New Zealand teen jailed in Thailand

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Kiwi teen jailed in Thailand
LIAM HYSLOP

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IN JAIL: Quentin Samson was arrested after allegedly taking a taxi driver's phone.

BANGKOK: -- A New Zealand teenager's drunken night out in Thailand has ended on the cold concrete floor of a Bangkok prison.

Quentin Samson took a holiday to Thailand to celebrate his 18th birthday but soon found himself behind bars, charged with theft in the night.

His brother-in-law, John Burns, speaking from Auckland said five days ago Samson went out to celebrate the 21st birthday of his friend, Ashton Holmes. They had had a few drinks when Samson disappeared without notifying anyone.

He caught a taxi back to his hotel and, in his intoxicated state, allegedly stole the taxi driver's phone.

Police arrived and Samson gave the phone back but resisted arrest, afraid Holmes would not be able to find him if he was in jail.

Holmes spent the next 48 hours frantically searching hospitals for Samson before being notified of his arrest.

Police had taken him into custody and charged him with theft in the night, which carries a stiffer sentence than theft during the day, Burns said.

"Apparently that's a worse charge if you do it at night-time rather than the day, it's a very serious crime."

If the theft had occurred during the day the maximum penalty, if found guilty, would be up to three years' imprisonment.

For theft in the night it was one to five years' imprisonment.

Full story: http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/asia/9680590/Kiwi-teen-jailed-in-Thailand

-- stuff.co.nz 2014-02-04

[JRSoul]

It's lucky twilight is so brief in the tropics otherwise cops would have to carry light meters.

[Cylon]

Naughty Kiwi. Back home you would get diversion if you had no previous record.Thailand is a whole different ball game.

[OZEMADE]

Obviously he did steal the phone as he gave it back, but also then resisted arrest. I suppose he will now learn a lesson that you cant steal other peoples property and will possibly pay a harsher penalty than what he would have done back in New Zealand had he have done the same thing. I doubt he will ever steal again when let out from prison. he probably on release wont be allowed to enter Thailand again.

[SABloke]

He gave the phone back like that's gonna make it all better. It's like robbing a bank and then giving the money back - hey, no harm no foul. I also love how the media always paints these teen fwits as victims : shame the prison must be terrible; hes got a job and works really hard - obviously not hard enough if he decided to steal a phone in Thailand. Thieves make my blood boil-the lowest form of respect and highest form of laziness. Somnamna

Sent from my GT-S7270 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Yunla]

These incidents reflect badly on all foreigners visiting Thailand, even though it is an individual committing the crime, on a subconscious level in the Thai public mind these crimes tarnish the image of all visitors. We are honoured guests, and as guests should behave properly and maintain high personal standards regardless of how the local corruption situation may be.

Shameful.

[tx22cb]

The perp was stupid to resist arrest. Otherwise, he could have settled out of court with the taxi driver (10,000 Bht to drop charges).

As it is, he probably hit some bobbies, so there could be assault charges too.

[tx22cb]

These incidents reflect badly on all foreigners visiting Thailand, even though it is an individual committing the crime, on a subconscious level in the Thai public mind these crimes tarnish the image of all visitors. We are honoured guests, and as guests should behave properly and maintain high personal standards regardless of how the local corruption situation may be.

Shameful.

Nah, I think Thais are smart enough to distinguish the antics of a drunk (whatever the nationality) vs normal tourists.

Edited February 4, 2014 by Mario2008
off topic comment removed

[mamypoko]

anyone know the age of majority here?

[Astro86]

He gave the phone back like that's gonna make it all better. It's like robbing a bank and then giving the money back - hey, no harm no foul. I also love how the media always paints these teen fwits as victims : shame the prison must be terrible; hes got a job and works really hard - obviously not hard enough if he decided to steal a phone in Thailand. Thieves make my blood boil-the lowest form of respect and highest form of laziness. Somnamna

I completely agree mate. Stealing from someone that probably makes a very small percentage

[Astro86]

Of your wage.. Shame, let him learn.

[Red Snake]

I learn something ever day here. Now when I plan to rob a bank, I will make sure it's daylight outside.

[binjalin]

silly boy but we were all young once... send him home - slap on wrist and ban for ten years coming here should be enough (hopefully)

[Kalbo]

These incidents reflect badly on all foreigners visiting Thailand, even though it is an individual committing the crime, on a subconscious level in the Thai public mind these crimes tarnish the image of all visitors. We are honoured guests, and as guests should behave properly and maintain high personal standards regardless of how the local corruption situation may be.

Shameful.

'Honoured Guests' my hairy arse. We are tolerated only because of the cash we bring.

[Prbkk]

These incidents reflect badly on all foreigners visiting Thailand, even though it is an individual committing the crime, on a subconscious level in the Thai public mind these crimes tarnish the image of all visitors. We are honoured guests, and as guests should behave properly and maintain high personal standards regardless of how the local corruption situation may be.

Shameful.

