I was arrested in Bangkok for possession of 0.1g marijuana (that was placed in my purse without my knowledge) and was released on bail after 5 days in prison. The police are withholding my passport as "evidence" so I cannot leave the country. If I get an emergency passport and try and leave the country, I have been threatened that I may be on a blacklist and arrested at the airport and sent to prison for 1 year. I am wondering if this threat is true or if I will be okay to leave the country? I understand that I cannot reenter Thailand on a blacklist, can I exit safely?

You can not exit the country, even on an emergency passport, beacuse you have no entry stamp/TM card. Do not jump bail in Thailand, they will catch you at Don Muang or at any border checkpoint.

Do you have a laywer?

Tell us more, how did they catch you? Who planted etc

Have you been in to your Embassy ?

Having lived on Koh Phangan for a long time I have seen this over and over again. You need a lawyer, you need to contact your embassy, perhaps they can recommend one to you. Once bail is posted then your court date is set, perhaps a lawyer can speed it up for you. At the court date you will be given a fine, usually nothing too huge. In previous years you could then use your bail to ensure you are not deported and placed on the blacklist. Don't know if this 'option' (if you get my drift) is still available. If it is not you should get your bail money back, of course, this will also go to court fees and lawyer fees. It is all very frightening at first but for people arrested with small amounts I have always seen it turn out this way. If you try to flee I suspect you will be arrested and then you will be in really serious trouble.

Maybe a blood test at a well known hospital to show you are not a user and have no residual drugs in your body may help the judges decision and your defense

but I would imagine they have heard about every story possible by now..

Agreed khun, they have heard every excuse under the sun and most of the times it is bs. Unless you can prove you have not been using drugs, and after 5 days I would think it would be nigh unto impossible, pleading guilty is usually the best route. My understanding is that by pleading guilty they slap your wrist and off you go, but by giving some story (true or not) and pleading innocent you place yourself at risk for jail time. Too many bs excuses over the years, I would guess. Small amts of marijuana are (from my experience) always dealt with by a fine and deportation. But you still need to get a lawyer!!

Maybe a blood test at a well known hospital to show you are not a user and have no residual drugs in your body may help the judges decision and your defense

but I would imagine they have heard about every story possible by now..

So if you are not a user then you are a ______...?

I was arrested in Bangkok for possession of 0.1g marijuana (that was placed in my purse without my knowledge) and was released on bail after 5 days in prison. The police are withholding my passport as "evidence" so I cannot leave the country. If I get an emergency passport and try and leave the country, I have been threatened that I may be on a blacklist and arrested at the airport and sent to prison for 1 year. I am wondering if this threat is true or if I will be okay to leave the country? I understand that I cannot reenter Thailand on a blacklist, can I exit safely?

And what about paying the police when they caught you? Not possible?

I heard stories about going to the ATM right away and give whatever you could.

get a lawyer, get a hair folical test, get representation, you are in for a long hard streach so get someone to get an account at PizzaHut for you

lady j, my brother was caught with 0,2 grams of smoke and waited 1 1/2 years for it to get to court - he got a 1,000 Baht fine - no biggy - relax, but do not jump bail!

If you are or have been smoking pot, maybe this site will help you - http://www.passanydrugtest.com/ - drink lots of water and vegies (saw it on discovery channel)

I KNOW the answer to this. The embassy can and will FORCE the police into returning your passport. I had mine returned to the embassy and picked it up there. The Police can NOT keep your passport as part of your bail.

I then exited the country thru the southern border. If you are overstayed after doing this just go to the Shang Hai Hotel in Haad Yai and they can fix up your passport for you, if they are still in the Visa biusiness. TIT(this is Thailand).

edit: I forgot to add that you are not on a blacklist until convicted. You can leave the country after you get your passport back. We see this happen even in high profile cases. The Hapless Farang gets 'wrongly' arrested and somehow (wink, wink) gets bail and leaves the country thus escaping a possible Life Sentence.

I don't know if you go on a blacklist after you fail to show up in court. I never tried to return.

Ignore bailjumpers gratuitous bad advice. Your problem is minor, but will be much compounded by attempting to flee the country, and further problems will arise from using an illegal visa service. Anyone can be put on the black list anytime. It does not take a conviction. Only your Embassy can legally demand the return of your passport. Have you been to your Embassy for advice ?