Former British soldier jailed for 50 years in Thailand for drug dealing

[robblok]

The thing with crime, and this includes drug dealing, is that nobody ever expects to get caught.

No matter what, this is excessive punishment. I don't know how long he will actually spend in jail, I suspect he could get transferred to a UK jail within 5 years, but the punishment here does not fit the crime.

British guys in Thai jails have a harder time than many other nationalities as they get no support from the UK government. There are charities that can help, but basically he will need to depend on help from friends and family outside for even basics like food and basic medicine etc.

Much as I dislike drug dealing, I feel sorry for this guy.

Drug dealing.. you should expect to get caught because to sell drugs you need to be known (if nobody knows you have it nobody will buy from you). So people know you have it and those people can tell on you if they are in trouble or just do so for other reasons.

[smutcakes]

I know the lad has done wrong, but 50 years he must be devastated.

Hope He has a good group of friends who can visit him and keep him in supply of good food and drink.

And lube and jonnies

[fredKroket]

Kill a policeman sleeping in his car and you can leave the scene, go figure?

[Don Mega]

"E" isn't particularly dangerous, addictive or destructive. Most truly civilized countries wouldn't be too concerned with this crime.

You think methamphetamine mixed with caffeine is not particularity dangerous ?

Ecstacy is supposed to mainly comprise MDMA, back in the 70s marketed as the 'love drug', but now often mainly made up of amphetamines.

The 50 year sentence seems extraordinary, especially as he pleaded guilty, was it commuted from a death sentence? Anyone know if it was an importation or drugs acquired locally. Hopefully the guy will get sentence reductions in the coming years. Does HMG arrange repatriation after a certain period to serve time in UK prison?

Ecatasy is rare(ish) in Thailand, you will find he had pills known as Yaba.

Yaba in a non thai tabloid means nothing to the world, Ecstasy does hence they use that instead.

They are 2 completely different drugs.

[webfact]

Ex-British soldier sentenced to 50 years in a Thai prison for drug charges
Oliver Wheaton - Oliver Wheaton for Metro.co.uk

BANGKOK: -- An ex-British soldier has been jailed for 50 years in Thailand for drug dealing.

Lance Whitmore, 27, was arrested with an Australian friend in the beach resort Pattaya, where the pair were found to have 200 ecstasy pills on them.

He was told he would receive no parole on the heavy sentence, meaning he will be 77 years old when he is released from prison.

After police first arrested Whitmore 10 months ago they immediately searched his friend’s flat, where they found another 60 pills.

He spent three days shackled in a ‘safe house’ before being sent to the infamous Klong Prem Central Prison in Bangkok, sometimes known as the ‘Bangkok Hilton’.

Full story: http://metro.co.uk/2015/06/30/ex-british-soldier-sentenced-to-50-years-in-a-thai-prison-for-drug-charges-5273716/

-- Metro 2015-07-01

[harrycallahan]

"E" isn't particularly dangerous, addictive or destructive. Most truly civilized countries wouldn't be too concerned with this crime.

You think methamphetamine mixed with caffeine is not particularity dangerous ?

US Airforce pilots did OK on it, enough to be prescribed.

[Derek M]

Wonder what would have happened if he done the thing well to do Thai's do when charged, or suspected of a serious crime and went to local Wat and dressed up in robes..

[jalansanitwong]

The British drug king Marcus got 50 years in pattaya . He was caught with about 7,000 yaba pills. Why would this young guy get 50 as well for something far less serious?

In all likelihood they will cut him loose after about 6 years and toss him back to the UK where he will serve more time. After which he will get a new passport and return to dealing in Asia.

[robblok]

"E" isn't particularly dangerous, addictive or destructive. Most truly civilized countries wouldn't be too concerned with this crime.

You think methamphetamine mixed with caffeine is not particularity dangerous ?

US Airforce pilots did OK on it, enough to be prescribed.

Truth is most people can handle drugs just a percentage can't and gets addicted. Its like alcohol (hard-drug) not everyone turns into an alcoholic and there are even functioning alcoholics. If drugs were free there would be addicts but prices of drugs would be lower and quality better and safer.