Of course I agree that we should behave properly as guests in this country and to pay the penalty if we don't. However, this story is typical of the gross double standards applying in this country. A young, drunk, stupid foreigner nicks a phone and behaves badly....thrown in jail and left out of contact with those who are looking for him, fearing the worst. A Thai robs, bashes, scams, threatens, stabs (whatever) a foreigner and they are out on bail in Olympic split second timing ( or never charged at all) . Scandalous and disgraceful double standards in the land of scams Edited February 4, 2014 by Prbkk

[Yunla]

Nah, I think Thais are smart enough to distinguish the antics of a drunk (whatever the nationality) vs normal tourists.

Yes they are smart enough. But it is more of a vague subconscious factor, which builds up gradually over time the more news stories arrive. The same way as a little old lady who has never been even remotely racist, listening to news reports every day about ethnic minorities robbing people just like her, she will not become a racist but on a subconscious level she will double-check coloured people when she passes them on the way home from the shops. Or terrorism - you are more likely to die from the flu than from a suicide bomb, and yet we have been programmed by news stories to be alert for any young ME men with black backpacks on. It doesn't mean you hate them consciously, but you are wary of them because of news reports. The subconscious is a powerful thing, which most people have little or no control over. The occasional news story about farang crime is okay, but if it becomes epidemic there will be a subconscious mistrust building up over time.

[RJF]

I learn something ever day here. Now when I plan to rob a bank, I will make sure it's daylight outside.

You're gonna have to mate...banks are typically closed at night. So if you were to do it at night, technically it would not be a robbery but burglary.

[thhMan]

Had he not been a westerner/tourist, he wouldnt be treated like a Soi Dog

At every turn, Thailand shames itself again!

[jackr]

I have no time for thieves, they should all be locked up... just a shame the law is not consistent here. i.e. you can get less time for killing someone if you know the right people.

[jackr]

We are honoured guests, and as guests should behave properly and maintain high personal standards regardless of how the local corruption situation may be.

Agree with the second part, but this is right up there with the most puke-worthy comments on this site.

[Gumballl]

I learn something ever day here. Now when I plan to rob a bank, I will make sure it's daylight outside.

Good for you! That's when the banks are typically open. A night-time break in would require some smarts, and boy, you aren't there yet.

[tomyummer]

He should've stole rice and votes instead. Apparently they aren't arresting anyone for that.

Edited February 4, 2014 by tomyummer

[stickyrice2000]

I learn something ever day here. Now when I plan to rob a bank, I will make sure it's daylight outside.

Good for you! That's when the banks are typically open. A night-time break in would require some smarts, and boy, you aren't there yet.

[MikeENZ]

So when are they going to arrest the guys firing assault rifles at train stations again?

[simple1]

Just to provide a bit of balance. From the OP link, the offender was offered bail, but neither he or his friend had the funds, family is currently arranging the funds. Probable will have to pay a fine, deported & then blacklisted for a while so long as family can/will pay the fine on conviction, airfare etc

"Bail was about 60,000 (NZ$2250), which neither Samson or Holmes were able to pay"

[Kilgore Trout]

These incidents reflect badly on all foreigners visiting Thailand, even though it is an individual committing the crime, on a subconscious level in the Thai public mind these crimes tarnish the image of all visitors. We are honoured guests, and as guests should behave properly and maintain high personal standards regardless of how the local corruption situation may be.

Shameful.

If you want to be an "honored guest" in your own mind then go ahead.

As for me; I live and work here have a family etc. I behave according to my own moral standards just as I would anywhere else in the world, whether in my home country or abroad.

I don't go around reminding aliens in my country that they are merely "guests" and should act as if they are a spokesperson for their entire nation; no. I expect them to act like decent human beings full stop.

[chooka]

silly boy but we were all young once... send him home - slap on wrist and ban for ten years coming here should be enough (hopefully)

Yes we were all young once but we weren't all thieves or got into confrontations with authorities. He did the crime in Thailand and deserves to face Thai punishment.

[darren84310]

A foreign girl last year had the experience of getting a taxi ride home, the taxi driver took the highway, then faked a breakdown, told her to wait on the other side of the concrete barrier as it was safer, then asked to borrow her i-phone as his had no credit. You can probably guess what happened next, he drove off and surprise surprise, the police didn't hardly show a blind bit of notice, 4 hours in the police station, waiting for them to have breakfast and get round to the paper work.

I suppose they thought she was lucky not to have been raped as she is very pretty.

Unlike the poor foreign girl in Samui a few years ago, violently raped by a taxi driver, what happened to him, caught but never charged. His brother was a policeman.

[unanimosity]

It's lucky twilight is so brief in the tropics otherwise cops would have to carry light meters.

[rjcampbe]

Why yes... Stealing a mobile phone is a very serious crime... made more serious because it was dark and scary outside.

It's just disgusting to me that a taxi driver can beat the hell out of a tourist for some perceived slight and they get away with a small fine, if anything... But when a drunk teen tourist allegedly steals a mobile phone he is arrested and faces 1-5 years... (because he didn't offer the nice officer a big bribe.)

(that said, if he did steal the phone, he deserves appropriate punishment. but 1-5 years for petty theft isn't appropriate...)

And as has already been stated... while this charade goes on, there is lawlessness in the streets, shootings, bombings, and general civil disobedience, and no police or any system of justice doing anything about it.

Thailand continues to make a complete ass of itself on the world stage...

SSDD.