Former Punk Rocker In Thai Jail Controversy Says ‘I Want To Go Home’

[george]

Former punk rocker in Thai jail controversy says I want to go home

A Briton, revealed today as a former member of the little known but extremely noisy punk rock bank Lady Isobel Barnet and the Shoplifters has been refused leave to return home to the U.K. because of legal complications over his case.

Richard Hewitt from Birmingham was last November removed from a cell in Pattaya police station where he was discovered wasting away, naked and incoherent, after the intervention of a British expatriate who read about his plight on the net.

But it has not been so easy to go home...

Full story: andrew-drummond.com/2011/03/31/i-wanna-go-home-says-british-punk-caught-in-thailands-legal-red-tape

-- ANDREW-DRUMMOND.COM 2011-03-31

[geriatrickid]

Another computer engineer story. (Albeit an update) What is it with the IT industry and/or engineers and this type of story? How come no one ever hears of field biologists, nurses, epidemiologists, or chemists ending up this way. When is the last time a plumber or an electrician or a crane operator or an oil rig worker featured in a story like this? Yes, I know its a tragic tale and all that. However, maybe the take away from it is that people in certain jobs tend to be unstable or predisposed to going off the deep end in places like Pattaya.

[animatic]

Another computer engineer story. (Albeit an update) What is it with the IT industry and/or engineers and this type of story? How come no one ever hears of field biologists, nurses, epidemiologists, or chemists ending up this way. When is the last time a plumber or an electrician or a crane operator or an oil rig worker featured in a story like this? Yes, I know its a tragic tale and all that. However, maybe the take away from it is that people in certain jobs tend to be unstable or predisposed to going off the deep end in places like Pattaya.

I don't think there is a serious computer coder who is in any way prepared for Pattaya. At least none that I have met before, not without a seasoned chaperone. Even with the punk rock background, which was often a home for the societally dysfunctional anyway.

Edited March 31, 2011 by animatic

[animatic]

A simple month overstay would be a cut and dried:

fine and out on your butt.

I suspect the now public horror of his mistreatment in Pattaya lock up, and the idiocies of how his whole case was handled, has lead to some embarrassment in certain quarters, and they can not at present figure out how to save face or where to let it be removed...

Edited March 31, 2011 by animatic

[Darrel]

I don't think there is a serious computer coder who is in any way prepared for Pattaya.

I'm a professional php coder and have been coming here for 30+ years. And I havent succumbed to anything much so far, though I live in hope. Don't think I'd last 5 minutes in a rock band though.

[pedro01]

I don't think there is a serious computer coder who is in any way prepared for Pattaya.

I'm a professional php coder and have been coming here for 30+ years. And I havent succumbed to anything much so far, though I live in hope. Don't think I'd last 5 minutes in a rock band though.

Yeah - me too - I came here at the tender age of 27 which was my ninth year in the IT industry - although by that time I was consulting.

I am now 40 and still on the rails.

I know a lot of savvy, streetwise, smart programmers. Generally speaking the nerds at school never got anywhere in the industry.

Programmers rock!

[animatic]

Guys, I was joking... sort of.

Well php is pretty calm compared to Pre Dr. Dobbs old days.....

I have know some machine coders and Fortran coders,

and several pre C, C+. ++ coders that would have been

soi dog food if left alone.

I knew Grace Hopper USN computing, some ENIAC programers, and Ken Olsen from DEC. Back in the day. ''

Granted I have also known many, more punk rock performers,

and had to step over their recumbent forms nightly..

Edited March 31, 2011 by animatic

[Nisa]

I wonder if Andrew Drummond actually spoke to this guy and the quotes were to him. I only ask because it seems a good deal of information is missing as to what is the hold up or red tape. As I understand it ... even if you are picked up for overstaying your time then you get thrown in detention until you can pay the fine and airfare to get out of the country. Since he doesn't appear to be being held in detention he should just be able to go to the airport and pay his fine. If they have taken his passport then he should simply go to the embassy and get a new one as there doesn't seem to be any legal reason to take his passport unless there are charges against him we don't know about.

