U.s. Woman Forced To Eat Maggots While Locked Up In Thai Prison For 9 Years

[cowslip]

sadly alcohol is much more dangerous than heroin.

[masaomi]

Was she eating maggots as a snack between meals?

Hahhhaha.... That explains her weight problem...

But seriously, I still feel sorry for her. Nobody deserves to live in that kind of condition. I would rather commit the Japanese suicide ritual "Hara Kiri".

[maidu]

sadly alcohol is much more dangerous than heroin.

good to hear someone else agreeing to that. Actually, prescription drugs cause more deaths annually than all illegal drugs combined - and alcohol causes more deaths and harm than prescription. It also runs up insurance costs for everyone else, and alcohol-related problems are the #1 cause of missed workdays. In other words, a gargantuan adverse economic impact.

She deserved her punishment for being an idiot of epic proportions.

Is being an epically proportioned idiot, grounds for a life term prison sentence? I though we're supposed to show some compassion, or at least leniency, for idiots. That's what we (as a society) do when allowing the insanity excuse for a heineous crime, isn't it?

Edited August 31, 2012 by maidu

[foxboy]

I can't believe people are sympathetic to this girl. Think about the impact of flooding a community with heroin. This girl was instrumental in that endeavour. Thank goodness she was caught and jailed.

Nobody would be as sympathetic if this was a man.

[ManInSurat]

sadly alcohol is much more dangerous than heroin.

good to hear someone else agreeing to that. Actually, prescription drugs cause more deaths annually than all illegal drugs combined - and alcohol causes more deaths and harm than prescription. It also runs up insurance costs for everyone else, and alcohol-related problems are the #1 cause of missed workdays. In other words, a gargantuan adverse economic impact.

She deserved her punishment for being an idiot of epic proportions.

Is being an epically proportioned idiot, grounds for a life term prison sentence? I though we're supposed to show some compassion, or at least leniency, for idiots. That's what we (as a society) do when allowing the insanity excuse for a heineous crime, isn't it?

I do not mean she's fat by "idiot of epic proportions" I mean the scale of her idiocy is epic. You're totally misunderstaing what I mean there.

I'm not taking any digs at this lady for being large. I am taking digs at the lady for remaning large for 9 years in a Thai prison and then trying to convince us that she was starved, force-fed and malnourished all at the same time.

Idiocy in the respect that she bothered to know what the punshiment was for drug smuggling in Singapore was, where she wasn't intending to commit a crime and didn't bother to find out the reperucssions of the actual place she was planning on committing a crime.

She knew it was bad. Singapore's basically in the same ballpark as Thailand for most westernerns, so she knew the consequences would be harsh.

It's not only idiody at play here, if it were, I'd actually feel a small amount of compassion, she knowingly tried to move heroin over an Asian border to collect $50,000, that's calculating, premeditated criminality that directly could result in the death or extreme suffering of the weak and vulnerable. Many people never have a say in whether they choose to take heroin for the first time or not. They're also normally the weakest and the most easy to abuse, i.e. unborn babies, pregnant mothers, prostitutes.

You talk about the hounding of heroin as evil incarnate and how unjust this is. Maybe it is an maybe it isn't. What I do see is that an American (you are American aren't you?) is clearly aware of this portrayal of heroin. It's exactly the same in the UK. Everyone I knew grew up thinking it was a nasty, dirty, destructive, lethal drug. She would have had this image too. She still went ahead with it for the money. That I find disgusting. I don't think you should be offered a reprieve from a life sentence for what she did.

I think it acts as an excellent deterrent and if it ends up saving lives by virtue of less heroin being on the streets, then I can never see a valid counter-agrument to that.

I am not in favour of capital punishment.

What I will say and I am repeating myself here, if she was from many African, Asian and some European countries she wouldn't have been allowed to leave.

The only reason the prisoner exchange system exists with Thailand and America is so they can both make money from one another and curry favour with one another for whatever global/regional political aims they currently have.

They couldn't give a toss about the people involved.

If she was from Ghana, she'd still be there.

In my book, she should still be there. Nothing anyone says will convince me otherwise.

None of what she did was a surprise to her, she wasn't just an idiot, she did it for financial gain. That would be enough, but now she is trying to make more money out of it a decade later, after living in obscurity for 10 years.

Now we're all supposed to have the outpouring of support for her?

If I though it would work, I'd start a campaign to have her re-arrested for touting her story around for her own financial benefit. I think there should be a law that stops you from earning from things like this.

All money derived from her appearences on TV shows and selling her stories to the papers should be given to charity.

Can't you see that her current mission for self-promotion is abhorrent?

Edited August 31, 2012 by ManInSurat

[bridge2bridge]

Hope she tries Singapore or Malaysia next.

