Disabled Scot claims he was battered by Thai prison guards after being left starving and penniless

[BudRight]

Perhaps a more appropriate punishment would have been to turn him over to TVF members to be beaten with sticks.

[Rimmer]

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[TechnikaIII]

If he had a mental age of 12 years old, why was he allowed to go on holiday, plus meet his Thai Girlfriend ?? Some things just don't add up, maybe a budding Rabbie Burns...

... unless his girlfriend was also 12 years old.

[NangrongJ]

This was covered comprehensively in both the Daily Record and Scottish TV. As stated, he has a mental age of around 12. The blame for this lies with the mother. As we all know, even those that are experienced in life can have problems, in particular, with women in Pattaya. Letting this 'boy come to Pattaya was just target practice. Its sad hed had to learn the hard way but if he can't look after himself at home, then Pattaya would have a predictable outcome.

[mrfill]

 

I feel sorry for the guy and glad he is home again but how can you lose a plane ticket? Aren't they all e-tickets nowadays?

Yessss, plus with one's name I guess  the company would find the reservation pfffff

 

 

In the last 5 years and many flights I have never had an airline ticket and have never been asked for one. The six character booking code is sufficient and even without that, a passport suffices. I have also had a bank card stolen and a phone call to the bank had money sent (via Western Union) within an hour of the phone call.

A tourist visa is valid for 3 months stay. If he went out at new year, he was in an overstay position by 1st April so to claim 'only 10 days' in mid-July is inconsistent to say the least.

Also having a petulant teenage outburst in a Thai prison because you dont want your hair cut is probably not a good idea.

The concerned and caring mother said in the original article

“I don’t know where his £4000 went."

“He had rented an apartment there and had planned to stay over Christmas and New Year. But he phoned a few weeks later, asking for more money to be sent.

“One time I spoke to him, he said, ‘Mum, I want to come home’.

“I told him to do that because I knew he had an open return plane ticket. But he had lost it."

She then proceeded to do nothing until early June when she got the call from the consulate.

 

There's more holes in this story than Swiss cheese

[Getyourfactsright]

This is complete bs . Disabled or not he broke the law.

[John1thru10]

If he had a mental age of 12 years old, why was he allowed to go on holiday, plus meet his Thai Girlfriend ?? Some things just don't add up, maybe a budding Rabbie Burns...

 

If he had a mental age of 12, could not have the police and immigration shown some compassion?

Edited July 29, 2014 by John1thru10

[John1thru10]

This is complete bs . Disabled or not he broke the law.

 

So, your position is that a 10 day overstay deserves brual beatings?  My god man, that's just not what I consider humanity on your part.

[slipperylobster]

So what is there to miss?

 

Better off leaving, if you get treated like you described.  They treat me good, but I am not in prison.

[Suradit69]

 

 

He had been sleeping rough and living out of his suitcase for months after a cash machine swallowed his bank card and he lost his plane ticket home.
 

Nice try...
He should never have left Govan methinks.

Why is that?

Should disabled people be caged? All because some Thai are too lazy to do their job?

 

" ... cash machine swallowed his bank card and he lost his plane ticket home."

 

"...some Thai are too lazy to do their job?

 

Given that he's described as "brain-damaged" it seems likely that he is to blame for losing his bank card and his plane ticket ... no matter how understandable that might be ... and can't see how that has anything to do with Thais doing their jobs.

 

I once had an ATM card swallowed and had it returned after asking. If he just walked away and left it at that, again how is that a Thai's fault? And if his situation was that dire, why didn't the British embassy help him before or when he ended up living rough?

 

Should disabled people be caged?

 

 

Either he is able to look after himself with things like ATM cards and plane tickets and visas or he is not. If his disability means he's going to find travel or taking up residence away from family difficult, then that is something he needs to consider ... or someone does. Maybe he needs to travel with a companion who can assist him.

 

Many people have disabilities. Feeling sympathy for them is normal and most people (including those at the British embassy) ought to want to avoid having them jailed, but not everyone who is disabled is entitled to a get-out-of-jail card to play whenever they break the law. Disabled people go to gaol, even in the utopia which we all know as Britain.

Edited July 29, 2014 by Suradit69

[John1thru10]

" ... cash machine swallowed his bank card and he lost his plane ticket home."

 

"...some Thai are too lazy to do their job?

 

Given that he's described as "brain-damaged" it seems likely that he is to blame for losing his bank card and his plane ticket ... no matter how understandable that might be ... and can't see how that has anything to do with Thais doing their jobs.

