they not like your nationality or skin.

What deters these people??? Death penalty does not deter but keeps people in check from running amok. Long prison terms does not deter the next person doing the same crime but in a different way for different reasons. That is proven already without a doubt. So how do you rehab a mind of some individual?

Really there is no way to rehab another person except that person has to rehab themselves. It is up to them to make that decision and turn their lives around if at least they can see the streets again within their lifetime.

In california, they have this three strikes and your out. One got caught taking just merely a wallet, and was sentenced to life behind bars because of third conviction of theft. What was the other two, well the first one was taking a vase, the second one was taking some food, and above the wallet was the third one. The food was he had no job, and no money and was hungry. The vase was to pawn off to obtain some money to survive. There you have it, now this person is doing time for life and the taxpayers are footing the bill for what is a merely 5 dollar theft, costing yearly 25,000 usa dollars to take care of him. This is a waste of big money that can be better served to feed the needy and those who are ill.

It should be like this, all countries should agree to this one concept. When a foreigner gets convicted of a major crime , ban this foreigner for life, send them on the next plane home and let the foreigners own country deal with him and the charges.

Why should USA deal with immigrants commiting crimes here and house them, just kick them out, and send them home and ban them for life. Same should be for Thailand, and other countries. Now if say a Thai national committed a crime to some foreigner then make sure the sentence is severe. If USA national committed a crime against a foreigner, same applies sentence should be severe.

Why hold the foreigner for 8 years or 10 years. Send them home ASAP, strike them blacklisted, ban them for life and adios on next plane home never to be seen again. In this regards I am talking of MAJOR CRIMES, like murder, robbery or rape. Petty stuff like taking a vase or something like that put a severe fine on the foreigner, and issue just one warning next time means persona non grata.

In my opinion, this concept will save many countries of major headaches such as what Thailand has now concerning all the Brits that are getting caught.

Daveyo

[taxexile]

Why hold the foreigner for 8 years or 10 years. Send them home ASAP, strike them blacklisted, ban them for life and adios on next plane home never to be seen again

hold them for 8 or 10 years so that during those years that person is not commiting any crime and the public are protected from them. that surely is what law and order is all about. protecting law abiding people from those who are not law abiding.

if they are just sent home, then when they have stopped laughing,they will rob the nearest old age pensioner, take a plane to the next country on the list and try to sell their drugs again. the only winner is the criminal and society is the loser.

dont you agree with the concept of punishment.

dont you think that those who step outside the bounds of what is deemed to be civilised behaviour in society should be made to see the errors of their ways,

either by a long and harsh prison sentence, or in some societies the hangmans noose. society should be run for the benefit of the majority,and criminal behaviour that puts the well being of that majority in danger should be punished. as to what is deemed suitable punishment, well that is another debate altogether.

now where did i leave my branding irons.

[Supersurch]

Easy on the Americans, please. Not one country is perfect.

Great points and views on this topic. Enjoyed them.

[DaveYo]

Hey Tax, I agree that there should be punishment. What I was referring about is why should Thailand be holding the guy for 8 to 10 years. What I meant was send him home for him to do the time in his own country and not in Thailand.

Same for the other countries. So get the trial and all, and if found guilty, then pass this sentence on, put the guy on the prisoners plane and send him home to do his time there. Now if say for example this kid. He gets sentence say life from the court. Now Thailand sends him back to his home country. This kid gets put into prison in Britain.

Now if the kid says the sentence is too harsh, he can appeal it to the British Courts. It will be up to the court to decide otherwise. Not to make a mockery of the laws to some country's where as Thailand gave life to this kid, and Britain has a law that says max is only 10 years for this kid same offense.

The problem now becomes acute. Thailand might get mad at Britain for reducing the sentence thus they will feel mockery of their system. Now in Thailand say has one of their nationals convicted of something and Britain gave say 20 years and sent them back to thailand, the thai national appeals in their system and they reduce it to 1 or 2 years. How would Britain feel likewise.

They don't have a world wide sentencing system in effect. Meaning the sentences for crimes have been agreed upon around the world as appropriate and these countries have signed treaties to reflect their sentences of same like to foreigners of the various countries. Otherwise known as The Unified World Code of Corrections.

If they can have a Nuclear Treaty signed by various nations, why not Unified Code of Corrections?

I may have touched something here, hmmmmmm

Possible future event. Oh dear.

Got to hurry to the bathroom to check my face to see if it is human again.

Daveyo

[dr_Pat_Pong]

The problem now becomes acute. Thailand might get mad at Britain for reducing the sentence thus they will feel mockery of their system.

They don't have a world wide sentencing system in effect.

Reducing the sentence is why Thailand makes the prisoner wait in a Thai jail for 8 years before it will permit them to a homeland prison.

A world wide sentencing system Dave ? There's a good idea., albeit an impractical one. Countries agreeing when even those states of America have different laws and punishments.

[tuky]

What a shame,

10 years in a Thai prison is gonna change you life like nothing else can, what good is 40 going to do?

A deal should be struck between the Thai and home judicial systems. A 40 year sentence? ok, after 10 send em back to their home countries judicial system where they can work at telling others not to go the same way they did. Punishment then pro-active prevention.

Sounds good anyway!