But of course it has negative effects too.. but its not like there are no negative effects here now.

[nev]

Maybe he got a bigger sentence due to not having a work permit.

[longstebe]

200 garys, is that it?

[kkup]

he'll be out in 8.

[GOLDBUGGY]

I normally don't sympathize with Drug Dealers, but in this case I think they went way overboard. I can see the importation of 10 kilo's of Heroin or Cocaine and for a crime like that, but getting 2 Life Sentences for just trying to sell 200 Pills you bought here is ridiculous. This isn't justice! This is just cruel and unwarranted punishment.

I hope his appeal goes well. In my book those past 8 months in that Rat Hole should have been enough punishment already. Who knows if half or more of those pills were not for his own consumption. Still against the Law, but for 2 Life Sentences? No Way!

[halloween]

Usually being caught was a temporary problem solved by a cash transferal. If that has changed, there a few farangs around here who might want to rethink their major source of income.

[daoyai]

"E" isn't particularly dangerous, addictive or destructive. Most truly civilized countries wouldn't be too concerned with this crime.

You think methamphetamine mixed with caffeine is not particularity dangerous ?

you are confused, yaba is not "E', '''have heard there is some high quality E made here as the crucial component is sasfras oil that is sourced from a tree that grows in Burma. there are environmental costs associated with the oil extraction, that may be the greatest danger associated with this substance.

[Briggsy]

Farangs need to understand the approach to drugs in this country is very, very different to that in Farangland.

The PR spin put out by the Thais is that drugs are not tolerated here and punishments are very harsh. The reality is that the profits of drug dealing here are huge and the trade is controlled by senior politicians, army and police who make enormous profits. Competition is what is not tolerated.

[Toknarok]

Thai so called 'justice' is a complete joke. First the ex model getting 15 years for a minute amount of coke and now this.

[captspectre]

So, come on members of the hang 'em high club, what are you waiting for?

lucky he was not caught in malasyia! also singapore, the shit bird was selling dope plain and simple and he deserves what he gets! at least he will not get shot! no sympethy here.

[masuk]

Drug dealing is against the law, and the penalties can be severe here...And people should understand that.

But somehow, justice has gone seriously wrong here when this guy gets a 50-year sentence and the Red Bull kid who killed a cop is never even prosecuted, much less, convicted or sentenced.

Thai people get far less, sometimes just a few years, for actually killing other people. But this guy gets a 50-year sentence. It's not right.

Doesn't the "Red Bull Kid" have to be in the country before they arrest him?

I see the b.i.b. are red hot on extradition orders, so why not this guy?

[djayz]

He knew the risks when he started dealing. I am sure he was all billy big balls when he was raking in the cash.

I have very little sympathy for him, but 50 years is ridiculous. A straight 3 year stretch would be more appropiate.

+1 second that.

[Card]

If you cant do the time dont do the crime.

Anybody dealing drugs is dealing DEATH. scum of the earth.

And those hiso in Thailand who do death directly get away scot-free.

[soalbundy]

So he will do 8 years max and then be sent back to the UK to serve another 3 or 4 and then paroled to go about his business!

Maybe things have changed now but i believe that the UK is the only country where you have to serve out the full sentence handed down to you when you are repatriated to a UK prison which is after 4 years i think.

[GOLDBUGGY]

The thing with crime, and this includes drug dealing, is that nobody ever expects to get caught.

No matter what, this is excessive punishment. I don't know how long he will actually spend in jail, I suspect he could get transferred to a UK jail within 5 years, but the punishment here does not fit the crime.

British guys in Thai jails have a harder time than many other nationalities as they get no support from the UK government. There are charities that can help, but basically he will need to depend on help from friends and family outside for even basics like food and basic medicine etc.

Much as I dislike drug dealing, I feel sorry for this guy.

Countries with Extradition Treaties, like Thailand with the UK, generally require the convicted to spend one-third of there sentence here. So that is another 16 years in a Rat Hole for this poor Young Lad.

