Phuket Gang Rape Victim Now Safe

[reason1]

Quote from Straits Times seems relevant; why was some medical evidence not taken and used to prosecute this further? Booze Semen DNA?

"Senior consultant forensic pathologist Wee Keng Poh testified on Friday at Ong Mingwee's rape trial that the level found on the then-22-year-old woman would physically or mentally incapacitate her.

She would also not be capable of giving consent. Dr Wee said the alcohol she had taken would reduce her ability to protect herself, impair her judgment, her perception of others, as well as her ability to resist both physically and verbally.

The maximum penalty for rape is 20 years' jail and fine or caning."

[RKASA]

In a case of rape the benefit of doubt should go to the victim.

Beyond a shadow of doubt is the rule for a criminal conviction - rightly so. It should be investigated completely with an open mind and evidence is to be relied upon. Many times in the states false stories of rape and gang rape have caused enormous cost to the excused. I hope if it did happen she took steps to protect evidence. The best place to start a rape report is the emergency room of a hospital with a rape kit. If the story is true I hope they are found and jailed - if it is not she should do time and pay back for the cost of the investigation that is to say if it is proven a lie. If they just can't be found or found guilty that would not be her fault.

You do have to take serious a person making a claim like this because it does happen and it is not her fault even if she was unwise to go there - they have no right to do such a thing and would be a load of sick animals for having done so.

[Pui]

I find it very difficult to imagine 3 Thai men forming a strong enough bond with these Swedes that the would commit such a serious crime together just for kicks.

You will rarely see Thai men even socialising with farrangs (unless they are intermate) let alone getting involved in something so serious.

People on an overstay are aware that eventually a Thai prison is an inevitability if they don't have cash. This is a situation where becoming creative for survival is necessary.

Accusations of rape have too be seen to be taken seriously by authorities anywhere. I think both UK and Thai will have given her the benefit of the doubt and let her go home.

As to did it happen or not, we'll probably never know but its not being investigated.

Edited January 14, 2011 by Pui

[thaibeachlovers]

In a case of rape the benefit of doubt should go to the victim.

Give me strength!

Too many men have had their lives destroyed by evil women making false accusations of rape to accept that.

Only the facts please.

[cdnvic]

He may have meant that in rape cases, the victim should be given the benefit of the doubt and taken seriously unless proven otherwise. You can still do this and apply beyond reasonable doubt as the standard to convict any accused person.

[thaibeachlovers]

You should give her the benefit of the doubt.

What if she was raped?

Anyone decent person who has ever fallen victim to a crime knows what a terrible and humiliating experience. You do feel violated. The last thing a victim needs is someone accusing her of making up such a thing.

Way more women who are raped never say anything to anyone compared to women who lie about rape to family, doctors and police. Certainly the history of the world has never had a serious issue with women faking rapes, but the number of crimes like this against women are a real shame on humanity. Society has used rape from everything to personal gratification and demonstration of meager power to systematic and organized tactic to genocide. There is no epic problem of fake rapes that needs to be addressed.

It doesn't make a difference to TV members lives if she faked it or not. But she certainly could have been raped. And if she was, and you call her a lier, you have done a pretty terrible thing yourself.

Sometimes when you do not really know something one way or the other, you should just keep your mouth shut, especially about such a serious issue that may have possible been the absolute worse thing that ever happened to an innocent person. At least that is the way i think about it.

Certainly makes a difference to me. I'm sick of biased reporting against men that turns out to be untrue.

Perhaps you should have been addressing this to the journalist, who appears to have been reporting hearsay.

[inmysights]

Katasyd.

I can read rather well in fact.

I did read the article and that was the conclusion I came to.

I, in the past was involved in the legal process of investigation and law keeping along with training of fellow police officers.

Human nature is a strange thing, especially when one reflects upon ones past actions and decides that the story needs to be changed.

The change being either due to not being financially reimbursed for actions, or as a result of the possible consequences of those actions that you entered into without a qualm or a feeling of self disgust for your actions.

