Thai man jailed for stealing three coconuts

[Nekx]

For taking 3coconuts for pregnant wife by someone who earns 200b per day. The action is inhumane, one can teach lessons not stealing differently.

[robblok]

earn 200 Baht a day from his labouring job at a latex factory

So the national minimum daily wage is not Bt300?

Police should arrest the owner of the latex factory and force payment of all backwages. Then maybe he could afford to buy cocnuts from a store or farmer's market. Likely more people than this guy are being cheated from rightful wages. Let's see the police carry out real justice.

The national wage differs from province to province (not sure what it is over there he could still be underpaid) but there is no uniform national wage.

The 'floating' minimum wage was scheduled to take effect in 2016 but not clear it is actually set yet and may not be until mid year to last half of 2016. Even when started the minimum wage in any province can not be less then the current 300 baht/day. Source

Also "Given the current economic situation, an ad hoc committee will be set up to consider the varied rates of the minimum wage within six months from January until June 2016, said the undersecretary who heads the Wage Committee." Source

My mistake, i thought they had not brought all the minimum wages up to 300 in all provinces. So the guy is just being underpaid.. bad thing for sure.

[chrisinth]

Don't think it has anything to do with greed as in all fairness she wouldn't expect the thief to have 50,000 baht in the first place.

She has stated that this isn't the first time this has happened, she is sending a message.

Because it was only 3 coconuts and his wife was pregnant doesn't make it right, at the end of the day it was theft and against the law.

It is also wrong to associate this story with illegal acts by the rich and famous and fairness of the law, they have the money to hire the lawyers to find the loopholes and to pay the bail, as in every other country in the world.

Social tiers aren't fair, anywhere.

[Monkeyrobot]

She has certainly put the message out for any future thieves to think twice about stealing coconuts. What I don't understand is how the bib allowed her to ask for so much compensation? 50,000 baht to a worker on 200b a day is like 10 months wages. Feel sorry for the bloke trying to feed his family,

[z42]

If there was such a thing as karma then this woman would be coming back as something lower down that dog excrement. This shows that the Thai justice system is in abysmally poor state, the word justice is lost on such a shambolic system. This is 1 of the worst things i've heard yet, loathsome in the extreme

[schondie]

I'm sure the locals and Thai Facebookers will be on her case. I hope in the next couple of days she'll be giving him 50,000 baht, an apology for being such a bitch and free coconuts.

Poor chap.

[spidermike007]

How does stealing three coconuts compare with a foreigner overstaying a few months?

Surely three coconuts wouldn't be missed, probably windfall anyway, so a victimless crime?

And the overstay is NOT a victimless crime? Who is the victim? He will get penalized on his way out. Now, the penalties are much more severe than before, and that penalty will be paid by him. So, why arrest him, and put him in jail, where he was either beaten to a pulp by the other inmates, or the sadistic cops? Why? What is the point? I know all you fanatical law and order types will argue he broke the law. But, is it a reasonable law that locks this guy up for overstay?

[Snackbar]

Thank his lucky stars he's not under Sharia Law.

Chop off a Hand.

Http://www.islamweb.net/en/article/136791/the-ruling-of-theft-in-islam

[Lupatria]

Throw him in the same cell like the old couple who picked mushrooms in a forest.

Mr Naruebet, remains behind bars at Thung Song court while he awaits a court appearance on Monday.

I wish the judge in this important case will teach the greedy #%$* a lesson who is in charge to teach lessons, if necessary.

Do I hang my hopes too high?

[inzman]

This old bat is perpetuating the idea of how greedy Thais can be. I bet she considers herself a find Buddhist also. How shameful. She should be locked up for desecrating thai peoples reputation.

[ttthailand]

She may be angry at this guy for what he did but by acting the way she did it is not putting her in a very good light. I hope this guy has learned something other than that he has a very bad and uncaring neighbor. I would guess the judge will make him pay for the coconuts, about 15 baht and fine him 500 baht. Everyone looses here !!!

[Tywais]

CRIMINAL CODE B.E. 2499

Section 334 Whoever, dishonestly taking away the thing of other person or which the other person to be co-owner to be said to commit the theft, shall be imprisoned not out of three years and fined not out of six thousand Baht.

Section 335 Whoever commits theft under any of the following circumstances:

12. Upon a thing belonging to an agriculturist, which is a product, plant, animal or implement possessed for the purpose of carrying on agricultural pursuit or acquired from such agricultural pursuit,

Shall be punished with imprisonment of one to five years and fined of two thousand to ten thousand Baht.

Source

[Baerboxer]

of course had he mowed a few people down in a posh car, including a Policeman, shot somebody dead in a nightclub or stolen over 100 million baht via work then he would have been out on appeal, left alone and have ended up with a suspended sentence at worst after a few years coconuts are far more serious obviously and the poor need to be shown their place.

Yep. Nearly has serious as picking a few wild mushrooms or playing a few hands of bridge.

Illegally drive whilst underage and cause an accident resulting in multiple deaths - suspended sentence, little bit of community work (if ever actually done) and small driving ban.

Kill a cop, drag the body along, flee the scene because your pissed and drugged up, try to pervert the course of justice by putting a patsy forward - allowed to pay a pittance in compensation and then do a runner without being pursued.