It will be RIP for sure.

Why did she get out after 9 years though.

VERY LUCKY.

[ozyjon]

try again in Mexico then.

http://t0.gstatic.co...AJlbVgHPMMA&t=1

http://tvblogs.natio...ngela-carnegie/

Thank you for your link and going through the trouble to find it,,,

sometimes it's good to know more about the story than is reported.

thank you again.

[thaibeachlovers]

That is exactly how all prisons around the world should be! Squalid and uninviting.

Yeah..that will really help them succeed when they get released back into society. Your view is short-sighted, uncompassionate, vengeful, and ignorant.

IMO ( for what it's worth ), Jail should only be for really serious crimes, like smuggling poison for profit, but there should be no early release, so that people prepared to profit from the addiction of others would spend most of their lives locked away where they can do no further harm to people,

So, no need to succeed on release.

[thaibeachlovers]

sadly alcohol is much more dangerous than heroin.

Perhaps so, but the last time they tried banning that, it wasn't a great success.

[Benjie]

Ok a short Biology lesson as so many people are arguing about her weight.

Hypothyroidism: Will potential result in weight gain, as no thyroid hormones are present to regulate metabolism (and hence these people have a very slow metabolism). This can also happen in people who are extremely obese. Without treatment, it is very difficult for them to lose weight (so it could be an acquired thing for her, as women are more susceptible to it).

Hyperthyroidism: Pretty much the opposite of the above, overactive thyroid, high metabolism, weight lose (more severe problem then the first).

Now Diabetes is complicated, some people seem to lose weight, others seem to gain it. Usually it's not until your body actually can't overcome the insulin resistance weight isn't put on.

But she probably doesn't have any condition, ate a lot her whole life, which completely screwed her metabolism and even if she didn't get a lot of food in prison, diets DON'T work as it slows the metabolism even more, so isn't going to make her lose weight. She's big before, big after...she's getting spotlight for being an idiot really.

You still don't get it, regardless of how slowly her body burns calories (or fast) you will still gain weight as long as you are consuming more calories than you are burning.

If a Hypothyroid sufferer stopped eating altogether then they would immediately stop gaining weight and lose weight.

If your body is burning calories slower (Hypothyroidism) then obviously you have to consume less calories.

Here's a biology lesson, a human body can't create energy out of thin air, regardless of insulin, thyroids, hormones etc...

[Chads]

AKA Joy Nash. She doesn't seem to traumatised by her ordeal. She has a number of nutty video's on Youtube and appears to be a self centred attention seeker.

..what a nut.

Unfortunately modern technology and social media have allowed for such people to broadcast their views to the world.

[Mosha]

Stand by to see her on "Locked up abroad" If she hasn't appeared already.

[maidu]

Everyone I knew grew up thinking it was a nasty, dirty, destructive, lethal drug.

....you could add addictive also. Some of that can be true for the worst offenders. Remember, heroin use has been driven underground, so the quality of the 'fix' is poor, the price is high, and everyone carrying even a smidgen of the stuff is treated like a hardened criminal. Much of that perception that we've come to embrace (growing up, etc) is what our sage politicians and booze peddlers have successfully wanted us to think.

They've been v. successful at that, for decades. Politicians like booze. Booze peddlers want theirs to be the ONLY recreational drug. They pay billions of dollars annually to politicians and in successful ad campaigns to maintain the myths (about demonizing all other recreational drugs) and to keep booze locked in as the only legal fun drug.

If heroin was legal, as booze is, the several things would happen:

>>> quality of product would increase, therefore less fatalities and less HIV transmission

>>> prices would go down, and most middle men would be out of business.

>>> People could come forward for info, instead of slinking in the shadows.

>>> Abusers could come forward to be counseled, and hopefully come away drug-free.

A little known factoid: One of the pioneers at the vanguard of criminalizing hemp and opiates was J.Edgar Hoover's top man, Anslinger, who himself was an opiate addict. It's rather like the preacher chastizing from the pulpit about the evils of sex, while slinking off to get whores on the side.

If doing or marketing an addictive substance is criminal, then perhaps we should round up all the tobacco smokers/dealers, coffee addicts and drunks and their suppliers - and toss the whole lot in the Thai slammer for 9 years to life. Would lessen traffic in Bangkok - maybe not a bad idea.

[DrTuner]

If doing or marketing an addictive substance is criminal, then perhaps we should round up all the tobacco smokers/dealers, coffee addicts and drunks and their suppliers - and toss the whole lot in the Thai slammer for 9 years to life. Would lessen traffic in Bangkok - maybe not a bad idea.

I agree. With luck we'd soon have decent black market whisky from the prison distilleries. Maybe some handrolled ciggies, too. Best enjoyed with a double espresso, from the same source, naturally. Life in prison doesn't sound that bad after that.