 

I once had an ATM card swallowed and had it returned after asking. If he just walked away and left it at that, again how is that a Thai's fault? And if his situation was that dire, why didn't the British embassy help him before or when he ended up living rough.

 

Should disabled people be caged?

 

 

Either he is able to look after himself with things like ATM cards and plane tickets and visas or he is not. If his disability means he's going to find travel or taking up residence away from family, then that something he needs to consider or someone does. Many people have disabilities. Feeling sympathy for them is normal, but not everyone who is disabled is entitled to a get-out-of-jail card to play whenever they break the law. Disabled people go to gaol, even in the utopia of Britain.

 

 

That's all true, of course.  It was clearly a mistake to let a mentally disabled man fly to Thailand by himself.   But, are you saying that justifies his supposedly being beaten in a jail cell afterwards?  There is such a thing as reasonable understanding on the part of others - particularly for a mentally disabled man, and particularly over something as slight as a 10 day overstay.  If that did happen, that he was beaten that way and had his skull broken, after starving for days on the beach, that is truly cruel.  And actually, a true violation of human rights.  I don't know if it's true or not - but, your comments don't seem to consider that.  That's troubling.
 

Edited July 29, 2014 by John1thru10

[takkatan in the land]

first things first,

 

my neighbor is disabled so his parents don't let him alone a minute, also he can not issue any paper or do anything by his own without the tutors approvement

 

so.... if the scot guy is really disabled he should not be able to go to thailand alone

 

but

 

what should worry to all of us is if the cops really abuse him or not it doesn't matter if he was or not disabled, we all have to push and report this because next time it can be anything of us, even the most smart ones

 

 

[petercool]

post publicly challenging moderator actions removed

[John1thru10]

Methinks all is not correct with this story.    Air Ticket could have been sorted, just contact Airline with passport.   ATM ate card, family has money, send via Western Union

money delivered same day.   

 

If his brain damage prevents him doing the above, he should not travel on his own.     

 

As for Thai prisons, they are not nice places.   There not supposed to be.

 

I smell Bull poo

 

Everything you say is true.  Until you reach your conclusions.  Thai prisons - and I don't know if this story is true or not - are TO NOT violate human rights.  Particularly not over something as slight as a short overstay.  Again, it's hard to understand if this story is true or not.  But don't you ever try to justify human rights abuses like that again.  It shows a deeply sociopathic personality to do so.

Edited July 29, 2014 by John1thru10

[John1thru10]

 

This story is sick.
Just 10 days overstay man.

Really wird.
They put him with criminals instead overstayers...

 

'Just ten days' is ten days of law breaking.

 

He is a criminal.

 

Don't like it? Go home. 

 

Lost this and that? Go directly to the Embassy.

 

 

It's not right to overstay.  But, your attitude here shows you to be a person without humanity.  To me, you sound like the low life.

[petercool]

post publicly discussing moderator actions breaks forum rules and was removed

[tonypace02]

 

Long story short - the guy sold or cashed in his return ticket. Spent all his money (or gave it to his girlfriend) and ended up broke and homeless. Now he's trying to cash in by selling a story of woe. Guaranteed once he has a few quid in his pocket he'll be on a plane back here again.

 

 

My first reaction to the story was that we are hearing only one side and little of that is credible. Then I read Kerryd's well researched and fact based treatise (a rare find in the TV forum) on the event - a little of which is included here, the entire essay having been posted on page 1 - and I came to the conclusion that indeed, someone is setting  up one or more government agencies for a deep pockets strike. Good analysis, Kerryd.

[NCFC]

In the UK he is an independant person and consequently can go of his own accord.  Who is to stop him.

The people who care about him?

[Bigfarang1948]

How would the British embassy know this poor man was even in prison and getting beaten? I  think he might have been better off not traveling alone, but my opinion alone. Horror stories abound about what goes on in Thai prisons, Another thought is why did this man not go directly to the British Embassy and tell them of his plight. A telephone call to his mom would have solved the problem before  this man got thrown in prison and having the s$%t kicked out of him. I am glad he was not more seriously injured and is back home where he should probably stay

Bit strange the British Consulate did not react when they found he was being shuttled from place to place to keep him away from them.   On second thoughts not strange....we are talking about the British Embassy.

