Phuket Tourist Police expat volunteer arrested on crystal meth charges

[hansgruber]

Even his supervisor Wal has stated he was taking money when he shouldnt have been. The drugs isnt the only thing this rooster was up to. And its been for a long time. You dont just come to another country and start dealing drugs. Im sure he has done it before in the west. Thats why he was so comfortable with it Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

You are a bit of a tool aren't you with comments like that.

It's true though. Many people have complained at his mediation techniques.

[MobileContent]

Tourist Police = Idiots who want to be someone.

Better do away with all of them and teach some of the brighter police ( Are there any? ) to speak other languages

This may be a bit harsh with respect to the foreign volunteers, but I've always had mixed feelings about them and their motivation & agenda... If you've had a good experience with them, 'seems like this is your golden opportunity to share it.

I am not in Phuket, I don't want to be. I am a TPV where I am, I do not wear a uniform, BUT have put my services forward to TP to help farags to understand their position if a problem. Plain and simple. Folk here run me down as being a truncheon wielding wannabe, which could not be further than the truth.

Have you be a law enforcement officer in your home country? If yes, I have high respect for any law enforcement officer that moves to Thailand and try to assist as a volunteer. I can speak good Thai, have been in Thailand for the last 24 years but I just couldn't be a TPV as I just don't have the experience. I do think its a good idea to have every TPV Farang come up with a police record report in their home country. You have Tourist police in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, VIetnam and even China but I never heard they would hire a farang to actually become a volunteer.

Pattaya too has also TPV and some are certainly questionable, running all kinds of businesses and also happy to take a shot with a camera.

The Thai tourism industry is huge. They can afford more tourist police officers and pay for their language learning. A friend of my told me from China, Thailand needs TP or TPV that are fluent in Russian and Chinese but you just can't find them any where when you need them.

[JetsetBkk]

I wonder how many years he'll get?

I think he knows it's going to be most of the rest of his life, judging by the miserable face he's got in the photographs.

It must be like looking down the deepest well imaginable and know you're about to fall in.

[Showbags]

Even his supervisor Wal has stated he was taking money when he shouldnt have been. The drugs isnt the only thing this rooster was up to. And its been for a long time. You dont just come to another country and start dealing drugs. Im sure he has done it before in the west. Thats why he was so comfortable with it Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

You are a bit of a tool aren't you with comments like that.

People that deal ice to teenagers are just one rung up the ladder from rock spiders. Are you defending him?

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Yes I am until I know exactly and for sure what has happened as he is/was a very decent guy that would do anything for anyone......he would not make assumptions about people like you have without knowing them and claim they must have done this because of that..

Why don't you put your money where your mouth is ??... The drugs isnt the only thing this rooster was up to. And its been for a long time.

[PeterSmiles]

Tourist Police = Idiots who want to be someone.

Better do away with all of them and teach some of the brighter police ( Are there any? ) to speak other languages

This may be a bit harsh with respect to the foreign volunteers, but I've always had mixed feelings about them and their motivation & agenda... If you've had a good experience with them, 'seems like this is your golden opportunity to share it.

I am not in Phuket, I don't want to be. I am a TPV where I am, I do not wear a uniform, BUT have put my services forward to TP to help farags to understand their position if a problem. Plain and simple. Folk here run me down as being a truncheon wielding wannabe, which could not be further than the truth.

Have you be a law enforcement officer in your home country? If yes, I have high respect for any law enforcement officer that moves to Thailand and try to assist as a volunteer. I can speak good Thai, have been in Thailand for the last 24 years but I just couldn't be a TPV as I just don't have the experience. I do think its a good idea to have every TPV Farang come up with a police record report in their home country. You have Tourist police in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, VIetnam and even China but I never heard they would hire a farang to actually become a volunteer.

Pattaya too has also TPV and some are certainly questionable, running all kinds of businesses and also happy to take a shot with a camera.

The Thai tourism industry is huge. They can afford more tourist police officers and pay for their language learning. A friend of my told me from China, Thailand needs TP or TPV that are fluent in Russian and Chinese but you just can't find them any where when you need them.

Most police volunteers that I know of here in Pattaya have experience with law enforcement, but unfortunately not in the way that you have in mind .

[IrishIvan]

I wonder how many years he'll get?

I think he knows it's going to be most of the rest of his life, judging by the miserable face he's got in the photographs.

It must be like looking down the deepest well imaginable and know you're about to fall in.

18 grams is a decent haul, an Australian got busted in Malaysia with 30 grams and he will swing. I dont think Thailand is as harsh as Malaysia though. I reckon he will get about 8-10. Maybe 6 with good behaviour, he can write a book after and we can see it for sale at all the airports in Thailand

[Showbags]

Even his supervisor Wal has stated he was taking money when he shouldnt have been. The drugs isnt the only thing this rooster was up to. And its been for a long time. You dont just come to another country and start dealing drugs. Im sure he has done it before in the west. Thats why he was so comfortable with it Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

You are a bit of a tool aren't you with comments like that.

