Bangkok court bans British activist Andy Hall from traveling outside Thailand

[greenchair]

this is harassment by Natural Fruit Company Ltd...

Just for the record, the people behind the company are...

Natural Fruit is owned by the family members (brothers and sisters) of the General-Secretary of the Democrat Party of Thailand.^[8]

My guess is that Andy should not expect any support from the current, self-appointed "government"...

Oh dear, that doesn't sound good at all. Best of luck andy.

[docshock13]

It is a court process and Thai courts will grab a foreigners passport regardless of circumstances. They have mine on a suspended and completely spurious case. So any trumped up story will do and lawyers know how to get cases accepted. For Thais they can rape and murder but are not required to relinquish their passports of course.

The passport is the property of the crown and you will be issued a new one on application but it won't help you leave the country because there is no visa in a new passport and anyway your name is very well marked in the Thai immigration computers. Actually the seizing if passport and requirement to go on a monthly court visa are just to create as much aggravation as possible since you need paperwork every three months from the court and frequent visits to immigration to get the short term visas. It is just an example of blatant racist discrimination. Immanuel if you were an investor and got sued in such a case by a rival just to stop you traveling and tie you up in red tape! Yet the UK embassy still encourage investment to lure more people into this scamming cheating country.

Well put. Murderers are allowed to leave Thailand and visit Singapore for several years and are even able to ignore court appearances on account of the 72 + month flu. "The court sentences you to bed rest until you feel better and thanks you for an early retirement."

[Khun Han]

Do the Thai courts have the right to confiscate his passport considering in reality it belongs to Britain.

Good question. A British passport is issued in the name of the Crown. I wonder if stealing it/confiscating it without reference to it's true owner crosses over into lese majeste in some way (as in disrespecting the authority of the Crown).

that would require the assumption that the "crown" have similarly draconian lese majeste laws in place.

The Crown, and all other Royal Families are protected by Thailand's lese majeste law That's the point I was making.

[mrrizzla]

this is harassment by Natural Fruit Company Ltd...

Just for the record, the people behind the company are...

Natural Fruit is owned by the family members (brothers and sisters) of the General-Secretary of the Democrat Party of Thailand.^[8]

My guess is that Andy should not expect any support from the current, self-appointed "government"...

What?

But but but...so many TVF posters tell us only the PTP are dirty, corrupt scoundrels?

[Srikcir]

As passport is property of Brit government, seems if he wanted to he could go to embassy and get a new one, report previous as stolen (by Thai government). I do hope gov put similar travel restrictions against management of fruit company.

Andy said he would petition the British embassy to have diplomatic officials seek the return of his passport.

[car720]

Doing "business" in Thailand is not really all that different from doing business in Chicago or Las Vegas.

[taony]

So do I need to stop eating pineapples now? What does this company sell?

[Renrut]

Thinking out loud via keyboard ....couldn't he leave via the UK embassy under diplomatic cover/PP (re)issue - if they assisted? Once in there he's in UK territory.....

He doesn't want to leave, he's voluntarily here fighting a case brought against him and surrendering his passport was a condition of bail.

If he wanted to leave Thailand he could have done so before appearing in court to apply for bail.

And, no, the British Embassy does not arrange for individuals involved in legal cases to be given a Diplomatic post and a DP in order to escape from legal charges.

[mrrizzla]

As passport is property of Brit government, seems if he wanted to he could go to embassy and get a new one, report previous as stolen (by Thai government). I do hope gov put similar travel restrictions against management of fruit company.

Andy said he would petition the British embassy to have diplomatic officials seek the return of his passport.

Well the UK authorities have been pretty spineless in the Koh Tao case that Andy was also heavily involved in. He won't have much luck there methinks.

[Renrut]

I thought this case was dismissed, I was obviously mistaken. Not sure the Thai government

understands that continuing this case only shines a light on Thai company infractions in

business practices. Slavery and child labour are frowned on in the EU and North America.

Things may move slowly but Thailand should not be surprised when Thai imports of fruit

and fish/shrimp are banned in Europe and North America.

This case was not instigated by the government, a private company is suing Hall.

[Oziex1]

Mr Hall does not need to leave or even want to I would think.

The more they push, deny and harass him legally the more bad publicity Thailand gets.

They are not helping themselves with their attitude to slavery.