Not sure how the UK works but I met one kid in a bar from the US who says he ran out of money and had no way home. He went to the embassy and said the process takes like 4 to 6 weeks to get them to send you home and involved calling many family and friends to try to get the money for the ticket from them first. Once the embassy does pay they mark your passport for only being valid to return to the US and you are still responsible for paying the US back for the cost of the airline ticket. That is what the kid told me but I also suspected he was telling me a sob story to get me to help him.

[katana]

A Briton, revealed today as a former member of the little known but extremely noisy punk rock bank ‘Lady Isobel Barnet and the Shoplifters’ has been refused leave to return home to the U.K. because of legal complications over his case...

Other than this thread, "Lady Isobel Barnet and the Shoplifters" doesn't turn up any Google hits. Guess they weren't that noisy

[southbot]

I have been working in IT in Thailand and elsewhere (based in Thailand 16 years +) for about 25 years.

I don't think that a background in IT has any connection to folks getting into deep faecal matter here, it just happens sometimes.

I think I am OK and I don't remember going off the rails in Thailand.

Oh, one of my legs fell off and a few arteries packed their bags and went on long leave but I think my brain is OK.

I think my brain is OK.

I think my brain is OK.

I think my brain is OK.

Uh oh, fatal program loop.

[bannork]

He clearly got bad karma from taking the mick out of Lady Barnet, she was a good laugh on 'What's My Line?' and her suicide was a sad end.

[Deeral]

Another computer engineer story. (Albeit an update) What is it with the IT industry and/or engineers and this type of story? How come no one ever hears of field biologists, nurses, epidemiologists, or chemists ending up this way. When is the last time a plumber or an electrician or a crane operator or an oil rig worker featured in a story like this? Yes, I know its a tragic tale and all that. However, maybe the take away from it is that people in certain jobs tend to be unstable or predisposed to going off the deep end in places like Pattaya.

It looks as if this poster is suffering - as his name suggests - from the advanced stages of "old-timers" disease.

i wonder if he realises he's using a device and service set up by a "computer engineer"

probably thinks his PC is full of tiny little pigeons

Edited April 1, 2011 by Deeral

[seancbk]

Not sure what Google you use but I found plenty of results, for example - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isobel_Barnett

A Briton, revealed today as a former member of the little known but extremely noisy punk rock bank 'Lady Isobel Barnet and the Shoplifters' has been refused leave to return home to the U.K. because of legal complications over his case...

Other than this thread, "Lady Isobel Barnet and the Shoplifters" doesn't turn up any Google hits. Guess they weren't that noisy

[davidA]

I read in the full story section that lady Isobel committed suicide 4 days after being convicted of stealing a tin of Tuna and a carton of Milk at a magistrates court??? what?did she steal a barristers lunch or something? or should that have read..Lady isobel committed suicide,4 days after being convicted at a magistrates court for stealing a tin of Tuna and a carton of milk??????

[atyclb]

Another computer engineer story. (Albeit an update) What is it with the IT industry and/or engineers and this type of story? How come no one ever hears of field biologists, nurses, epidemiologists, or chemists ending up this way. When is the last time a plumber or an electrician or a crane operator or an oil rig worker featured in a story like this? Yes, I know its a tragic tale and all that. However, maybe the take away from it is that people in certain jobs tend to be unstable or predisposed to going off the deep end in places like Pattaya.

Addiction is perhaps the only TRUE DEMOCRACY in this world.

Believe me, there are people from all walks of life, male/female, educated or not, rich and poor in the shoes of this guy. Families torn apart, lives destroyed.

Perhaps a moment of silent prayer for them, and a moment of gratitude for those of us unaffected.

[monspencer]

Why are so many posts in this thread ?

It is about an English guy called Richard Hewitt who recently found himself in a very bad situation in Pattaya Police Station, which I am glad eventually worked out for him.

It is not about the long deceased Lady Isobel Barnet, neither is it about any profession which he had back in the UK.

Keep to the topic please, if you are going to post something

[davidA]

sorry mons,didnt realise you were the forum police

[bitterbatter]

Sounds like the Thai investigation into the English man who was chained and locked up without clothes a few months ago, really addressed what is going on in Pattaya immigration jail. Seriously! Its time to fire a few correctional officers in Pattaya, and do regular checks.