It's true though. Many people have complained at his mediation techniques.

You mean the people that are in the shit for doing something wrong in the first place and then complain about it costing them too much to buy their way out ??...is that the people you mean ?

[hansgruber]

Even his supervisor Wal has stated he was taking money when he shouldnt have been. The drugs isnt the only thing this rooster was up to. And its been for a long time. You dont just come to another country and start dealing drugs. Im sure he has done it before in the west. Thats why he was so comfortable with it Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

You are a bit of a tool aren't you with comments like that.

It's true though. Many people have complained at his mediation techniques.

You mean the people that are in the shit for doing something wrong in the first place and then complain about it costing them too much to buy their way out ??...is that the people you mean ?

Yes. Those people.

Is it protocol to accept a cut of that?

[abcdefghi]

I wonder how many years he'll get?

I think he knows it's going to be most of the rest of his life, judging by the miserable face he's got in the photographs.

It must be like looking down the deepest well imaginable and know you're about to fall in.

18 grams is a decent haul, an Australian got busted in Malaysia with 30 grams and he will swing. I dont think Thailand is as harsh as Malaysia though. I reckon he will get about 8-10. Maybe 6 with good behaviour, he can write a book after and we can see it for sale at all the airports in Thailand

Funny you say that as he has writen a book before, about the time he helped ID bodies after the tsunami, helped contact the families of lost ones found either dead or alive, took people in to his home made them food and let them stay with him when they had nowhere else to go.

[PeterSmiles]

.

Why don't you put your money where your mouth is ??... The drugs isnt the only thing this rooster was up to. And its been for a long time.

A British journalist based in Bangkok has some info for you. His name seems to be a bit sensitive on this forum though, so i will not mention it.

[euroflash]

Even his supervisor Wal has stated he was taking money when he shouldnt have been. The drugs isnt the only thing this rooster was up to. And its been for a long time. You dont just come to another country and start dealing drugs. Im sure he has done it before in the west. Thats why he was so comfortable with it Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Done it before in the West? He has lived in Thailand since he was 22 years old! He was in NZ and Australia before this working for his father..you know nothing!!!!

what sort of work was his father doing? Also the average age for a drug dealer in any country would have to be less than 20

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Not that it is any of your business but he had his own building company before he passed away and sold the company, left money to both of his sons (one which was Garry) who then decided on traveling around the world yet stopped in Thailand, fell in love with the island life and started a reputable business until he fell on hard times. Hope that kills some of your nosy curiosity.

He sold his company after he passed away?

[uptheos]

That is terrible a person in a position of trust that should be looked up to.

I wonder why they mention 'Samsung Galaxy phone and other drug related equipment' in one sentence?

Yeah, even an iPhone has GPS and navigation in it. Necessary tools for a dealer.

Exactly, it's no different from removing a computer to check what's on it.

[Yahooka]

There are a lot more like him in the volunteers.

Unfortunately the TPV attracts the real oddballs.

Agree there are some <deleted> in the TVP............................but most are decent and willing to help and sort out various problems.

[Emdog]

In the west, when a distributor like Mr Lersak is arrested, pressure is put on him to rat out his supplier, someone further up the foodchain, not rung down from him. But not here.... hmmm I wonder why? The cops acting like doing a big bust, but this guy is just a small fish. They go after the sardines, not the sharks. And a farang sardine at that. Insipid grandstanding that makes nearly no dent in drug business. Not serious in the least in reducing drug activity. Pathetic.

[Bung]

I wonder if he felt the risk of a foreigner selling drugs in Thailand was worth the rewards or he was just so stupid as to try it?

99.9% of people who never did drugs would never just start dealing them especially in a place like Thailand so one has to assume he had prior experience in doing them. They found a crack pipe with him when busted so obviously he had a taste for it which probably clouded whatever judgement he had left.

Live by the sword, die by the sword.

[stevenl]

In the west, when a distributor like Mr Lersak is arrested, pressure is put on him to rat out his supplier, someone further up the foodchain, not rung down from him. But not here.... hmmm I wonder why? The cops acting like doing a big bust, but this guy is just a small fish. They go after the sardines, not the sharks. And a farang sardine at that. Insipid grandstanding that makes nearly no dent in drug business. Not serious in the least in reducing drug activity. Pathetic.

Pathetic? Somebody abusing his postion like he apparently was gets arested and you caIl that pathetic. Uncomprehensible.