Sackcloth and ashes syndrome comes into play when alcohol departs and what may pass for sanity returns.

Soooo, what you're saying is that this young woman deserved to be physically penetrated by four men, of whatever nationality, as she was a tad tipsy? Or blind drunk would be a better excuse for this heinous act perpetrated by four grown men against a 23 year old woman? Rather along the lines of, 'Well she woz wearin' a short skirt an' low cut blouse so woz askin' for it'?

Sad to see this line of 'thinking', having been expunged from the defence legalese of your home country still alive and kicking here.

And your last pretentious para is telling in that your attitude should have been left at the airport, and not regurgitated here.

[thaibeachlovers]

Katasyd.

I can read rather well in fact.

I did read the article and that was the conclusion I came to.

I, in the past was involved in the legal process of investigation and law keeping along with training of fellow police officers.

Human nature is a strange thing, especially when one reflects upon ones past actions and decides that the story needs to be changed.

The change being either due to not being financially reimbursed for actions, or as a result of the possible consequences of those actions that you entered into without a qualm or a feeling of self disgust for your actions.

Sackcloth and ashes syndrome comes into play when alcohol departs and what may pass for sanity returns.

Soooo, what you're saying is that this young woman deserved to be physically penetrated by four men, of whatever nationality, as she was a tad tipsy? Or blind drunk would be a better excuse for this heinous act perpetrated by four grown men against a 23 year old woman? Rather along the lines of, 'Well she woz wearin' a short skirt an' low cut blouse so woz askin' for it'?

Sad to see this line of 'thinking', having been expunged from the defence legalese of your home country still alive and kicking here.

And your last pretentious para is telling in that your attitude should have been left at the airport, and not regurgitated here.

Hmmm. You seem to reading things into that post that were not stated.

Nowhere did he say she deserved anything, nor was he justifying the "she asked for it" defence.

As I read it he merely said that people sometimes do things while drunk that they would not do sober, and that on sobering up, are so ashamed, or whatever, that they seek to blame others for the consequences of their own actions.

However, nowadays it's always someone else's fault. There is a definite lack of moral fibre now. That's a fact, though it's too big a subject to go into here.

I fail to see why you think the last paragraph is pretentious. It is after all the truth.

[inmysights]

Katasyd.

I can read rather well in fact.

I did read the article and that was the conclusion I came to.

I, in the past was involved in the legal process of investigation and law keeping along with training of fellow police officers.

Human nature is a strange thing, especially when one reflects upon ones past actions and decides that the story needs to be changed.

The change being either due to not being financially reimbursed for actions, or as a result of the possible consequences of those actions that you entered into without a qualm or a feeling of self disgust for your actions.

Sackcloth and ashes syndrome comes into play when alcohol departs and what may pass for sanity returns.

I thought you were in academia? Now you are a police man.

I do not doubt that the rape happened. What I don't understand is how she got away and what the British embassy had to do with it. for all I have heard and seen they could care less about there citizens. I know personally of two cases where they refused to help and a church organization stepped in.

Again more disinformation regarding the very helpful British Consul and members of the British Embassy. I found both to go above and beyond the 'call of duty' when responding to a request for help and advice against, another thieving UK farang and his Thai 'wife'.

Do enlighten us all, without naming names of course, as to the circumstances regarding the 'refusal of help' necessitating 'a church organisation to step in'?!

[geriatrickid]

If the allegation of rape is unfounded, this makes it difficult for those that suffer a real sexual assault or rape to obtain redress. This is why it is important to sort the story out. What happens the next time some poor soul comes with a story of rape under even more odd circumstances, but that event is true? Do you think the authorities will be as quick to respond? No one is arguing that such crimes are not serious or necessitating immediate action. However, hearsay reporting with no fact checking is irresponsible. If I make the claim that one of you fondled me and another TVF member says he found me crying on a soi and rushed me to Patong General and thence to the airport where I safely made it to Singapore, would you readily accept the story? What if it was embellished with lurid details? I am not downplaying the seriousness of the woman's allegation, but the accused have a right to some accurate reporting as well. The readers have a right to accurate and complete information. The original article left out important information that was an integral part of the story.