I am also surprised that the British embassy hasn't been keeping a more watchful eye on the situation there. It is time for someone somewhere to get something done about this! Overstaying a visa is not justification for torturing somebody.

[bkk_mike]

Guys, I was joking... sort of.

Well php is pretty calm compared to Pre Dr. Dobbs old days.....

I have know some machine coders and Fortran coders,

and several pre C, C+. ++ coders that would have been

soi dog food if left alone.

I knew Grace Hopper USN computing, some ENIAC programers, and Ken Olsen from DEC. Back in the day. ''

Granted I have also known many, more punk rock performers,

and had to step over their recumbent forms nightly..

I did Fortran back in the day, on Norsk Data minicomputers running SINTRAN. (An OS that's main claim to fame is it's what the world wide web was first written for, by Tim Berners Lee at CERN).

Admittedly I don't think I'd cope too well in Pattaya unchaperoned... I met my Thai wife in London and doubt I'd have ever even visited Thailand, let alone lived here, if not for her.

[labik]

A Briton, revealed today as a former member of the little known but extremely noisy punk rock bank...

As soon as I saw that first line of the article up above, I knew it had to be another racy, raunchy "Andrew Drummond" article.

[asiawatcher]

Sounds like the Thai investigation into the English man who was chained and locked up without clothes a few months ago, really addressed what is going on in Pattaya immigration jail. Seriously! Its time to fire a few correctional officers in Pattaya, and do regular checks.

I am also surprised that the British embassy hasn't been keeping a more watchful eye on the situation there. It is time for someone somewhere to get something done about this! Overstaying a visa is not justification for torturing somebody.

From past experience - the British Embassy in Bangkok is more the British "Embarrassment". They are only interested in fees and more fees and lifestyle to the 'inhabitants' within during their 'stay' in Bangkok. They will not get involved in too much unless you pay a lot of tax and can being them profile. As to Mr Drummond... never mind.

[powderpuff]

I am also surprised that the British embassy hasn't been keeping a more watchful eye on the situation there. It is time for someone somewhere to get something done about this! Overstaying a visa is not justification for torturing somebody.

That would be your buddy Howard, formerly of the Volunteer Tourist police. And yes it's the same guy.

Why is it tragic? He has got plenty of cash - went to see a head shrinker at Bamrunrad to get on meds & now he's living in Pattaya. Good result all round.

Thanks to that NGO lady for getting him out. Howard too busy.

[ryladie99]

I wonder if Andrew Drummond actually spoke to this guy and the quotes were to him. I only ask because it seems a good deal of information is missing as to what is the hold up or red tape. As I understand it ... even if you are picked up for overstaying your time then you get thrown in detention until you can pay the fine and airfare to get out of the country. Since he doesn't appear to be being held in detention he should just be able to go to the airport and pay his fine. If they have taken his passport then he should simply go to the embassy and get a new one as there doesn't seem to be any legal reason to take his passport unless there are charges against him we don't know about.

Not sure how the UK works but I met one kid in a bar from the US who says he ran out of money and had no way home. He went to the embassy and said the process takes like 4 to 6 weeks to get them to send you home and involved calling many family and friends to try to get the money for the ticket from them first. Once the embassy does pay they mark your passport for only being valid to return to the US and you are still responsible for paying the US back for the cost of the airline ticket. That is what the kid told me but I also suspected he was telling me a sob story to get me to help him.

The story you mention about An American kid is true. The Embassy will take 4-6 weeks to process before thing turns around. The Embassy workers will contact his US family and issue him the US Visa only. He has to pay back...for the cost of an airline ticket...Believe me it is better than to let him fight alone. I do know most of Americans are quite honest. They say of what they mean. They are so independence and do not want to bather anyone. I would love to see Farangs form a non profit to help in case they can not get any support . Everyone helps whatever he or she can then this fund can make the difference. My take and an opinion...