Sent from my D90W using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[IrishIvan]

18 grams of ice is 180 deals when divided up into deal sizes which is normally .1 of a gram. Not exactly a small time dealer

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[connda]

Damn! Are my family members going to be arrested for having Samsung Galaxy phones??? Drug related equipment!

[KarenBravo]

dam_n! Are my family members going to be arrested for having Samsung Galaxy phones??? Drug related equipment!

Nobody questions the scales as drug related................obviously, no cooks present.

[IrishIvan]

Android has a scales app

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[sniffdog]

Maybe he had too much 'inside' information ....

[myluckythai]

No Xmas Turkey dinner for him 4 a few years!!

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

I bet it will be a lot more than four years

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

familymember here was sentenced to 8 years for possesion with intent to sell of 12 tablets... so yes it will probably be a lot higher..

[Nokbkk]

Tourist Police = Idiots who want to be someone.

Better do away with all of them and teach some of the brighter police ( Are there any? ) to speak other languages

In most western countries, they couldn't get hired to be mall security guards.

David

You are sure ?

I assumed they are sherifs; American cowboys, but these without balls, just a tiny small dick with a sense of inferiority. Couldn't pay the insanity-care bill at home anymore, so turned to a funny life, a hunger to get mocked.

I guess they have a picture of Arnold Schwarzenegger in there wallet !

[transam]

Tourist Police = Idiots who want to be someone.

Better do away with all of them and teach some of the brighter police ( Are there any? ) to speak other languages

In most western countries, they couldn't get hired to be mall security guards.

David

You are sure ?

I assumed they are sherifs; American cowboys, but these without balls, just a tiny small dick with a sense of inferiority. Couldn't pay the insanity-care bill at home anymore, so turned to a funny life, a hunger to get mocked.

I guess they have a picture of Arnold Schwarzenegger in there wallet !

I have...........

[Loles]

Shame, shame, shame.

And he is not a young careless person.

5 years ago when I have met first time with farang tourist police volunteers at PKT I was so surprised cause those two guys looked like a true criminals whose just managed to flee from Europe ... I bet with you they did it.

[SoiSam]

Having also been caught with scales along with the Ice he will eventually be charged with 'manufacture' (2nd level), a charge which carries the death sentence in Thai criminal law. He is denying the charges right now because that is what he would have been advised to do by his brief. The prosecuting attorney has 84 days in which to file charges, along with police reports, with the court after which he will be officially charged at a hearing. Some two weeks after that he will make another appearance to make his plea. A guilty plea will allow the court to reduce his sentence to 'life', though that is entirely at their discretion. The fact that he was working for a government institution will exacerbate his position. Dealers in employ of the government such as soldiers, police and the like face even harsher punishment from the courts than those in a 'private enterprise' type role. Personally I don't fancy his chances nor do I believe that he was not using his product. The photo not only reveals his gaunt and drawn look as that of a user but the ice pipe on the table, confiscated as part of the paraphenalia, is also a bit of a giveaway in my view. It may explain some of the reason behind his dealings though of course does not excuse them.

[overherebc]

If true and he's found guilty then he's a scumbag.

Next time I trust one will be the first.

[Prbkk]

Easy access, good reputation, great connections, shield of respectability( or veneer), personal problems, business problems=familiar story , but a path 99.99% with similar background do not go down. This is a sorry situation for the guy's family but, if guilty of producing, life in jail, file marked "never to be released". This drug is truly evil stuff. Worse than heroin, opiates, whatever. If he is just a user then he is deserving of more sympathy and some treatment options. Thaksin tried to get rid of the dealers, Suharto shot thousands...but people still take the risk.

[Tywais]

Inflammatory post and reply removed.

[thaisail]

First of all Garry Halpin is a member of my family and we are absolutely shocked and saddened by this news. Garry is a wonderful, kind, caring and GENEROUS person who has made some devastatingly bad decisions!

For everyone saying he should be made an example of and should rot in jail, please know he is the sole provider and carer for two young children and you cannot judge someone based on an awful mistake when you do not know him nor know what led to him being put in this stupid situation...desperate times call for desperate measures...and NO that does not condone or justify doing what he did but he has been going through tough times recently. Our family only wishes now that we knew the extent of this so that we could help.

He is not a terrible person, he has just made a terrible terrible choice.

Garry helped me in an emergency in October this year and was in full uniform and driving a police truck at the time. I found him at the Chalong police station and he escorted me in heavy traffic to my home where a medical emergency was taking place with a neighbor that needed an ambulance. He acted with professionalism and I am very grateful to his help that helped save my neighbor's life. I just can't believe all of this has happened and feel truly sad for what may happen to Garry now under the Thai justice. I can't believe that he was not a tourist police since April! I smell a rat!