Briton And Australian Face Trial Over Thai Unrest

[Pacificperson]

My impression from the videos is that this guy though that he was at a head banging party. It seemed that he was excited by the prospect of engaging in some group violence. I don't think that there was much in the way of political principle in his involvement as much as seeking a chance to act out. He needs to pay the price that Thai society demands for his behavior.

However, he was not the only there for the excitement of group violence. Why did the authorities allow the protests to go on for so long that all of the social misfits in the country could gravitate to the scene?

[kevozman1]

They deserve as harsh a sentence as the courts can give them. I have no sympathy for them whatsoever...

What a compassionate, kind Christian comment. You must be a really nice person to think like that.

I know, with chumps like these dragging them selves around various soi's in Thailand

its no wonder western people are not particularly liked by Thai's.

[petedk]

When I first read about these two guys my first reaction was that should be sentenced, serve their time and deported.

Recently, however, I read that the government is considering amnesty to the majority of people who were arrested for violating the emergency laws (but not those charged with terrorism) and these two are not terrorists according to the following

"Briton Jeff Savage, 48, and Australian Conor Purcell, 30, were earlier arrested for a gathering of more than five people with the Red Shirt protesters of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) and involving with unrest which occurred last month after the movement ended their month-long protest at Bangkok's Ratchaprasong intersection.

The two have been also accused of obstructing traffic and public daily life as well as breaching the security order."

Therefore I believe amnesty should also be considered in their cases.

[Insight]

Who, in their right (or wrong) minds would act like these "political prisoners" at this late stage in front of a Thai judge?

IMHO there's clearly some "motivation" going on.

[Insight]

Who, in their right (or wrong) minds would act like these "political prisoners" at this late stage in front of a Thai judge?

IMHO there's clearly some "motivation" going on.

[Ulysses G.]

I actually feel sorry for them, but also understand why the government needs to make an example. They do not want more clueless foreigners joining in and doing the same type of things in the future.

[rixalex]

They deserve as harsh a sentence as the courts can give them. I have no sympathy for them whatsoever...

What a compassionate, kind Christian comment. You must be a really nice person to think like that.

If it's compassion they are after, perhaps they should start by showing some remorse? Might engender it more than shouting words of abuse at the PM's wife, don't you think?

[HardenedSoul]

Sure, they're clowns for getting involved but I, for one, am not going to join a gaggle of armchair jurors with little more than a youtube video, a heavy dose of self-righteous indignation and hearsay to chew over before they dispense their pellets of summary Mcjustice.

[cmdream]

Well lets see, you stick your bloody face in front of a camera and state you're going to loot the place and then burn it down, the very next day that is exactly what happens, with the death of a security guard in the fire. Seems to me that Mr. Savage will do well to get off with 2 years in prison. IMO.

[FarangCravings]

Are you related to them or something? What kind of response do you expect? "smart guys...they should go free"

These guys who think they are above the law need an awakening. I am confident they will get it

Above the law

Being an idiot is not against the law

All i saw with Purcell was expressing freedom of speech on a stage, Smart ? maybe not but this witch hunt will just go to show how ridiculous Thailand is yet gain.

The other guy well he is even more of an idiot and probably need to be locked up for a while so he shuts his noise up big mouthed wanna be thug

But really why is thailand wasting their time ? Deport them and be done with it.

but that would be too simple for thailand

[philw]

They deserve as harsh a sentence as the courts can give them. I have no sympathy for them whatsoever...

What a compassionate, kind Christian comment. You must be a really nice person to think like that.

If it's compassion they are after, perhaps they should start by showing some remorse? Might engender it more than shouting words of abuse at the PM's wife, don't you think?

I agree, but please accept the possibility that they are both loonies of one sort or another and are about to get seriously fuc_kked.

I don't have much sympathy for either of them , but they are about to endure a very cruel Thai lesson.

Even misplaced compassion does not hurt.

ph

[hideki]

Well lets see, you stick your bloody face in front of a camera and state you're going to loot the place and then burn it down, the very next day that is exactly what happens, with the death of a security guard in the fire. Seems to me that Mr. Savage will do well to get off with 2 years in prison. IMO.

Absolutely he will do well. This might explain his desire to be deported ASAP:

Briton Jeff Savage, was also charged yesterday. Police had said they were seeking to charge Savage with arson, which carries the death penalty, and still might, but so far they have only charged him with the same offence as Purcell.

Australian red shirt faces court

Edited June 17, 2010 by hideki

[Hawk]

I'm all for using one's discretion abroad ; and understandably the govt couldn't just let them go and say 'don't do it again' .