P.S. I will urge the non profit to be clean and post every penny on line. ( the donors are happy and it will attract the new donors because, it is an honest cause )

[katana]

Not sure what Google you use but I found plenty of results, for example - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isobel_Barnett

A Briton, revealed today as a former member of the little known but extremely noisy punk rock bank 'Lady Isobel Barnet and the Shoplifters' has been refused leave to return home to the U.K. because of legal complications over his case...

Other than this thread, "Lady Isobel Barnet and the Shoplifters" doesn't turn up any Google hits. Guess they weren't that noisy

I was talking about the band, hence the "Guess they weren't that noisy" part.

[Kilgore Trout]

Not sure what Google you use but I found plenty of results, for example - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isobel_Barnett

A Briton, revealed today as a former member of the little known but extremely noisy punk rock bank 'Lady Isobel Barnet and the Shoplifters' has been refused leave to return home to the U.K. because of legal complications over his case...

Other than this thread, "Lady Isobel Barnet and the Shoplifters" doesn't turn up any Google hits. Guess they weren't that noisy

I was talking about the band, hence the "Guess they weren't that noisy" part.

The op says they are a bank, not a band.

[Nisa]

I wonder if he lost his passport during his mental collapse.

[Arkady]

I wonder if Andrew Drummond actually spoke to this guy and the quotes were to him. I only ask because it seems a good deal of information is missing as to what is the hold up or red tape. As I understand it ... even if you are picked up for overstaying your time then you get thrown in detention until you can pay the fine and airfare to get out of the country. Since he doesn't appear to be being held in detention he should just be able to go to the airport and pay his fine. If they have taken his passport then he should simply go to the embassy and get a new one as there doesn't seem to be any legal reason to take his passport unless there are charges against him we don't know about.

Not sure how the UK works but I met one kid in a bar from the US who says he ran out of money and had no way home. He went to the embassy and said the process takes like 4 to 6 weeks to get them to send you home and involved calling many family and friends to try to get the money for the ticket from them first. Once the embassy does pay they mark your passport for only being valid to return to the US and you are still responsible for paying the US back for the cost of the airline ticket. That is what the kid told me but I also suspected he was telling me a sob story to get me to help him.

The story you mention about An American kid is true. The Embassy will take 4-6 weeks to process before thing turns around. The Embassy workers will contact his US family and issue him the US Visa only. He has to pay back...for the cost of an airline ticket...Believe me it is better than to let him fight alone. I do know most of Americans are quite honest. They say of what they mean. They are so independence and do not want to bather anyone. I would love to see Farangs form a non profit to help in case they can not get any support . Everyone helps whatever he or she can then this fund can make the difference. My take and an opinion...

P.S. I will urge the non profit to be clean and post every penny on line. ( the donors are happy and it will attract the new donors because, it is an honest cause )

The British Embassy will allow you as much time as you need with a VOIP phone line to call friends or relatives and persuade them to wire you money to get home. Other than that they will advise you to go to a temple to get free food and accommodation while awaiting repatriation. If you have overstayed your visa, you can turn yourself in to the police and be incarcerated in the Immigration jail where rations are even worse than in normal prisons but theoretically enough to keep you alive. British Embassies no longer provide emergency funding or repatriation for citizens who have willfully made themselves destitute abroad through fecklessness. They only do this for people for people who in trouble due to sickness, accidents or are victims of violent crime (not being rolled by a ladyboy after an amorous encounter). Remember that British embassies have officially been reclassified as trade outposts.

[andrewdrummond]

I wonder if Andrew Drummond actually spoke to this guy and the quotes were to him. I only ask because it seems a good deal of information is missing as to what is the hold up or red tape. As I understand it ... even if you are picked up for overstaying your time then you get thrown in detention until you can pay the fine and airfare to get out of the country. Since he doesn't appear to be being held in detention he should just be able to go to the airport and pay his fine. If they have taken his passport then he should simply go to the embassy and get a new one as there doesn't seem to be any legal reason to take his passport unless there are charges against him we don't know about.

Not sure how the UK works but I met one kid in a bar from the US who says he ran out of money and had no way home. He went to the embassy and said the process takes like 4 to 6 weeks to get them to send you home and involved calling many family and friends to try to get the money for the ticket from them first. Once the embassy does pay they mark your passport for only being valid to return to the US and you are still responsible for paying the US back for the cost of the airline ticket. That is what the kid told me but I also suspected he was telling me a sob story to get me to help him.