[inmysights]

Katasyd.

I can read rather well in fact.

I did read the article and that was the conclusion I came to.

I, in the past was involved in the legal process of investigation and law keeping along with training of fellow police officers.

Human nature is a strange thing, especially when one reflects upon ones past actions and decides that the story needs to be changed.

The change being either due to not being financially reimbursed for actions, or as a result of the possible consequences of those actions that you entered into without a qualm or a feeling of self disgust for your actions.

Sackcloth and ashes syndrome comes into play when alcohol departs and what may pass for sanity returns.

Soooo, what you're saying is that this young woman deserved to be physically penetrated by four men, of whatever nationality, as she was a tad tipsy? Or blind drunk would be a better excuse for this heinous act perpetrated by four grown men against a 23 year old woman? Rather along the lines of, 'Well she woz wearin' a short skirt an' low cut blouse so woz askin' for it'?

Sad to see this line of 'thinking', having been expunged from the defence legalese of your home country still alive and kicking here.

And your last pretentious para is telling in that your attitude should have been left at the airport, and not regurgitated here.

Hmmm. You seem to reading things into that post that were not stated.

Nowhere did he say she deserved anything, nor was he justifying the "she asked for it" defence.

As I read it he merely said that people sometimes do things while drunk that they would not do sober, and that on sobering up, are so ashamed, or whatever, that they seek to blame others for the consequences of their own actions.

However, nowadays it's always someone else's fault. There is a definite lack of moral fibre now. That's a fact, though it's too big a subject to go into here.

I fail to see why you think the last paragraph is pretentious. It is after all the truth.

Perhaps 'not stated', but most definitely implied. To wit: the young woman was pissed up and deserved everything she got. '... merely said that people do things while drunk that they would not do sober ...' Were these men drunk? And would that be a good case for their defence? Do keep up.

And yes, the last para was pretentiously worded. And 'definite lack of moral fibre' belongs in the last century also Col. Blimp.

[thaibeachlovers]

With all due respect to the victim of the crime one is led to wonder what actually possessed her to go back to a hotel room with a group of four men.

I don't think she could even remember her attackers and I guess she was drunk."

A case of , ''beer in wits out?''

Along with the fact that the scribe concerned is one Andrew Drummond, who to my mind and many others minds too, does have a somewhat creative and selective mind when reporting on matters from Thailand.

Mr Drummond gets paid by the word. Stringers always do. But let not the truth stand in the way of a gutter story.

Well in answer to this and any other disbelievers, ie the usual geriatric kid. Whether the girl's story is true or not is irrelevant. She told the Embassy officials that she had been attacked and they adjudicated, quite wisely in my opinion, that she should be got out of the country at the quickest possible time. So presumably they took her complaint seriously. No charges were made so it is rather irrelevant to argue the point. There is a link on my website to what the British FCO can do under these circumstances which is more than in most cases of Brits in distress.

Fact: I have never heard of a case in Thailand of a raped foreigner actually bringing a case here for rape. These cases have only happened after the victims have also been killed.

There are annually several rapes of Brits reported here to the FCO. These figures are issued annually. Same applies to other countries.

In conclusion it is entirely inconsequential if some poster here in his seemingly infinite lack of knowledge rules the story is not true.

So if a woman goes to the embassy and tells a tale of rape, without any evidence whatsoever, they will spirit her out of the country.

If a male homosexual went to the embassy, and told the same story, would they give him the same service? Somehow I doubt it, even though male rape does happen.

Perhaps a double standard is at play here.

What I would like to know ( perhaps we could have a follow up story ), is who pays for all this? Does the long suffering taxpayer have to pay out for every person that claims rape, or is there an investigation ( medical evidence would be a good start ), and a bill presented if the case is not proven?