This is one time when I would like all those Bleeding Heart Organizations to step in and be heard.

[Tatsujin]

This sentence is over-kill for any possible damage to society from MDMA (street name ecstasy). In my opinion, it is over-kill even if he had been selling heroin. Opium was 100% legal in Thailand until 1962 and if you go to rural Isaan, many villagers smoke ganja.

Ecstasy therapy approved for trial in Marin County http://www.sfgate.com/health/article/Ecstasy-therapy-approved-for-trial-in-Marin-6283115.php

Brain Scans Hint at Therapy Uses of Ecstasy for Anxiety, PTSD http://psychcentral.com/news/2014/01/18/brain-scans-hint-at-therapy-uses-of-ecstasy-for-anxiety-ptsd/64700.html

The Role of MDMA (Ecstasy) in Coping with Negative Life Situations Among Urban Young Adults http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3235684/

For those vehemently against any sale of any illicit drug, there are, believe it or not, shades of gray in the dangers associated with different drugs. Cigarettes and alcohol are perfectly legal and are far more damaging to society than most illicit drugs. Every drug you could want has been legal (10 day supply) in Portugal for more than 14 years and illicit drug use has gone down 30% and drug deaths are down by 50% without the criminal justice system being involved. Can anyone find any negative stories on Portugal's relaxing of drug laws? NO!

Some people are risk-takers, some people are gay, and some people are drawn to drugs. There is something inside them that makes them that way and criminalization has never stopped, or even reduced, these behaviors. I'm glad my world is not 'black and white'.

.

"I'm glad my world is not 'black and white'"

Nicely put.

[mommysboy]

In a civilised society sentences tend to be proprtionate. And the prisoner is not subject to sub-human conditions.

[Ulic]

Life may be about choices and consequences but this is a sentence disproportionate

with the crime. 50 years for 200 tablets. I don't use recreational drugs but I also don't judge

those who do. Just one of those life choices. My guess is his only hope now is a Kings pardon

after serving a good portion of his sentence.

[Daniel Boon]

"E" isn't particularly dangerous, addictive or destructive. Most truly civilized countries wouldn't be too concerned with this crime.

You think methamphetamine mixed with caffeine is not particularity dangerous ?

From the US Food and Drug Administration: DrugFacts: MDMA (Ecstasy or Molly) http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/mdma-ecstasy-or-molly

Yes, I think "methamphetamine mixed with caffeine" IS particularly dangerous but that is not what ecstasy is.

.

Print the Ecstasy fact sheet [PDF

Ecstasy tablets are supposedly made up of the primary ingredient methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), but as the ingredients required to make synthetic drugs are becoming more difficult to obtain, the formulation of pills marketed as ecstasy can vary greatly

maybe a get-out-of-jail earlier ... if Police have with a chemist's break-down of components ... and No, I don't do drugs

[glegolo]

quote "I just don’t know how he will cope with this sentence. It is the worst possible news unquote

This was said by the mother in question, but could easily have been said by the mothers of the people this gangster was selling to.

If you shall do crime, first look into different future scenarios, and than accept them whatever happens..... And for you guys trying to excuse this scumbag, DONT.. These kind of guys belongs inside prison, no question aboiut that.

Good catch Thailand!!

Glegolo

Edited July 1, 2015 by glegolo

[South]

Anyone who deals/touches drugs in pretty much any south eastern Asian country knows or should know the penalties. Simple answer is if you get caught as these two guys did, you have to pay as in do time or worse. Whatever happened to that 18yr old who got caught a few years ago? Didn't he get a similar sentence?

Sorry, drugs are a scourge on society and 'If you can't do the time, don't do the crime.' Simple as.

[GOLDBUGGY]

So, come on members of the hang 'em high club, what are you waiting for?

lucky he was not caught in malasyia! also singapore, the shit bird was selling dope plain and simple and he deserves what he gets! at least he will not get shot! no sympethy here.

Killing someone for holding 200 Pills doesn't make it right either, no matter the country. Look at Iran. They can kill young women just for having sex out of marriage. That is the Law their! So is that right to?