Here we go again Nisa. Yes of course I spoke to the guy. Why else would I quote him? There is a good deal of info missing because even Richard Hewitt does not know the reasons for the delay apart from 'Not ready yet'. It would be foolish of him to attempt to leave while awaiting a court hearing. He has his ticket and the Embassy have given him a new passport to replace the one which disappeared in the custody of local police. Actually you can see a copy of his missing passport in the Pattaya Daily News.

[Nisa]

I wonder if Andrew Drummond actually spoke to this guy and the quotes were to him. I only ask because it seems a good deal of information is missing as to what is the hold up or red tape. As I understand it ... even if you are picked up for overstaying your time then you get thrown in detention until you can pay the fine and airfare to get out of the country. Since he doesn't appear to be being held in detention he should just be able to go to the airport and pay his fine. If they have taken his passport then he should simply go to the embassy and get a new one as there doesn't seem to be any legal reason to take his passport unless there are charges against him we don't know about.

Not sure how the UK works but I met one kid in a bar from the US who says he ran out of money and had no way home. He went to the embassy and said the process takes like 4 to 6 weeks to get them to send you home and involved calling many family and friends to try to get the money for the ticket from them first. Once the embassy does pay they mark your passport for only being valid to return to the US and you are still responsible for paying the US back for the cost of the airline ticket. That is what the kid told me but I also suspected he was telling me a sob story to get me to help him.

Here we go again Nisa. Yes of course I spoke to the guy. Why else would I quote him? There is a good deal of info missing because even Richard Hewitt does not know the reasons for the delay apart from 'Not ready yet'. It would be foolish of him to attempt to leave while awaiting a court hearing. He has his ticket and the Embassy have given him a new passport to replace the one which disappeared in the custody of local police. Actually you can see a copy of his missing passport in the Pattaya Daily News.

So, what is this about all the red tape and so on if he simply cannot leave because he has a court date?

Edit: And there is no "here we go again" unless you are saying something false again. I didn't see that you had spoke to him directly and simply didn't know if you were quoting something he said to another reporter or press outlet.

Edited April 1, 2011 by Nisa

[andrewdrummond]

I wonder if Andrew Drummond actually spoke to this guy and the quotes were to him. I only ask because it seems a good deal of information is missing as to what is the hold up or red tape. As I understand it ... even if you are picked up for overstaying your time then you get thrown in detention until you can pay the fine and airfare to get out of the country. Since he doesn't appear to be being held in detention he should just be able to go to the airport and pay his fine. If they have taken his passport then he should simply go to the embassy and get a new one as there doesn't seem to be any legal reason to take his passport unless there are charges against him we don't know about.

Not sure how the UK works but I met one kid in a bar from the US who says he ran out of money and had no way home. He went to the embassy and said the process takes like 4 to 6 weeks to get them to send you home and involved calling many family and friends to try to get the money for the ticket from them first. Once the embassy does pay they mark your passport for only being valid to return to the US and you are still responsible for paying the US back for the cost of the airline ticket. That is what the kid told me but I also suspected he was telling me a sob story to get me to help him.

Here we go again Nisa. Yes of course I spoke to the guy. Why else would I quote him? There is a good deal of info missing because even Richard Hewitt does not know the reasons for the delay apart from 'Not ready yet'. It would be foolish of him to attempt to leave while awaiting a court hearing. He has his ticket and the Embassy have given him a new passport to replace the one which disappeared in the custody of local police. Actually you can see a copy of his missing passport in the Pattaya Daily News.

So, what is this about all the red tape and so on if he simply cannot leave because he has a court date?

Edit: And there is no "here we go again" unless you are saying something false again. I didn't see that you had spoke to him directly and simply didn't know if you were quoting something he said to another reporter or press outlet.

I don't understand your first sentence. He does not have a court date.The Office of the Attorney General is not ready to proceed.Is this a mistake or is it what you describe as 'lying'.