[inmysights]

If the allegation of rape is unfounded, this makes it difficult for those that suffer a real sexual assault or rape to obtain redress. This is why it is important to sort the story out. What happens the next time some poor soul comes with a story of rape under even more odd circumstances, but that event is true? Do you think the authorities will be as quick to respond? No one is arguing that such crimes are not serious or necessitating immediate action. However, hearsay reporting with no fact checking is irresponsible. If I make the claim that one of you fondled me and another TVF member says he found me crying on a soi and rushed me to Patong General and thence to the airport where I safely made it to Singapore, would you readily accept the story? What if it was embellished with lurid details? I am not downplaying the seriousness of the woman's allegation, but the accused have a right to some accurate reporting as well. The readers have a right to accurate and complete information. The original article left out important information that was an integral part of the story.

Your post is pointless. Utterly pointless. No examination took place (do they do that here? Very much doubt it) And you are thus casting aspersions as to the validity of a young woman's assertion that she did NOT agree to being physically penetrated by four men within the space of two hours and that her mother in the UK was lying when she said she had received a call telling her her daughter would get more of the same if she didn't pay up, the rest is all supposition on your part.

[thaibeachlovers]

Katasyd.

I can read rather well in fact.

I did read the article and that was the conclusion I came to.

I, in the past was involved in the legal process of investigation and law keeping along with training of fellow police officers.

Human nature is a strange thing, especially when one reflects upon ones past actions and decides that the story needs to be changed.

The change being either due to not being financially reimbursed for actions, or as a result of the possible consequences of those actions that you entered into without a qualm or a feeling of self disgust for your actions.

Sackcloth and ashes syndrome comes into play when alcohol departs and what may pass for sanity returns.

Soooo, what you're saying is that this young woman deserved to be physically penetrated by four men, of whatever nationality, as she was a tad tipsy? Or blind drunk would be a better excuse for this heinous act perpetrated by four grown men against a 23 year old woman? Rather along the lines of, 'Well she woz wearin' a short skirt an' low cut blouse so woz askin' for it'?

Sad to see this line of 'thinking', having been expunged from the defence legalese of your home country still alive and kicking here.

And your last pretentious para is telling in that your attitude should have been left at the airport, and not regurgitated here.

Hmmm. You seem to reading things into that post that were not stated.

Nowhere did he say she deserved anything, nor was he justifying the "she asked for it" defence.

As I read it he merely said that people sometimes do things while drunk that they would not do sober, and that on sobering up, are so ashamed, or whatever, that they seek to blame others for the consequences of their own actions.

However, nowadays it's always someone else's fault. There is a definite lack of moral fibre now. That's a fact, though it's too big a subject to go into here.

I fail to see why you think the last paragraph is pretentious. It is after all the truth.

Perhaps 'not stated', but most definitely implied. To wit: the young woman was pissed up and deserved everything she got. '... merely said that people do things while drunk that they would not do sober ...' Were these men drunk? And would that be a good case for their defence? Do keep up.

And yes, the last para was pretentiously worded. And 'definite lack of moral fibre' belongs in the last century also Col. Blimp.

Well as it was not stated, unless you're psychic, you have to give him the same benefit as you are asking for the woman.

Would she have gone to a strange man's hotel room while sober, or would reason have entered her decision making process?

The story isn't about the men, and no one has proven that they even exist.

The last paragraph was pretentiously worded IN YOUR OPINION.

Whether the phrase "lack of moral fibre" belongs in the last century is irrelevant to the fact that it is lacking nowadays. Too many people are unwilling to accept the consequences of their actions ( that is not a comment about the woman in question, as I do not know all the facts ), and all too ready to blame everyone else.

If I got pissed out of my head, and went out and insulted a hell's angel, is it my fault for doing something really stupid, or the hell's angel's fault for beating the cr-p out of me?

Nothing is black and white!

[jts-khorat]

Am I the only one who has the thought that local police should follow up on the leads of such a serious accusation on their own, even if no formal complaint was made and the victim already has left the country. There must be medical records, the room number and hence the identity of at least one of the assumed perpetrators are all known.

In cases of this severity, repeat offenses -- especially if the authorities are so obviously giving a free run -- will not be unlikely. Pretty much the same as getting away with murder.