[ozziebloke]

Everyone I knew grew up thinking it was a nasty, dirty, destructive, lethal drug.

....you could add addictive also. Some of that can be true for the worst offenders. Remember, heroin use has been driven underground, so the quality of the 'fix' is poor, the price is high, and everyone carrying even a smidgen of the stuff is treated like a hardened criminal. Much of that perception that we've come to embrace (growing up, etc) is what our sage politicians and booze peddlers have successfully wanted us to think.

They've been v. successful at that, for decades. Politicians like booze. Booze peddlers want theirs to be the ONLY recreational drug. They pay billions of dollars annually to politicians and in successful ad campaigns to maintain the myths (about demonizing all other recreational drugs) and to keep booze locked in as the only legal fun drug.

If heroin was legal, as booze is, the several things would happen:

>>> quality of product would increase, therefore less fatalities and less HIV transmission

>>> prices would go down, and most middle men would be out of business.

>>> People could come forward for info, instead of slinking in the shadows.

>>> Abusers could come forward to be counseled, and hopefully come away drug-free.

A little known factoid: One of the pioneers at the vanguard of criminalizing hemp and opiates was J.Edgar Hoover's top man, Anslinger, who himself was an opiate addict. It's rather like the preacher chastizing from the pulpit about the evils of sex, while slinking off to get whores on the side.

If doing or marketing an addictive substance is criminal, then perhaps we should round up all the tobacco smokers/dealers, coffee addicts and drunks and their suppliers - and toss the whole lot in the Thai slammer for 9 years to life. Would lessen traffic in Bangkok - maybe not a bad idea.

You are busting all your bones to defend this person! Is she a relative or an old fling or something ? She was smuggling heroin for profit! 50K, Not ciggies or whiskey or chocalate bars. What is your problem ?

[patroller]

AKA Joy Nash. She doesn't seem to traumatised by her ordeal. She has a number of nutty video's on Youtube and appears to be a self centred attention seeker.

It disgusts me that scum like this woman are able to profit out of their stay in prison. Get up on tv spout off a sob story and lie about what happened and get fame and cash in return.

lol at getting angry with the actress that played the smuggler.

[Maestro]

...

The photos from the prison could be anywhere and the prison outfits could equally be from anywhere.

I understand the National Geographic movie was shot in the Philippines. She said so in one of her video clips.

[Acemaker]

Good chance she has an untreated thyroid condition.

From my understanding it is impossible to be obese by any method other than feeding your mouth.

Hmm, i think shes quite tasty, i would, LOL,

[nikkoid66]

I want to see a picture after her stay in the prison. Maybe a good died solution after all?

[luckyman]

You would have thought that if the food was that bad then she would lost some weight !

From the Nat Geo article:

"It took a lot of mental fortitude to keep yourself going for almost nine years after facing a life sentence. After your breakdown at the prison, what kept you from succumbing to those feelings of pain and helplessness again?

I got a job at the prison bakery ...."

That says it all! :-)

[ManInSurat]

You would have thought that if the food was that bad then she would lost some weight !

From the Nat Geo article:

"It took a lot of mental fortitude to keep yourself going for almost nine years after facing a life sentence. After your breakdown at the prison, what kept you from succumbing to those feelings of pain and helplessness again?

I got a job at the prison bakery ...."

That says it all! :-)

Ah, well spotted mate!

"I got a job eating the prison bakery" is probably what she meant.

[rubl]

In a related event we have:

"Serving thyme: Prison restaurant opens to the public with all dishes prepared by inmates"

http://www.mirror.co...t-opens-1293734

[Payboy]

Looking at her explains why the other prisoners all lost weight.

[ozziebloke]

Interesting reading on her facebook page https://www.facebook.com/AngelaCarnegieBustedinBangkok

she describes herself as a puplic figure. Joined facebook on the 27th this month. Some quotes she makes contradict her story. As in she wansn't pardoned she served the mandotory sentence.

As one poster said to her "Oh well am just getting up its a very beautiful day in Thailand am off to WORK, enjoy your sympathy party, because I won't benefit from your story, I know way better to risk life over a few penny. Have a productive day."

[ManInSurat]

Interesting reading on her facebook page https://www.facebook...BustedinBangkok

she describes herself as a puplic figure. Joined facebook on the 27th this month. Some quotes she makes contradict her story. As in she wansn't pardoned she served the mandotory sentence.

As one poster said to her "Oh well am just getting up its a very beautiful day in Thailand am off to WORK, enjoy your sympathy party, because I won't benefit from your story, I know way better to risk life over a few penny. Have a productive day."

Very interesting ozzie.

I had a peruse of both her Twitter feed (which is chock full of congratulatory messages only) and also her Facebook page.

