Norwegian escapes indictment in Thailand

[webfact]

Norwegian escaped indictment in Thailand
BY SINE NEUCHS THOMSEN



BANGKOK: -- The 53 years-old Norwegian Mack London escaped from Thailand to Cambodia, because the Norwegian Embassy would not issue him with an emergency passport, newspaper Aftenposten reported.

The Norwegian citizen Mack London who left Norway in 2005 has lived in Thailand the past years, where he has worked with real estate and also became the father of two children.

After a while Mack London ended in a brawl with a developer in Thailand, and later on in a conflict with the local police authorities. Eventually London was accused of embezzlement. According to Aftenposten he was to meet at a hearing in Phetchaburi south of Bangkok on 1 August.

Instead of showing up, London illegally crossed the border to Cambodia, where he has spent the last two months. To Aftenposten London tells, that he had to pay 20.000 Norwegian kroner in bribes to cross the border. Via Skype from a hotel room in Pnomh Penh, the capital of Cambodia, London claims his innocence.

“I have not done anything wrong, instead I am being cheated out of millions of kroner,” he told Aftenposten.

The reason why he left Thailand is that he needed medical treatment, and was afraid to end up in jail in Thailand.

After Mack London did not show up for the hearing on 1 August, an order for his arrest was issued by the Thai authorities. Furthermore London was told to show up in the court again on 1 October. Now that he did not show up this week the new message to him is that he will have to show up on 12 December.

According to the Norwegian Embassy in Thailand, London has been banned departure from Thailand the last two years.

Lost passport

London told Aftenposten that he paid the smugglers to get a valid entry permit in Camboda, so he could continue his journey. But he did not get that, instead he claims that the smugglers who were going to help him, lost his passport.

The embassy in Thailand doubts in a letter to London, if he actually lost the passport, because he would end up having problems leaving the country without a valid stamp. The embassy also did not want to give London an emergency passport, because he is wanted by the police in Thailand.

Asked by Aftenposten, if he thinks the smugglers stole his passport, London replies:

“They claim that they have lost it,” he says and declines that he should be the one not telling the truth.

In an account in Norway, Mack London claims to have money enough to pay a flight ticket back home.

“But now I have only 350 dollars left, which is enough to live one week here. In the worst case if I do not get an emergency passport from the embassy or obtain more money, I will end up on the street,” he said to Aftenposten.

According to London himself he is seriously ill and scared what will happen to him if he does not receive proper treatment soon.

Embassy involved

The case has been taken to department level in the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, because it is a matter of principle. The main reason why the Norwegian embassy declined the first application for emergency passport was due to a paragraph in the passport law, which prohibits the embassy from issuing a passport to persons who are wanted by the police.

The embassy maintained its decision after London complained. In addition they wrote that there were other “weighty considerations” why London should not get the passport.

The embassy refers to the fact that they depend on a good relationship with the authorities in Thailand and they “cannot put themselves in a situation where they help Norwegians who break the law of the country to run away from their responsibility.”

They also do not want the case to set a precedent.

But the Norwegian Police Directorate, which is the appellate authority in such matters, does not agree with the embassy. In a letter they wrote that the embassy declined London’s passport application on a wrong basis

That is because the embassy’s decision refers to a letter from the department of justice to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where it appears that the warrant, which the embassy is referring to, can not be used to decline an emergency passport, alone because a Norwegian is wanted by foreign authorities.

The police did not reverse the decision, but they say that the embassy must consider the application to London for an emergency passport again.

The embassy has now contacted the Ministry of foreign affairs, because they believe that the police directorate’s conclusion is not in keeping with the embassy’s “Guidelines for passports”. According the embassy the law says that: “In case of prosecution abroad, passports can not be issued without consent of the applicable governments,”

The Police Directorate said to Aftenposten, that they on 8 April this year sent out a letter to police districts and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with guidelines for issuing emergency passports. They also confirm that the police directorate has the authority to overturn a refusal from the embassy, and in that case the embassy is committed to issue emergency passports.

The Norwegian Embassy in Bangkok will “look at the issue again in the near future” according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry to Aftenposten.

Aftenposten gained access to the relevant documents in the case, and in addition London has given the Norwegian Newspaper an authorization to have access to the information which the Norwegian authorities have in the case.