But I find revolting to have them in court in stinky pajamas and iron-bound.

cattle are often better treated.

I guess the red-shirt leaders will appear in formal suits , clean white shirts and NO irons. This smacks of racism , they like to humiliate them for a part of the electorate to see and enjoy.

Of course if they keep on being aggressive they have to be restrained in court.

But why the ragged pajamas ?

Those are the clothes they were wearing when arrested most likely. You get your street clothes that you had on you for court appearances.

All male prisoners must wear an orange T-shirt and shorts, and must be wearing leg chains when going to court.

[katana]

There was an earlier post with pics of Jeff Savage writhing on the ground, which looked a little like he was being assaulted by the prison guards.

However saw in the Thairath today when referring to this incident, that apparently he did this to himself. It's reported he threw himself to the ground and started writhing on the floor while ripping his clothes in some sort of protest outside the prison on the 4th June. The guards proceeded to drag him into the prison.

[cmdream]

There was an earlier post with pics of Jeff Savage writhing on the ground, which looked a little like he was being assaulted by the prison guards.

However saw in the Thairath today when referring to this incident, that apparently he did this to himself. It's reported he threw himself to the ground and started writhing on the floor while ripping his clothes in some sort of protest outside the prison on the 4th June. The guards proceeded to drag him into the prison.

Mr Macho Savage turns into Cry Baby Savage in front of the news media ! Good pics. If you can't do the time_________!

[rixalex]

I agree, but please accept the possibility that they are both loonies of one sort or another and are about to get seriously fuc_kked.

I don't have much sympathy for either of them , but they are about to endure a very cruel Thai lesson.

Even misplaced compassion does not hurt.

ph

I don't believe either of them are loonies - don't give them that excuse.

One is a football hooligan type who most likely spends his free time going to raves / parties and getting pissed and high on alcohol and yaa baa... and the other is a pathological liar who's life is a complete charade built on pure BS.

They need a lesson, cruel of otherwise, to help them start behaving like adults.

[Phatcharanan]

Que the idiots with the usual;

"lock them up and throw away the key"

"hope they rot in jail"

Cue the usual idiot apologists.

[Phatcharanan]

They deserve as harsh a sentence as the courts can give them. I have no sympathy for them whatsoever...

What a compassionate, kind Christian comment. You must be a really nice person to think like that.

Yes, lets just give them a little slap on the wrist instead.

I believe petty crime and theft etc are quite rare in some ME countries. I can't imagine why.

Is it something to do with the fact that they may well lose their hands?

Edited June 17, 2010 by Phatcharanan

[Phatcharanan]

But really why is thailand wasting their time ? Deport them and be done with it.

but that would be too simple for thailand

A bit too simple for you to understand that Thailand is about to set an example of these guys, i.e. do not interfere in our countries politics.

[bristolgeoff]

they got involved in a thai problem,made the press.now are paying the price and rightly so.central world was burn,t to the ground.they deserve the sentence,that will be given

[mogoso]

Savage was active with the red shirts for over a year

he was seen on video in Pattaya throwing stones at police during black Songkran 2009

that's a lot more than making outrageous statements, that's actually breaking the law

assault on a policemen is a serious charge anywhere in the world

regardless of what he did and said in Bangkok 2010, he should do some time for Songkran 2009

Who is paying him to be here. You don't stay for year and live on rice as a farang. Has plenty of money to spend on alcohol. Is he just another international seiu goon.

[kevozman1]

Yes the Thai authorities will probably put these guys behind bars, shame

about all real bad <deleted> that seem to get away with murder.

Everyday in Thailand above ground is a good day.

[Langsuan Man]

For those bleeding hearts who feel that they are punished more severely than is warranted, maybe it is evening out for the Aussie up in Chiang Mai who is only having to do 2 years for the cold blooded murder of an American

[Siam Simon]

I agree, but please accept the possibility that they are both loonies of one sort or another and are about to get seriously fuc_kked.

I don't have much sympathy for either of them , but they are about to endure a very cruel Thai lesson.

Even misplaced compassion does not hurt.

ph

I don't believe either of them are loonies - don't give them that excuse.

One is a football hooligan type who most likely spends his free time going to raves / parties and getting pissed and high on alcohol and yaa baa... and the other is a pathological liar who's life is a complete charade built on pure BS.

They need a lesson, cruel of otherwise, to help them start behaving like adults.