[Wallaby]

It would be the Hells Angels fault because at no time did you give them the permssion to beat the crap out of you.

It is ok for a girl to find a guy, go back to his room and shag the night away as much as she likes. But the minute she says no, it means no. It is not her fault if in fact she has been raped, no matter how she got herself into the situation.

Geriatrickkid, your scenario would indeed be good reading and it would be perfectly reasonable to be reported. Of course one would expect you to be given a right of reply but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be reported in the first instance. On television and the print media we always have one sided stories, the police in my country, as I'm sure in many others, even have media units to inform the media and public about what has happened to people and the charges laid. Does that make them false? Does that make them true? It doesn't matter, it's simply reporting a claim that has been made.

If the girl makes the claim and the men are found not guilty why should she have to pay recompence. Being not guilty is not the same as being proved innocent. Beyond reasonable doubt is a very high bar to jump and sometimes guilty people get off. It is the old adage that I would rather see 10 guilty persons be free than 1 innocent person in gaol (if only that were true). If we are to 'fine' a complainant every time an accused is found not guilty then we would have even less people laying charges and more and more guilty parties wandering the streets.

The girl made a claim, the media reported that claim. Believe it if you want, disbelieve it if you want. The men can give their version of events if they so wish. Until then we only have her friend's comments. We don't even have the alleged victim's words on it.

So either way, I don't see how anyone can come to a conclusion that something did or did not happen. Just take it as it is, a cautionary tale that something like this could have happened. I just hope that it didn't.

Edited January 14, 2011 by Wallaby

[oldsailor35]

Is there any evidence to support the rape claim? All that is presented is a voyeuristic tabloid sheet article. Rape is a serious charge. Unfortunately, the warning bells should be going off, particularly in light of past attempts to obtain money when people get in trouble in Thailand. How many foreigners claim that they were robbed or had valuables stolen from their hotel rooms that are then shown to have fabricated the stories?

She had got a job on the island after answering an advertisement for 'Time-Share' sales staff but quickly became penniless after earning little commission

Right. forgive me, but considering the type of people that ride around on motorbikes trying to sell these crappy frctional andt time share rip offs, there is a credibility gap from the get go. Is it possible, that she ran out of money and had no way out except to come up with this story? Or maybe she owed money and this was either payback time or a scheme to come up with the money?

Sorry for the cynicism, but I've been around Patong too long to not have a suspicious mind. I have zero tolerance of rape or any form of sexual assault, but sometimes, people claim rape use it as a means to accomplish something else. I can't wait for the author to address that aspect of the story.

I have come to the conclusion that Phuket and Patong in particular is a nasty, nasty place and that many of the farang who live there appear to be quite cynical and in some small measure, supportive of what goes on there.

I will certainly warn all of my overseas friends to give it a miss along with Pattaya, and the sleasy parts of Bangkok. There are many lovely places in Thailand, but these mentioned places are the 'pits'

[oldsailor35]

yes, change the title, this a gang rape and not an gang bang, in fact I was hoping it was a gang shooting when I came in the thread only to find it was something else completely.

While people are quick to accuse the girl (and yes, i do know false accusations are made) everyone seems to be forgetting the phone call, and of course she could be in on the whole thing, maybe there was no rape or even sex, maybe it was just an attempt to extort money from her parents. But we should respect this as it is reported, she went to a room with one guy and once there was gang raped, until evidence shows otherwise then we have to suspect that this is what actually happened. If true it must have been horrific for the girl. Remember she was taken for a medical so that must have shown something or I doubt all this fuss would be made. It also appears the consul acted correctly in this matter.

Hi Random, there are always the "gutter rats" who think that they are men and naturally respond to rape allegations in this low manner. They always defend the perpetrator by saying that she "asked for it" or "she deserved it"

In my mind, they are nothing less than scum.