Meanwhile, Mack London is still sitting in Cambodia without the possibility to go to Norway or Thailand for that matter. London told Aftenposten that he heard from the hearing on 1 August, that a judge should have stated that London probably would not be jailed.

“In hindsight I should probably have stayed there,” London admits.

His lawyer Ron Mulstad, also confirms to Aftenposten, that London would probably have avoided jail, if he had shown up in first case. Now London can meet up on 12 December, and he tells Aftenposten, that he has received signals that he is likely to avoid jail if he pays his way out. Whether London will meet up in the court depends on his health conditions and if he can make his way back to Norway, he tells Aftenposten.

Source: (only in Norwegian): http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/iriks/Nordmann-romte-fra-tiltale-i-Thailand-7327312.html#.UlOu2dJkN14

Source: http://scandasia.com/norwegian-escaped-indictment-thailand/

-- ScandAsia 2013-10-10

[uty6543]

The best way to deal with problems like this is through proper channels. Illegal entry into Cambodia is only going to make matters worst.

[tonneke breda]

Why would he pay 20.000 Nkr. I went into Laos and Cambodia several times around the check-point (oops police is not reading I hope) but it's a piece of cake..

[Khun Robert]

Why would he pay 20.000 Nkr. I went into Laos and Cambodia several times around the check-point (oops police is not reading I hope) but it's a piece of cake..

Obvious he is not telling the truth.

Why choose Cambodia health care above Norway?

He had passport, not on bail, so he can leave normal from airport.

But he stated: “I have not done anything wrong, instead I am being cheated out of millions of kroner,” he told Aftenposten.

Well I think border crossings by paying a big deal of money, handing over your passport to a smuggling gang is something wrong.

[simon43]

He had passport, not on bail, so he can leave normal from airport.

I think not. The airport/border authorities have computer access to 2 'blacklist' databases. One is to deny entry into Thailand and one is to deny EXIT from Thailand. I suspect his name is on that second list.

Simon

[Asiantravel]

Thailand has an extradition treaty with Cambodia (but with a get out clause if it is considered political) and because this isn't a political case may be, they would eventually bring him back this way?

But I definitely don't understand the attitude of the Norwegian Police Directorate who seem to want to give him another passport which would surely guarantee his ability to escape?

[CelticBhoy]

He's not 100% that's for sure.

Look at the photo - he has no arms for God's sake!

[jalansanitwong]

If you were to put 500 farang Thailand expats aged 50 -65 in a group photo it would be the most horrific picture ever taken IMHO

Edited October 10, 2013 by jalansanitwong

[mrtoad]

Funny how the rules obviously dont apply to a certain convicted criminal in Dubai.

[Pib]

Norwegian escaped indictment in Thailand

Before reading the story my first reaction to the headline was that Thai's escape indictment in Thailand all the time so why shouldn't a farang.

[pacovl46]

Is that the guy who killed his wife and stuffed her into a barrel in his basement?

[nycjoe]

Some folks just like living in the fast track. I think there is a movie here somewhere. Looking forward to seeing more of the script. Sorry for the kids though.

[soi41]

Is that the guy who killed his wife and stuffed her into a barrel in his basement?

Don't even mention that case on Thaivisa!!(The barrelguy used to be a moderator here)

[little mary sunshine]

Something is very wrong with this story. Honest people don't run from a situation. Usually the truth

comes out. Where did he get the millions he is being cheated out of? Sounds like the Con Man

has finally been brought out into the open. If he winds up on the street in a week, perhaps he will

lose 20 or 30 pounds.....he could stand to lose the weight 55555555555

[SOTIRIOS]

.....there is no justice for foreigners in Thailand.....

....once you are of no more use....because they got everything they could from you.....you have to be disposed of one way or another....

...on a smaller scale...many of us have firsthand experience with this phenomenon......

That is why I am trying to start this project:

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/expats-in-distress-in-thailand/x/4912918?show_todos=true

(..to help some of us....)

[tragickingdom]

Why would he pay 20.000 Nkr. I went into Laos and Cambodia several times around the check-point (oops police is not reading I hope) but it's a piece of cake..

