Aussie Farang Ladies Escapes "Bangkok Hilton" Jail

[somboon]

I agree with "spellbound" They should let them rot in the bkk hilton. They knew what they were doing before they embarked on the venture, they knew the risks, they knew they had children (but did they think of their kids "did they <deleted>. not on your nellie did they") they were just ###### bent on thinking of their own miserable selves. Had it happened in Singapore, Saudi, and perhaps even the states they would remain incarcerated for a whole lot longer than 8-10 years.

And if the "hilton" is not all thay comfortable why should it be.

[meadish_sweetball]

I don't know why you are so soon to judge and deal out life sentences on the basis of a few newspaper articles? Giving people a chance after 8 years of time to repent doesn't seem like a good idea to you?

A person addicted to heroin hardly knows what he or she is doing. They're wrapped up in an unreal life neither of us can properly imagine, where the only reality is getting enough money to secure the next fix.

Sure, they have put themseleves in that position.

These two women will be sent to Australia and spend 5 more years in prison.

13 years in prison is certainly long enough for a person who is believed to refrain from crimes in the future (of course there is no fool-proof system to prevent them from doing something stupid again, but I personally would be VERY surprised if they did).

Also, what about the children's right to their parents? Is that totally irrelevant.

Spellbound, I am sorry, but with your vindictive and hard-line attitude I can't help but think that if you lived a few hundred years ago, you'd be among the people cheering when a witch was burned at the stake.

Learn to forgive. It's a gift.

DaveYo, Australia can certainly not just let these women out once they're in Australia - how do you expect Thailand to honour this treaty afterwards if this happens? And don't believe for a second the Thai authorities won't keep themselves informed of what happens to their ex-prisoners.

These prisoner exchange programs only work if both sides respect them, just like any agreement.

[Begs]

Its a proven fact around the western world drug users cause more crime than any other criminal faction. The cost to the world is too great to have scum like this around.

Do you mean the Alcohol producers and the Cigarette manufactures, or the Drinkers and Smokers themselves. Alcohol and Tobacco are responsible for 97% of all drug related deaths, your kind caring Law making society have governments that tax these products to the tune of Billions of Dollars a day worldwide, still, between them they only claim 4.2 million deaths a year, and Alcohol is the main player in a very high percentage of Violent crime, including Murder and Rape, and the Road deaths caused by drunken drivers is staggering and the social problems and household violence e.t.c. e.t.c. e.t.c.

Look up the facts and figures, see how many crimes are commited by people under the influence of Alcohol, it's amazing

If people where Jailed for stupidity, all pissheads would be lifed off.

Summimg up do you think that a kid that takes an Ecstacy tab on a Saturday night to get high and have a good time , is Scum that should Jailed for 50 years, that sentence will more than likely be handed down by a Judge who will drink Alcohol after to ease his stressful day. Is that Justice? Alcohol is a drug that has been with us for so long and has so many users its completely acceptable, until some drunken ###### pisshead attacks you for no reason other than being drunk, an attack he wont even remember cos he is so pissed, or your family is suddenly erased in a road accident by some Drunk in Charge of a car.

How many of you puritanical people drink Alcohol because you are thirsty?

And if you had been drinking and you caused an accident and someone was killed, do you think you would recieve a 50 year jail sentence?

[Begs]

Many drug users commit murder, child and spouse abuse, rape, property damage, assault and other violent crimes under the influence of drugs.  Drug users, many of whom are unable to hold jobs, commit robberies not only to obtain drugs, but also to purchase food, shelter, clothing and other goods and services.  A proper deterrent will increase awareness that one has to become socially acceptable to others around us. My vote goes to places like the BKK Hilton and similar places.

Ridding the world of drug pushers and producers is impossible because of the wealth drugs produce for these scums. Its unfortunate legalizing drugs will not eliminate illegal trafficking of neither drugs nor the violence associated with the illegal drug trade.  A black market would still exist unless all psychoactive and addictive drugs in all strengths were made available to all ages in unlimited quantity at no cost. “Then God / Buddha  / Allah etc help us all.” As a study of international drug policy and its effects on countries has shown that countries with lax drug law enforcement have had an increase in drug addiction and crime.  Conversely, those with strong drug policies have reduced drug use and enjoy low crime rates. 