[oldsailor35]

Is there any evidence to support the rape claim? All that is presented is a voyeuristic tabloid sheet article. Rape is a serious charge. Unfortunately, the warning bells should be going off, particularly in light of past attempts to obtain money when people get in trouble in Thailand. How many foreigners claim that they were robbed or had valuables stolen from their hotel rooms that are then shown to have fabricated the stories?

She had got a job on the island after answering an advertisement for 'Time-Share' sales staff but quickly became penniless after earning little commission

Right. forgive me, but considering the type of people that ride around on motorbikes trying to sell these crappy frctional andt time share rip offs, there is a credibility gap from the get go. Is it possible, that she ran out of money and had no way out except to come up with this story? Or maybe she owed money and this was either payback time or a scheme to come up with the money?

Sorry for the cynicism, but I've been around Patong too long to not have a suspicious mind. I have zero tolerance of rape or any form of sexual assault, but sometimes, people claim rape use it as a means to accomplish something else. I can't wait for the author to address that aspect of the story.

It may very well be that the girl acted stupidly. But your issue is not with the journalist but with the Embassy who heard her story and got her out of the country quickly. I have merely relayed the story she told to her Time Share pal. If the Embassy had not acted as if they did and this girl had to face the ordeal of being jailed for overstay and working illegally, I am sure some people here would be on the 'anti' bandwagon. One this level the Embassy cannot it seems win in any situation. The fact that you (and Moonrakers) come on and criticise any story I write geriatric kid and are still in doubt about the Pai murder says a lot more about yourself. People should know when rapes happen, alleged or otherwise. As I have pointed out earlier I have not heard of the prosecution of rape againstr a foreigner in Thailand, where the victim is still alive!

So if you are so cocksure complain to the British Embassy! :-). This place is not short of people who will question the morals of the girl in question perhaps you can get up a petition.

Hi AndyD, I realise that some posters have a hard on for you and have an agenda of riddiculing and belittling your work. However, I like your work and feel you make a valuable contribution to giving us all access to information we wouldnt normally hear about. As well as a different slant on some more mainstream news items. You usually provide back up stories or blogs to your news items which keep us informed. You seem to genuinely care about the subjects of your stories and at times take an active role in their issues. Keep up the good work m8

Hear Hear to that !

[oldsailor35]

You yourself admit that this story, as it stands, is nothing but hearsay.

Do you really expect everybody to just take what is written as gospel without question? Do you really expect everybody to just believe everything they are told?

This is an article published in the Daily Mail for Christ's sake. Would you even WANT to live in a world where the entire population take everything that is printed in the Daily Mail as true?

Moonrakers: YOU are making it up. I have never said the story was nothing but hearsay. The FCO have confirmed that they have assisted this girl to to return to the UK as a result of a sexual attack. I have used an account from the friend. How accurate that account is in its detail is debatable.

Nobody is asking anyone to take the story as gospel but you can take is as gospel that I am reporting what I have been told.

But that is how she is reporting what she has been told. If there were specific allegations about specific people and charges were brought, it would be relevant to investigate the matter further. The story is a reminder that these things DO happen. Most often they are not reported and no complaint is made to police here. Your comments on the Daily Mail are irrelevant the story in different versions appeared in other publications too.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

If you would stop being so bloody defensive Drummond you would see that I am not attacking you on this and in fact we are more or less in agreement on this.

You have used an account from a friend of a girl and there is no supporting evidence, this makes the story hearsay. I'm not attacking you for that, it's just what it is.

You are asking or expecting people to take it as gospel just by the way you are reacting to anybody who is doubting the girl's story. I, along with others, do not believe this girl's story. You seem to be taking that personally yet we aren't even talking about you.

My issue is that I believe this girl is lying, this is not about you Drummond. Get over yourself.

BUT ! how in the hell can you come to that conclusion without having spoken to the alleged victim or been told or read the full facts................you are yourself making a firm decision on what amounts to gearsay !

[housepainter]

It's a good job it happened in Phuket and not Pattaya.