As she wants maximum publicity her FB page is set to the lowest privacy setting which means anyone can comment on it and I've seen other comments similar to that. I might rip her a new one myself.

To clear up the question of mandatory sentence, here's what I believe she means. (Not that I agree with any of this ridiculously lucky situation.)

She got life from the Thai court. Thailand and the US have a prisoner exchange system. Under their treaty when you are repatriated you can only serve the maximum penalty allowed by your country of origin for that crime.

If you check US law, for a first time offender of attempted heroin importation and for a large amount, it's 10 years. She would have served time on remand in Thailand, before her trial and she did enter a guilty plea which would have been known by the US.

Therefore about 9 years was the most she could have spent in jail under that treaty.

I so so wish she wasn't American.

On a sidenote the UK has a treaty with Thailand, similarly allowing the exchange of prisoners, but and it's a big but (which Ms. Carnegie could appreciate) our prisoners when back in blighty, may serve no more than half of the maximum sentence handed down by the Thai court.

There's a Mancunian lad in Bang Kwang with severe learning difficulties that was tricked into transporting something like 10,000 exstacy pills into the Kingdom. Basically people preyed on this young lad to force him to become a mule for them.

He got 99 years. If he ends up being repatriated he'd have to spend 44.5 years (allowing the inclusion of time already served in Thailand.)

That's one major area the US and the UK differ on their prisoner exchange systems.

There was no pardon. She was just repatriated and was allowed out as she's served the maximum time a US court could hand down in Thailand already.

I wish she could go back and see out even half of the original sentence!

Edited September 1, 2012 by ManInSurat

[Hermes100]

Whilst I cannot condone what this lady did the real criminal is any justice system that treats anyone in this way.

The only people who are more stupid than those who smuggle these illegal substances are those that think that this is right to have these laws and that these laws work .

They do not work , have never worked and will never work.

The vast majority of drug smugglers get away with it( I mean the private ones, not the state sponsored ones which are very much in place here)

And the only really losers are those that pay the bill and think these retarded laws work .

The smugglers at the top care not a jot and it does nothing good for society to condone this sort of treatment of anyone.

Well the drug laws dont seem to curb drug abuse but do you have a solution? Should a heroin smuggler get a couple of months in a comfortable jail and a little fine. What are you suggesting...

the only thing that can and will work- make them legal and destroy the ability of criminals to make vast sums of money by these backward, knee reaction retarded laws that simply do not work.

Have they stopped people smuggling? No .Can they stop people smuggling? No

Do they debase the justice system and anyone who supports this treatment? Yes Does this place a huge burden upon us/you the taxpayer? Yes

Are these laws making those at the very top of local crime syndicates who have zero chance of going to jail incredible amounts of money?

Yes

Will drugs taking ever end?No, never,its as natural as sex and having a glass of wine. Its a human need.Try and stop a human need and you will fail. Like trying to outlaw prostitution. Even maslow wrote about this( it was taken out of many of is writings )

Is it still a viable option to smuggle drugs and " get away with it" Yes,for sure this is so..And here there is still the very real option of being able to pay.

So, we have a totally failed law that has never worked, will never work because it addresses a human need and a system in place that puts the least deserving of punishment in jails that we pay for and the criminal elite right at the top- great! High fives to all!

Drugs are not "evil". Nor does anyone force anyone to take them. I think its far more evil to tell someone what they can and cannot do with their bodies.

I think its far less "evil" to choose to take any drug than to pay an impoverished young lady to commit a sexual act that you know she does not want to preform but are taking advantage of the social climate.

Heroin when taken correctly is one of the least harmful of drugs and people can and do take this and other substances all their life with no adverse effect at all.

People will always take them

The laws and attitudes surrounding them are really backward. Taken in responsible way they do far less harm than many "legal" or overlooked things.

But that does not keep the corrupt where they are- and so, they stay in place. If we cannot see this we are truly blind.

[Farangdam]

what happen if she not get caught 9 year before and the drug are circulating.. so much damage cause

[rotary]

I wish she was still in prison having maggot stew for what she did. Death would have been better for her. She knew what she was doing and knew what the laws were.

[BKKBobby]

I wish she was still in prison having maggot stew for what she did. Death would have been better for her. She knew what she was doing and knew what the laws were.

Im categorically against the death penalty but Porky shouldnt complain when she got 9 years. 8-9 years is in the lower regions of what theoretically she could have gotten in many western european countries and Australia. In the US she would have been away for a couple of decades. Still she complains, whats worse, eating rotten food for 9 years, if that was what she really did that is, or be arrested at the airport in the US and serve a couple of decades behind bar. She should sh*t up.

Edited September 1, 2012 by BKKBobby

[Sayonarax]

Wheres my violin gone?