Yes you may think I am on my soapbox, but when one has been touched personally by the evilness, sadness, lawlessness, and the total disregard that a drug user can bring to ones family maybe just maybe you will understand.

So to this: I say keep the guilty away from the acquiescent persons of the world.

Yes i Agree, Alcohol should be banned completely and Put on the dangerous drugs list ( you are on about Alcohol, aren't you?)

[BlackJack]

[McKenzie, who has found God and started studying to become a social worker, said eight years in prison had changed her and probably saved her life. ]

and who said theres no cure for smuggling and addiction

looks like the Bangkok Hilton works

[DaveYo]

Most prisoners will say that part about finding religion etc. But once back out in the street, most return to their ways of old and they forget what they said. It depends on the person themselves and how well they learned their lesson.

Daveyoti.

[ChiangMaiThai]

As a study of international drug policy and its effects on countries has shown that countries with lax drug law enforcement have had an increase in drug addiction and crime. Conversely, those with strong drug policies have reduced drug use and enjoy low crime rates.

What study was that? Who comissioned it? America's 'War on drugs' people? If this is so, why is Canada now easing its laws regardign marijuana? Also, you're falling into a trap if you call all illegal substances 'drugs' and then assuem they are evil because a government said so. Heroine is very different from marijuana. Ecstacy is very different from cocaine...

[Up2U]

The 100 plus grammes showed that they had 'conspired' to smuggle drugs. What would have happened if there had been a dozen of them, with 100-plus grammes between them - this would have been less than 10 grammes each - just about a 'user's' pack. Still a conspiracy in Thailand?

But remember that the basic sentence for drug-smuggling is the same as in Saudi, UAE, other Middle Eastern countries - death! They were lucky to be foreigners, who are usually let off the death sentence, do the time instead.

I used to do some prison visiting in Libya. Went to visit one Frenchman, he asked me to contact another French prisoner who was in another part of the prison. Turned out he was a political prisoner - allowed no visitors - I spent three days in jail for asking to see him! And I was in the above-ground cells. Most detainees were in the 'bottle' cells - holes dug in the ground by prisoners, with a small entrance hole and a larger hollowed-out section under, with a dozen or so prisoners in each, ever getting out. That is punishment!

[Limbo]

"Its a proven fact around the western world drug users cause more crime than any other criminal faction.

...wrote Mr. Spellbound

Mr. Spellbound clearly doesn't realise that the criminalisation of drug use is part of the cause, with other words: Drugs policies create more crime than drugs do.

What Mr. Spellbound and Nancy Reagan have (had) in common, is an almost religious belief in simple solutions.

[taxexile]

forget about the rights and wrongs of drug use and smuggling.

those people broke the law of the country they were visiting as guests.

it is not up to foriegners to determine the laws in thailand.

visitors should be aware of what is acceptable within the law here and if they behave in a way contrary to what is acceptable then they must expect to be punished.

drug importers do it for easy profit. they know the penalties and should not complain when caught.

[Stevieboy]

most of the pain and suffering caused by drugs are because they are illegal.Some people are born to self destruct in life , why punish people who can handle drugs in moderation.Surely a person has a right to stick what he or she likes inside them.

When i first read your comments i honestly thought you were talking about ALCOHOL.

Well said

Apparently over a million people take Es or cocaine in the UK every weekend when out clubbing (go into some clubs and you'll be hard pressed to find anybody not on something) The vast majority of these NEVER cause anyone any bother except arguably to themselves.

Begs you really have got a bee in your bonnett regarding alchohol, that horse has long bolted!

[Suzy]

Any parent who has lost a child through drug abuse would insist on enforcement of the law. All the excuses of first time, being young, turning to religion, missing one's own family, begging forgiveness, getting off lightly, are bullshit. They should have thought about the consequences beforehand. Give the bitches what they deserve - the death penalty.

[dtoodnut]

Why oh why would an Australian want to do such a tired old, "nod out" drug like hair-on? They live in paradise. A nice place with a government that actually cares about it's people. Little or no poverty, and cheap trips to Asia only hours away.