The Pattaya Honorary Consul usually leaves it for a couple of weeks after being informed and even then waits for somebody else to whistle blow. A good example being his, Howard Miller's, [the beer drinker's Alan Partridge] neglect of the naked Brit chained to the bars in Pattaya Soi 9 Station. He left him there after dropping off a bottle of water and a packet of crisps.

May be he'd have left the girl a couple of condoms and told her to remember safe sex?

If he'd have dealt with this one his first response would have been to film it and post it on the news whilst at the same time condemning it. Oh, he'd have had a chat with Mom at the same time telling her 'she looks alright to me.'

Isn't Phuket the Family Resort?

[jts-khorat]

More details, BTW,in 'the other' Phuket publication.

- refused to press charges at several opportunities

- knew at least one of her attackers well

Obviously not easy for the police to follow up on this if the victim is not cooperative in their investigation; still, in my opinion not the right attitude of the police when they are quoted as follows: "We investigate every alleged rape, but there is only so much we can do."

[dekbahnnok]

In a case of rape the benefit of doubt should go to the victim.

Exactly!

Many readers would be happy to "tune up" the perps...gratis!

[dekbahnnok]

More details, BTW,in 'the other' Phuket publication.

- refused to press charges at several opportunities

- knew at least one of her attackers well

Obviously not easy for the police to follow up on this if the victim is not cooperative in their investigation; still, in my opinion not the right attitude of the police when they are quoted as follows: "We investigate every alleged rape, but there is only so much we can do."

Remember this one? An underage girl who was raped went to the police station (Mahasek, BKK) with her mother to report her rape. The officer in charge took the girl into his office and forced her to give him a blow job. He was later arrested.

It does not take a lot of imagination to understand why this young woman was reluctant to go to the police station to report the attack and identify her attackers. She might have been concerned about reprisals.

I would be willing to bet that the police know who did this and the police also know they have done it before and will do it again. For sure the Thai guys have photos on their phones.

This young woman is lucky she is alive as opposed to have been killed and dumped in the ocean

Anyone who thinks Phuket is civilized is an absolute fool.

[powderpuff]

Headline:

Girl Cries Rape to Avoid Paying Visa Overstay Fine.

Has a catchy tone don't you think?????

Or "British Girl Exploits Loophole to get Free Ticket Home".

Edited January 14, 2011 by powderpuff

[No1]

What a useless discussion. We really don't know what has happened. No medical records, no police report and the lady was too drunk to give more details. Although all of what the lady says might be true, I think it is nothing the public should judge on because the lady decided to keep the proper public authorities and legal instances out of this issue.

All I can learn from this story, don't drink and then all of this would sound differently.

(I still remember my days as a young interpreter in court where I hoped to make a lady's allegations against her former husband heard at the police and in court and I remember the husband being mistreated by the police after his arrest based on the allegations and being badly beaten up by the police while being arrested. I was happy about the police doing a bit of overtime to let justice rule and I can't tell you about my consternation when the lady asked me to withdraw the charges some time later because she said she made all up to get a hold of the house they were sharing and when her former husband agreed to leave her with the house, she had all she was aiming for.)

Edited January 14, 2011 by No1

[geriatrickid]

The Asociation of Professional Journalists has a detailed code of ethics. Several of those guidelines are applicable to the article which has caused the discussion here. Journalists should:

— Test the accuracy of information from all sources and exercise care to avoid inadvertent error. Deliberate distortion is never permissible.

— The public is entitled to as much information as possible on sources' reliability.

— Make certain that headlines, news teases and promotional material, photos, video, audio, graphics, sound bites and quotations do not misrepresent. They should not oversimplify or highlight incidents out of context.

— Distinguish between advocacy and news reporting. Analysis and commentary should be labeled and not misrepresent fact or context.

— Show good taste. Avoid pandering to lurid curiosity.

Maybe a rape occurred within the legal definition of rape. Maybe it did not. I don't know. The article claims a rape occurred but didn't provide compelling information. To a large extent, this thread is base udpon an article appearing in the Daily Mail. That doesn't mean the event happened exactly as has been relayed by the author.