 

[petercool]

Off topic post removed. This news article is not about the relevant poster who persists in telling his own story

[Benmart]

Amazing that there are so many so called 'experts' on this site that seem to know what happened. There is even one who says he was in prison and treated with respect so this unfortunates story is therefore false.

So many sanctimonious 'sofa sitters' that voice their expert opinions - perhaps it is they that should be beaten up by Thai guards rather than a person with diminished mentality.

I agree...up to the point of "perhaps it is they that should be beaten...". Those words diminished the mentality of the preceding words.

[Ohio]

Two differing reports and two very different circumstances.

 

Let's see ?? I am a Mother with a Handicapped son with a Mental age of 12. Hmmmmmm !!!! . Let's see what would be a good vacation ???

 

I know off to Thailand ALONE with 4,000.00 British pounds and his own passport & Phone , I will check on his Condition in 7 months or so IF I get a call.

 

Think I got that part right.

 

Now he is back home he wasn't scammed , beaten or robbed by a female or anyone else  whose voice  asked for Money from Mum on HIS phone apparently it was the Thai Guards.

 

The Brit Embassy didn't bother checking once he had been bought to their attention......Hmmmmmmmmmm!! although that sounds about right almost as bad as the Australian embassy.

 

Gets Interestringer and Interestringer

 

The scenarios are Endless !

 

Edited July 29, 2014 by Rimmer

[kingstonkid]

In the UK he is an independant person and consequently can go of his own accord.  Who is to stop him.

 

 

Harry  

 

If he is mentally challenged then he can be deemed a dependent person and put under his mothers care.

 

That being said if he was dead set on coming here to meet his online love it would have made more sense for a friend or family member to accompany him and act as a voice or reason.  Again his choice as to what he does but just like anyone of us it is sometimes nice to have a voice you trust tell you that you need to think twice.

 

If it is the case that he got screwed by a smart Thai be-atch then I hope they find out who she is and put her in jail.

[petercool]

post with only quotes removed

[sawadee1947]

...I think there is something wrong. If I had a bank card to get money and the ATM swallowed it, I'll call (by Skype for a few baht) my bank to send money. So after 2-3 days I would have money.

[Carrerakiss]

-I do not beleive this story .
First he loses documents, why not contact british embassy???
Beaten by prison guards absolute rubbish.
Ihave spent time in a Thai prison . I was treated with the upmost respect by guards and other inmates.
British embassy contacted the prison, i spoke with man from embassy. He told me of my rights etc, we can contact a Thai lawyer for you, very helpful he was.
So before people speak about how unhelpful the British embassy staff are, think of people in my situation, they helped me.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

He has a mental age of 12

Then why was he allowed to fly to Thailand alone? I wouldn't allow a 12 year old child of mine to do that.

[Franky Bear]

Be aware the Daily Record is worse than the Sun in the UK. They lie lie and lie again

[CNXBKKMAN]

This is a story in a tabloid newspaper. Its not meant to be analysed for truth or facts, there are probably are none. Its meant to be read by people half comatose sat in front of the TV with Coronation Street playing or sat on a bus on the way to work.

[Getyourfactsright]

This is complete bs . Disabled or not he broke the law.

 
So, your position is that a 10 day overstay deserves brual beatings?  My god man, that's just not what I consider humanity on your part.

Firstly I am a women, secondly I didn't say he deserved the brutal beatings I was referring to what many others in this thread have already suggested that the story isn't true. You assume also the beatings were brutal! From what you have read. If he has a mental age of 12 then why did a family member or friend not accompany him over just to make sire he was OK. Your telling me that if you had a child of what ever age and you knew they were not mentally capable to look after themselves especially coming thousands of miles alone in a country which let's face it doesn't have the best rep in terms of honesty that you would let them do just that? Sure he is free to make his own choice and why shouldn't he come over but why had it taken weeks for this to emerge. Where would be your sense or responsibility man!! I couldn't do it I would be worried sick. Then on to my comment of disabled or not I stick by it. He made the decsion to come here and the family allowed it given his circumstance with all that money to meet someone so rules are there and he broke it. Im saying nothing about deserving a beating because no body does. Thats assuming it did happen! You also dont know if something else happend that we are not being told about. I dont always take what i read as being gospel! Next you will be saying I'm discriminating against him being disabled! Get a grip fella

[poweratradio]

This story is sick.
Just 10 days overstay man.

Really wird.
They put him with criminals instead overstayers...

Truely unbelievable story. Why he wasted his time writing it. Mum was there from the beginning not 10 days anything.