[timewilltell]

As passport is property of Brit government, seems if he wanted to he could go to embassy and get a new one, report previous as stolen (by Thai government). I do hope gov put similar travel restrictions against management of fruit company.

Andy said he would petition the British embassy to have diplomatic officials seek the return of his passport.

The Embassy tried that in my case which is a money lender suing me back for suing him for his involvement in the theft and onward sale of my property which had my lease cancelled by fraud. A private criminal prosecution that anyone can bring against anyone else except foreigners lose their ability to work and earn an income yet Thais of course are not.

The court basically said no.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[timewilltell]

Doing "business" in Thailand is not really all that different from doing business in Chicago or Las Vegas.

It is vastly different and vastly more racist with the Thai Rak Thai attitude against you at every turn. The Mafia in both places are about the same though maybe.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Edited January 13, 2016 by timewilltell

[elgordo38]

Just another case of media suppression.......the truth hurts here............Andy reports truthfully and the junta doesn't want this..........shame on the government!

Be careful Andy they could give you life imprisonment for jaywalking next. That computer crimes charge is really a blue ringed octopus in disguise. Far reaching in many directions with deadly consequences. As another poster stated they will keep throwing at you till something sticks. Kudo's to you for fighting for the poor and downtrodden. Sadly the world is to short of people like you and overloaded with AHoles. Its the nature of the beast.

Edited January 13, 2016 by elgordo38

[elgordo38]

Wow....

Why is the Thai government interfering with private corporations?

Because Andy Hall is right.

Just watch......He will be dead soon. The police, the MPs, and Natural Fruit are now trying to plan how he can die accidently....

Hanging.....No

Drugs......No

Some Burma guy?.....Maybe.

Best bet......Heart Attack......aka Poison

Quote Why is the Thai government interfering with private corporations? unquote. Replace interfering with cooperating and you should have your answer its not rocket science. Governments never act on behalf of the little man like you and me its the big fish they cater to.

[Basil B]

As Andy has been doing great work for a Finish NGO, may the Fins should give him a Diplomatic Passport.

[jayjay78]

God speed on this Andy. The mass of those concerned with human rights and dignity are with you. I hope the UK government gets off its ass and actually does something about this, even if that can only be to promote the banning of the sale of all products from this company in the UK.

[Happy Grumpy]

There's nothing more painful to the Thai than public declaration of the Truth about their behavior.

[dageurreotype]

As passport is property of Brit government, seems if he wanted to he could go to embassy and get a new one, report previous as stolen (by Thai government). I do hope gov put similar travel restrictions against management of fruit company.

Andy said he would petition the British embassy to have diplomatic officials seek the return of his passport.

Oh yes? Good luck with that one then

Edited January 14, 2016 by metisdead
2. Please do not modify someone else's post in your quoted reply, either with font or color changes or wording.

[dageurreotype]

God speed on this Andy. The mass of those concerned with human rights and dignity are with you. I hope the UK government gets off its ass and actually does something about this, even if that can only be to promote the banning of the sale of all products from this company in the UK.

They won't.

[rudy h]

As passport is property of Brit government, seems if he wanted to he could go to embassy and get a new one, report previous as stolen (by Thai government). I do hope gov put similar travel restrictions against management of fruit company.

Does UK govt protect their their people abroad or not?

[ChrisY1]

Andrew Drummond had been harassed in the past by Thai authorites to the extent of death threats towards himself and his family...after many court cases, that he challenged successfully.....he decided enough was enough and almost admitted that Thailand had won.....Andy Hall is at that juncture now......

Shoot the messenger is the authorities MO.

Edited January 13, 2016 by ChrisY1

[gandalf12]

Did the UK government give Thailand the right to hold his passport however he is being charged with criminal actions. You cant just hold a passport of another country without good reason which it appears they have.

Edited January 13, 2016 by gandalf12

[anon7867763]

As passport is property of Brit government, seems if he wanted to he could go to embassy and get a new one, report previous as stolen (by Thai government). I do hope gov put similar travel restrictions against management of fruit company.

Does UK govt protect their their people abroad or not?

No

[Khun Han]

Did the UK government give Thailand the right to hold his passport however he is being charged with criminal actions. You cant just hold a passport of another country without good reason which it appears they have.

It's a private prosecution isn't it?