How many of you think you can survive 10 years at the Hilton?

[taxexile]

How many of you think you can survive 10 years at the Hilton?

i know i couldnt survive 10 years there, thats why drug smuggling and other criminal activities are right down there at the bottom of my daily "to do" lists.

its called a deterrent.

if there was no deterrent, those activities may creep higher up the list.

lock the scum up and throw away the keys.

society doesn't need those people.

they are lazy chancers, who deserve all they get.

who's moved those thumbscrews?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

How many of you think you can survive 10 years at the Hilton?

That won't happen to me....I don't do drugs nor do I traffic...so I guess I'll never know. In Singapore or Malaysia the dickwit would dangle at the end of a rope. A good remedy for the ills of heroin distribution in my view.

[fox]

Yes Dr, You are right.

In Malaysia, the death penalty for drug traffickers is " mandatory ".

A few years ago, a few foreigners (including farangs) had been sent to the gallows

for drug trafficking. The court trial will drag on for about two years......... from High court.... to court of appeal.... and finally to the Federal court of appeal.

At present there are about a few foreigners facing drug trafficking charges and some are in death row.

[Begs]

I think when people say that they "Dont do Drugs" they mean they dont do illegal drugs,......... if you drink alcohol, or use nicotene..................you are 'Doing drugs'...

Only difference is, you pay tax to the government to use the drug of your choice, up to you, its your health and your money.

If Alcohol was not controlled by governments maybe you would get life in prison for drinking chang beer........

C'mon...Flame me...you know i am right though!!!!

[PRINCESS_LEIA]

WELL, I SORT OF CANNOT BELIEVE THAT SOMEONE WOULDN'T KNOW WHAT GOES INTO HIS SUITCASE, BACKPACK OR WHATEVER... I DON'T THINK THAT ANYONE WOULD GO TO SUCH GREAT LENGTHS AND ACTUALLY PUT SOMETHING IN A LUGGAGE OF A PERSON THEY WOULDN'T KNOW. I'VE DONE QUITE A LOT OF TRAVELLING AROUND THE WORLD AND ON MANY OCCASSIONS I HAD SOMETHING ON ME, BUT I'D NEVER EVER THINK OF BRINGING/TAKING ANYTHING TO/OUT OF THAILAND. OR ANY ASIAN COUNTRY FOR THAT MATTER. THE CONSEQUENCES ARE JUST SO OBVIOUS, THERE'S BEEN SO MANY PEOPLE WHO GOT BUSTED FOR IT - WILL PEOPLE EVER LEARN? THESE GUYS HERE IN THAILAND ARE REALLY GOING FOR IT, THEY KNOW WHAT AND WHERE TO LOOK, THEY DON'T ###### AROUND, SO WHAT MAKES THIS GUY TO THINK THAT HE'LL GET AWAY WITH IT? I MEAN, I FEEL SORRY FOR HIM, BUT YOU KNOW THE SAYING "YOU MAKE YOUR BED, YOU SLEEP IN IT"...?!?!?!

[California Dave]

To me the following seems obvious. Contentious sure, but obvious nonetheless.

Tonight, across the length and breadth of the UK, teenagers, students and young twenty-somethings will between them take thousands and thousands and thousands of ecstasy pills. Thanks to the system of drug awareness put in place by the government, nearly all of these people will understand fully the risk of dehydration through prolonged dancing and will do their utmost to protect themselves and those around them. Almost without exception, all with have a "great time" and will suffer no ill consequences. The claim that prolonged use of the drug will reduce seratonin levels and may lead to longterm depression is still, as yet, unproven and overlooks the fact that use of the drug is generally transient and restricted in the main to teenagers and early post adolescents.

Also tonight, thousands of sex tourists here in Thailand will be falling in love with prostitutes. The vast majority of these men will voluntarily give away great amounts of cash, and even greater amounts when they have returned to their native countries. Without doubt, all of these sex tourists will also report having had a "great time", knowing little that through their actions the culture of prostitution will have been perpetuated and with it the culture of greed, laziness, dependance and low self esteem as experienced by the girls themselves.

All things considered, it occurs to me that the ageing, balding and all too often obese hordes from the supposedly civilised west are doing far more to erode the moral fabric of contemporary society than our moronic little pawn from England who just happened to get caught with some pills.

Isn't it just a little odd then that our big-eared friend is now destined to have his life destroyed courtesy of His Majesty's prison service while all those fat Germans out there are granted free reign to corrupt at their leisure.

[Begs]

Yep, thousands upon Thousands will be taking Ecstacy and hundreds of Thousands will be Smoking some grass or some Hash......................

Millions upon Millions will get drunk on Alcohol,....... cause problems in Bars,........... people will die in Alcohol related road accidents,........... many children will watch a parent come home drunk and start beating up the other parent,......... fuelled by alcohol people are at their worse.......

No wonder kids take drugs.

[mrvietnam2001]

He should have bided his time, run for political office or worked his way up the food chain in the military, and THEN got involved with smuggling drugs. Look at tony blair, bill clinton, ronald reagan, oliver north. Let's not forget ol fidel and company, danny ortega, either. Yu think thaksin doesn't chip off a piece?

I mean if you're going to be a "successful" smuggler, that's the way to go.

Mr Vietnam