Hit a parked car and kill sleeping policeman, crap yourself but go home without any breath or drugs test, o k as long a you become a monk / none for a week and claim your had a visit from the ghost forgiving you.

One law for the wealthy. A very different law for the poor.

[Yann55]

Mr Jean Valjean ! Please go and teach that woman a lesson ...

[james.d]

While I agree the request for 50K THB is extremely over the top and his photograph splashed online is enough, however, if he has done this a few times as circulating, then possibly the land owner does has the right to try to teach him a lesson.

I would not want anyone uninvited our property.

[leither69]

The policeman who indecently assaulted a girl by taking photographs gets a 500 baht fine!!! Lol justice here at its best

[Inyourendo]

Send him to the Fatal Shore - Australia... That was the punishment 228 years ago if you lifted a loaf of bread - same stupidity now.

Bob A. Relaxed in Lampang

Or a half pound butter and some pork........so my great great great grandpa from Ireland told me

[teelac5]

this country, its justice system and ruling law is becoming more insane with each passing day. It really is time to vacate this mental asylum.

Edited March 6, 2016 by teelac5

[johnnytuc]

Its always been one law for the rich and another law for the poor, not just in Thailand but the whole sick world.

There is quite a few rich celebrities in the nick in the UK, Thailand and its neighbours are the ones in the sick world!

[gk10002000]

Sad state of affairs. A foreigner is beat up in the Pattaya Jail, companies are dumping raw sewage into every canal and beach front all over the country and nothing is being to enforce cleanup laws or write laws that require less pollution, and that affects millions and yet an issue like this gets pushed. OK. The guy is jailed, but what does the law say? Pay a fine or stay 5 days? Surely the law can't say pay whatever the lady demands or stay in jail!! If she wants to press charges, so be it. Wouldn't that have to go to court and a judge? You can't lock a guy up forever. Oh wait, This is the Thai "justice" system

[james.d]

this country, its justice system and ruling law is becoming more insane with each passing day. It really is time to vacate this mental asylum.

but will that be via grab or uber taxi to Swampy then?

Edited March 6, 2016 by james.d

[laolover88]

People wander into our garden every day and pick fruit and herbs. Just normal life. Lady has a problem or there's more to this. Maybe its the police want 50K?

[GAZZPA]

Surely the man should get an official caution of some description. Since when do the general public dictate police policy, ok she wants to press charges but the severity of the punishment should fit the crime.

If she wants to demand 50,000 in compensation this should be a civil dispute, it should not determine whether or not the police lock him up.

Very stupid justice system. Ok the man was wrong for sure, and the owner may be right that he had stolen many times before and he deserved to be taught a lesson but he has a pregnant wife and little money coming in.

Thai justice, what can you say..

[Enoon]

Real stupid to steal coconuts but the owner of the plantation is nuts too. Steal 138 million and you can go out on bail even host a TV show again. Steal 3 coconuts and you have to wait your trial behind bars.. hmmm fair justice.

Same justice as in the west,....!!!! there are numerous story's of rich people getting lenient sentences and poor people getting harsh punishments.... in every country...!!!

Regards.

No, it's not the same justice:

Spain's Princess Cristina tried for fraud - BBC News

Princess Anne prosecuted after dog attacks couple in park ...

Boozy German princess fined £1000 after nearly-naked ...

[james.d]

Surely the man should get an official caution of some description. Since when do the general public dictate police policy, ok she wants to press charges but the severity of the punishment should fit the crime.

If she wants to demand 50,000 in compensation this should be a civil dispute, it should not determine whether or not the police lock him up.

Very stupid justice system. Ok the man was wrong for sure, and the owner may be right that he had stolen many times before and he deserved to be taught a lesson but he has a pregnant wife and little money coming in.

Thai justice, what can you say..

" but he has a pregnant wife and little money coming in".. an excuse to remove items not from you property?

[Rhys]

Nothing new here, those who can will.. as for that lady... I think people are already starting to hurl thing over on her side.

[Cylon]

200 Baht a day, The minimum wage for Phuket is 300 ?

[MRDave]

Your all missing the point! The reason she asked for 50.000 is because she knows a guy who earns 200baht a day can't pay it so will have to go to jail.

And don't forget that hes a thief no matter what his reasons for stealing. I'm sure she gets a lot of theft from her plantation, hence the CCTV so I think she is making an example to all the other people and I'm sure there' are many who steal from her plantation, and that she has had enough and anyone caught wont get a slap on the wrist but will go straight to jail. If he wanted coconuts he should buy them like everyone else or else get a better paying job.

[sweatalot]

... and Jatuporn and Nattawut are walking free

interesting relations

unbelievable

Edited March 6, 2016 by sweatalot

[james.d]

Rightly so. You can't go around stealing what doesn't belong to you.

Calm down hotheads'. He'll be out on Monday.

That is not the point, the point is that it is an issue at all. Good god he is on virtually nothing and he took them for his pregnant wife. Get a bloody life you moron. Your attitude is almost as bad and the person wanting Baht 50,000 for three lousy coconuts. Charge him the market price and maybe Baht 100 fine, the woman is a crook asking for the huge amount

He took something he was now allowed to take...then it is theft. "He is on virtually nothing"...where is the line to accept stealing? 200 THB a day or 201 THB a day? What is the acceptable limit to theft?.. I do not know..

didn't he do it several times?