This post neatly sums up your 'Daily Express reader' mentality. You think that giving a sad pathological liar a cruel lesson will improve his condition? Your petty hate never ceases to amaze me.

They should both be deported. Back in the UK, Savage will either keep his head down or be quickly identified and monitored by his local police force. And there is an exponentially better chance of Purcell getting professional help for his mental health issues back in Australia than in a Thai prison.

Sorry to interrupt the feeding frenzy. Please feel free to carry on with your blood lust, chaps .

[Colabamumbai]

When I first read about these two guys my first reaction was that should be sentenced, serve their time and deported.

Recently, however, I read that the government is considering amnesty to the majority of people who were arrested for violating the emergency laws (but not those charged with terrorism) and these two are not terrorists according to the following

"Briton Jeff Savage, 48, and Australian Conor Purcell, 30, were earlier arrested for a gathering of more than five people with the Red Shirt protesters of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) and involving with unrest which occurred last month after the movement ended their month-long protest at Bangkok's Ratchaprasong intersection.

The two have been also accused of obstructing traffic and public daily life as well as breaching the security order."

Therefore I believe amnesty should also be considered in their cases.

So if I publically invited people in your city to come and loot and burn your buildings you would suggest amnesty for me also?

[IMA_FARANG]

As they say,"Play with fire, get your fingers burnt".

Those two fools knew what they were doing, did they expect the government would be nice afterwards? Just because they were foriegners in Thailand,maybe?

Didn't they understand the game they were playing? They were playing with fire. Didn't they see they were being used?

The key to their situation now is in the newspapers. Nobody showed up at their hearings to post bail for them. Don't they understand that means they have been abandoned by their so-called "friends".

They are foriegners in a losing game, and they are expendables.

The intelligence people would call what they are "cut-outs".

A "cut-out" is a person who is there as a sacrifical goat, a person who is expendable if something goes wrong and is just "cut-out" of the game, in order to save others higher up.

Those two guys are just "cut-outs" and now they have no friends any longer. They were of use at one time, now they are of no use any longer to those above.

Now they are just cut-outs.

Edited June 17, 2010 by IMA_FARANG

[ozzieman05]

The Red shirts made famous the saying "Double Standards"

So this is much more than just these 2 idiots

a Precedence has to be set here and now

The law of Thailand must be obeyed even by Farang

Do the crime then to the time

Once these 2 go to jail a standard has been set for all to follow

Break the law in Thailand and you go to jail

What I saw was 2 idiots wanted to be martyres for the red shirts

Wanted to be part of there protest

Now they have gotten what they wanted they are screaming, it was no us

They started all this off with there SMARTER THAN THOU

Now they need to complete the plan and spend time in jail with all the other Thais they wanted to be part of

With some luck the next Farang idiot who wants to join a rebellion will think of them and stay at home

[Jiu-Jitsu]

The maximum punishment of the charge could lead to two years in prison. Briton Jeff Savage, 48, screamed abusive comments about Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and the PM's wife as he was led past reporters on Thursday. He called Abhisit "a murderer."

This should really help his defense. What an idiot.

Maybe he suffers from Tourettes Syndrome.

[Siam Simon]

As they say,"Play with fire, get your fingers burnt".

Those two fools knew what they were doing, did they expect the government would be nice afterwards? Just because they were foriegners in Thailand,maybe?

Didn't they understand the game they were playing? They were playing with fire. Didn't they see they were being used?

<snip>

They didn't know, understand or expect anything much at all. One is a lowlife thicko who should be sent back to his country of origin to take up his rightful place there, and the other is in desperate need of professional psychiatric help (which he is unlikely to get in Thailand). Instead, they have both been used for propaganda by both sides.

[ozzieman05]

When I first read about these two guys my first reaction was that should be sentenced, serve their time and deported.

Recently, however, I read that the government is considering amnesty to the majority of people who were arrested for violating the emergency laws (but not those charged with terrorism) and these two are not terrorists according to the following

"Briton Jeff Savage, 48, and Australian Conor Purcell, 30, were earlier arrested for a gathering of more than five people with the Red Shirt protesters of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) and involving with unrest which occurred last month after the movement ended their month-long protest at Bangkok's Ratchaprasong intersection.

The two have been also accused of obstructing traffic and public daily life as well as breaching the security order."

Therefore I believe amnesty should also be considered in their cases.

If these guys are lets off, a standard is set, for the next farang who wants to cause trouble, if he is arrested he will say DOUBLE STANDARDS this is much bigger than the 2 guys involved, a standard has to be set for the future