It is a pretty weird story and it is probably made up by Norwegian journalists who do not have a clue. I suspect that he paid 20K to get a ride to Phnom Pen. I do not understand the fuss too much either the vice prime minister's son crossed also illegally into Cambodia after having killed a policeman. It's not a big deal. Cambodia has a huge market for false travel documents which can be obtained easily and there is always a border policeman who stamps the passport for a fee. In theory he could follow the path that many refugees take. False passport, original entry/exit stamp from Cambodia the plane to Norway and as soon as he enters Norway he can claim the same, that he has lost his passport. There is no way in the world Norway would send him back to Thailand, worst case he is facing charges in Norway. But you are better sitting pretty in a Norwegian prison than a Thai one.

[mrtoad]

Is that the guy who killed his wife and stuffed her into a barrel in his basement?

No, that ex-TV mod is in jail already I think.

[oxo1947]

.....there is no justice for foreigners in Thailand.....

....once you are of no more use....because they got everything they could from you.....you have to be disposed of one way or another....

...on a smaller scale...many of us have firsthand experience with this phenomenon......

That is why I am trying to start this project:

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/expats-in-distress-in-thailand/x/4912918?show_todos=true

(..to help some of us....)

That's all we need, an agent from WONGA......or as this lot is calling themselves INDIEGOGO who is just on here to help us all..........

Is it the same rates as WONGA.. 459% or do TV members get a special rate.

[stoli]

Is that the guy who killed his wife and stuffed her into a barrel in his basement?

Come on, who hasn't thought of doing that at one time or another?

[camo007]

Hop a container ship to Norway / Europe and he can get off and enter Norway after showing other forms of ID. I have also seen people get on a private sailing boat and sail home without a care in the world. Airports are not the only option to travel you know.

[camo007]

And before you judge him ask yourself "Do you have faith in the Thai legal system?"

[marquis22]

Is that the guy who killed his wife and stuffed her into a barrel in his basement?

Come on, who hasn't thought of doing that at one time or another?

True, but if you got kids, she is their mother. How can you deny your kids their mother they love just as much a they love their father??

[uty6543]

.....there is no justice for foreigners in Thailand.....

....once you are of no more use....because they got everything they could from you.....you have to be disposed of one way or another....

...on a smaller scale...many of us have firsthand experience with this phenomenon......

That is why I am trying to start this project:

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/expats-in-distress-in-thailand/x/4912918?show_todos=true

(..to help some of us....)

I checked out the link in your post and from the way I understand it you are asking other TV members to cough up $30,000 for your retirement visa because you were daft enough to lose your money to a Thai lady.

Have I understood you correctly?

[marquis22]

.....there is no justice for foreigners in Thailand.....

....once you are of no more use....because they got everything they could from you.....you have to be disposed of one way or another....

...on a smaller scale...many of us have firsthand experience with this phenomenon......

That is why I am trying to start this project:

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/expats-in-distress-in-thailand/x/4912918?show_todos=true

(..to help some of us....)

I checked out the link in your post and from the way I understand it you are asking other TV members to cough up $30,000 for your retirement visa because you were daft enough to lose your money to a Thai lady.

Have I understood you correctly?

I read it also. Can I have evens the counter stays at $0

[Angeledge777]

A new catch me if you can!

Seriously, you are in big problems now. Don't expect help from anyone and try to live illegally for as long as you can. That's the only thing I see you can do.

[oldsailor35]

Funny how the rules obviously dont apply to a certain convicted criminal in Dubai.

Or the little Red Bull grub in Singapore

[FalangBaa]

I'm sure he's not Norwegian. "Mack London" isn't a Norwegian name at all, and he doesn't even look Scandinavian.

[FarangTalk]

He had passport, not on bail, so he can leave normal from airport.

I think not. The airport/border authorities have computer access to 2 'blacklist' databases. One is to deny entry into Thailand and one is to deny EXIT from Thailand. I suspect his name is on that second list.

Simon

Not all of them are computerised and connected to the system.

Easy to leave if you know where to go.

[thepanom]

He have been living in Cha-am for a long time as a property broker mostly for Scandinavian, he owns a lot of money to Cha-am developers, and to his customers, milions and milions

[ableguy]

Seems like just another cheap crook claiming innocence, and for all you arm chair liberals that's my opinion agree with me or not.