I mean, I can see it in Europe, the UK, or the the Americas but Aussies have no excuse for wanting to do an tired chemical escape like that crap.

It don't make a lick o' sense!!

[wombat]

Most detainees were in the 'bottle' cells - holes dug in the ground by prisoners, with a small entrance hole and a larger hollowed-out section under, with a dozen or so prisoners in each.

now thats a scarey mental picture

[otherstuff1957]

Most prisoners will say that part about finding religion etc. But once back out in the street, most return to their ways of old and they forget what they said. It depends on the person themselves and how well they learned their lesson.

resigned memberti.

It's interesting to see how many viewpoints that there are here! Dave Y has a good point, recidivism is extremely high among heroin addicts. The odds are that these two ladies will be hooked and back on the street within a couple of years of their release.

They are serving a life sentence that began the day they first stuck a needle into their arms.

[mango head]

I have no sympathy for for these two at all. It's very disrepectful to come to Thailand as a guest and break the law by commiting a serious crime. Also, they should have thought of their children before they did this. I say, let them serve their entire sentance in the Bkk Hilton. Thailand's drug problem is bad enough without help from farangs. maybe that will deter other people from coming here with the intent to sell poison.

[ominouskatiedid]

Unbelievable , Lets have some compassion here. Are you all so sure that nothing can ever go wrong in your lives. You dont know these girls or their families or the ###### they have gone through. Yes they are guilty and not once did they try and say they werent, unlike many foreign prisoners busted with drugs. They are willing to serve their time and are quite happy to serve what the Thailand Government sentenced them to being 50 years, but in humane and civilised conditions. You are all saying let them serve their sentence well so are they. but in a humane way. surely a 50 yr sentence is enough with out it being in atrocious conditions, for what drug smuggling. I dont think so. Punishment enough.

[george]

Drug pair leave Thai jail today to serve term in Australia

BANGKOK: Two Australian women sentenced to life in jail for heroin smuggling were allowed to leave a Thai prison today in preparation for their transfer home.

They will complete their sentences in Australia, officials said.

Jane McKenzie and Deborah Spinner were arrested at Bangkok airport in 1996 for carrying 10 condoms filled with heroin.

Another Australian arrested with them, Lyle Doniger, was pardoned.

The two women, now in their 30s, were jailed and had faced the prospect of spending the rest of their lives in a Thai prison.

But agreement was reached to let them return home, making them the first Australians allowed by Thailand to serve out their sentences in their home country.

Under the terms of a treaty signed in 1997 between Australia and the Thai government, the women will have to stay in jail for at least five years before they can apply for parole.

The two were today taken from Lad Yao Women's Prison, north of Bangkok, to Bangkok's Immigration Jail in preparation for their departure.

A Thai Corrections Department official said McKenzie and Spinner signed documents confirming their transfer, meaning they must leave within 24 hours.

The official said they were scheduled to fly home on a Qantas flight from Bangkok at 5.40pm (2140 AEDT) local time.

--DPA 2004-03-24

[Boon Mee]

If they had been cought in Singapore I'm sure they'd still be sitting in Changi Prison.

[mango head]

Unbelievable , Lets have some compassion here.

These girls were found with 10 condoms filled with smack so it's obvious that they intended to sell as well as use. Do you think they would've had any compassion for the people who'se lives would've been ruined or the families of people who died because of overdose? I have compassion for other people and I teach my children to have compassion too. I choose to live drug free and I teach my children that they don't need drugs to have a good and happy life. I don't need some lowlife wandering about selling s### who doesn't give a rats a## about anything else except where their next high is coming from.

[mango head]

Are you all so sure that nothing can ever go wrong in your lives. You dont know these girls or their families or the ###### they have gone through.

They chose to mess up their own lives. It's not as if this was preordained to happen. Or are you trying to say that these two should be excused because they had unhappy childhoods? Sorry, but that doesn't wash.

[mango head]

surely a 50 yr sentence is enough with out it being in atrocious conditions, for what drug smuggling. I dont think so. Punishment enough.

I don't understand why you're trivializing this serious offense. Do you not have respect for other people and their laws? Do you understand that drugs kill people and bring extreme misery to users and their families? I could go on and on about why your arguement doesn't hold water but hopefully you will begin to see it yourself.