[waza]

The Asociation of Professional Journalists has a detailed code of ethics. Several of those guidelines are applicable to the article which has caused the discussion here. Journalists should:

— Test the accuracy of information from all sources and exercise care to avoid inadvertent error. Deliberate distortion is never permissible.

— The public is entitled to as much information as possible on sources' reliability.

— Make certain that headlines, news teases and promotional material, photos, video, audio, graphics, sound bites and quotations do not misrepresent. They should not oversimplify or highlight incidents out of context.

— Distinguish between advocacy and news reporting. Analysis and commentary should be labeled and not misrepresent fact or context.

— Show good taste. Avoid pandering to lurid curiosity.

Maybe a rape occurred within the legal definition of rape. Maybe it did not. I don't know. The article claims a rape occurred but didn't provide compelling information. To a large extent, this thread is base udpon an article appearing in the Daily Mail. That doesn't mean the event happened exactly as has been relayed by the author.

That is all well and good, but remember the reporters motto, "never let facts get in the way of a good story".

[TheLaughingMan]

Is there any evidence to support the rape claim? All that is presented is a voyeuristic tabloid sheet article. Rape is a serious charge. Unfortunately, the warning bells should be going off, particularly in light of past attempts to obtain money when people get in trouble in Thailand. How many foreigners claim that they were robbed or had valuables stolen from their hotel rooms that are then shown to have fabricated the stories?

She had got a job on the island after answering an advertisement for 'Time-Share' sales staff but quickly became penniless after earning little commission

Right. forgive me, but considering the type of people that ride around on motorbikes trying to sell these crappy frctional andt time share rip offs, there is a credibility gap from the get go. Is it possible, that she ran out of money and had no way out except to come up with this story? Or maybe she owed money and this was either payback time or a scheme to come up with the money?

Sorry for the cynicism, but I've been around Patong too long to not have a suspicious mind. I have zero tolerance of rape or any form of sexual assault, but sometimes, people claim rape use it as a means to accomplish something else. I can't wait for the author to address that aspect of the story.

It may very well be that the girl acted stupidly. But your issue is not with the journalist but with the Embassy who heard her story and got her out of the country quickly. I have merely relayed the story she told to her Time Share pal. If the Embassy had not acted as if they did and this girl had to face the ordeal of being jailed for overstay and working illegally, I am sure some people here would be on the 'anti' bandwagon. One this level the Embassy cannot it seems win in any situation. The fact that you (and Moonrakers) come on and criticise any story I write geriatric kid and are still in doubt about the Pai murder says a lot more about yourself. People should know when rapes happen, alleged or otherwise. As I have pointed out earlier I have not heard of the prosecution of rape againstr a foreigner in Thailand, where the victim is still alive!

So if you are so cocksure complain to the British Embassy! :-). This place is not short of people who will question the morals of the girl in question perhaps you can get up a petition.

Hi AndyD, I realise that some posters have a hard on for you and have an agenda of riddiculing and belittling your work. However, I like your work and feel you make a valuable contribution to giving us all access to information we wouldnt normally hear about. As well as a different slant on some more mainstream news items. You usually provide back up stories or blogs to your news items which keep us informed. You seem to genuinely care about the subjects of your stories and at times take an active role in their issues. Keep up the good work m8

Hear Hear to that !

Yes exaclty, Andrew is efrecting real change and actually helping people, what the fuc_k are his critics doing to make this a better world to live in? absofuc_kly nothing. People need to get a grip on reality, if someone is shining a light on the problems around us the wrong response to is automatically attack the one with the light. Common bloody sense.

[Beetlejuice]

Headline:

Girl Cries Rape to Avoid Paying Visa Overstay Fine.

Has a catchy tone don't you think?????

Or "British Girl Exploits Loophole to get Free Ticket Home".

As I said previous, it is easy enough for the police to check out the girl`s story. Hotel register and so on.

There are reasons why this girl did not wish to pursue this matter futher, which makes the whole thing rather suspect.

Could be that this female is into illegally activities herself and thought better of getting invovled with the police.

I am leaning towards what you are saying here, powderpuff.