[jimmybkk]

As passport is property of Brit government, seems if he wanted to he could go to embassy and get a new one, report previous as stolen (by Thai government). I do hope gov put similar travel restrictions against management of fruit company.

Does UK govt protect their their people abroad or not?

Au contraire... The UK govt will happily avoid publicizing the murder of a British national in a foreign land in order to maintain good diplomatic (read: commercial) relations with the government of that country. The fact that their actions place the lives of other British nationals at risk by denying them information that would allow them to make educated and informed decisions about the potential risks associated with visiting certain places apparently causes no sleepless nights for those at the UK FCO.

In early 2006, just after the brutal rape and murder of the young British backpacker Katherine Horton on a deserted Koh Samui beach, and following an 18-month period in which nine Britons were murdered, the FCO had a revealing internal debate about what safety advice they should give to British nationals travelling to Thailand, as an email obtained by the BBC under the Freedom of Information Act testifies: "The trouble with [giving advice about the murder rate]... is that it would effectively highlight the number of murders over the past year or more here, which in the current circumstances could have a disproportionate impact on Thailand's reputation and legitimate commercial interests." Source: http://www.independent.co.uk....

It's worth keeping this in mind when thinking of those early statements supporting the investigation which were released by the FCO "on behalf of" the families of David & Hannah...

[FangFerang]

He should just walk into the British Embassy and declare "I am seeking sanctuary as a loyal Subject of the Crown."

Then the shit would really hit the fan.

Edited January 13, 2016 by FangFerang

[mrrizzla]

As passport is property of Brit government, seems if he wanted to he could go to embassy and get a new one, report previous as stolen (by Thai government). I do hope gov put similar travel restrictions against management of fruit company.

Does UK govt protect their their people abroad or not?

Au contraire... The UK govt will happily avoid publicizing the murder of a British national in a foreign land in order to maintain good diplomatic (read: commercial) relations with the government of that country. The fact that their actions place the lives of other British nationals at risk by denying them information that would allow them to make educated and informed decisions about the potential risks associated with visiting certain places apparently causes no sleepless nights for those at the UK FCO.

In early 2006, just after the brutal rape and murder of the young British backpacker Katherine Horton on a deserted Koh Samui beach, and following an 18-month period in which nine Britons were murdered, the FCO had a revealing internal debate about what safety advice they should give to British nationals travelling to Thailand, as an email obtained by the BBC under the Freedom of Information Act testifies: "The trouble with [giving advice about the murder rate]... is that it would effectively highlight the number of murders over the past year or more here, which in the current circumstances could have a disproportionate impact on Thailand's reputation and legitimate commercial interests." Source: http://www.independent.co.uk....

It's worth keeping this in mind when thinking of those early statements supporting the investigation which were released by the FCO "on behalf of" the families of David & Hannah...

As a British citizen this sicks and appalls me.

Diplomatic relations mean more to the British authorities than two of their own dead citizens and 2 migrant patsies. I guess I shouldn't be surprised when seeing old Cameron cozying up to the Saudis while hypocritically blasting other nations on human rights abuses (and selling weapons to these countries).

Cowards.

[alfalfa19]

this is harassment by Natural Fruit Company Ltd...

Just for the record, the people behind the company are...

Natural Fruit is owned by the family members (brothers and sisters) of the General-Secretary of the Democrat Party of Thailand.^[8]

My guess is that Andy should not expect any support from the current, self-appointed "government"...

pretty much explains everything.

[boomerangutang]

This is what can happen when a non-VIP has the temerity to go against Thai VIP/rich people who are well-connected. The burden of proof when a rich person is accused of crime is out of reach of us peons. Example: the Caffeine Drink super rich kid who has been let off for killing a cop. The opposite is true when a rich person (or corporation like NFC) accuses a regular person of crimes. The hyper richies barely need any burden of proof. A similar dynamic is at play in the KT crime of Sept '14. The hyper rich (Headman and his family/buddies) sorely wanted Burmese scapegoats. Their wish came true, thanks to willing assistance from Thai officialdom. The proof of the paucity of 'burden of proof' was in the farcical reenactment & trial. Andy Hall is a fine fellow who is selflessly doing a lot of good for poor/oppressed people. All the more reason for Thai officialdom + VIP's to put a witch hunt out on him.