Waiting for court

[Alan81]

Hi.I will try to make this as short as possible.

Long story short my ex girlfriend made a police report saying i went to her house and stole her chiwawa dog.The police arrested me i paid bail

Now await the first court meeting in 3 weeks where the prosecuter will ask me am i guilty or not.The dog i actually bought and own i did no enter the house he saw jumped up through the gate so i lifted him out.The dog is now back with her.I went to immigration and got a extension of stay i told them the situation.My father is very sick and i need to go visit him in england i will still be back for the court apperance.I have asked a few different people can i leave thailand or no..some say can some cannot.Court said nothing to me nor did immigration.I have passport.If i try to fly out will i be stopped?any advice would be really apppreciated.

[ubonjoe]

Since it is a minor offense i doubt very much you will have a problem leaving the country.

[petermik]

Go and offer her some money and the charge will be dropped

If you just clear off you may have problems if you ever want to return

[Alan81]

150 for bail because i "stole"the dog while with a vehicle.It is nonsense but this is thailand and wouldnt be surprised if i ended up in jail because of it But right now i need to see my dad.He is 81 had a stroke recently and my familly are really worried about him.I hope i dont get stopped leaving

[Alan81]

Peter she wony take money her new boyfriend paid allot of money to police to catch me.I will come back for court in 3 weeks but i really want to jump on a plane this week for 10 days.

[StefanBBK]

Do I get it right, you paid 150 Baht for bail?

Suggest you find out what the maximum penalty is. If finance is available, get a kick ass lawyer and fight the thing. Ask him about leaving the country. May have time file for permission with court.

[Alan81]

150 thousand bahy yes I will fight the case.But my main concern now is flying home for 10 days

[StefanBBK]

150 thousand bahy yes I will fight the case.But my main concern now is flying home for 10 days

Good luck and make sure you get an excellent lawyer.

[Koosdedooes]

150 thousand bahy yes I will fight the case.But my main concern now is flying home for 10 days

If your on bail, i wouldnt be leaving the country without the BIBs/ proesecutors permission if your planning on coming back to Thailand later on

[Alan81]

First court hearing is on the 3oth

I was planning leave tueday and come back on the 27th.

I know nobody can tell for sure

Il aks lawyer tommorow but i wont even trust his answer because he is charging me 200 k for this case and will be scared of me leaving and never coming back.I most certainly will be coming back though and fighting this case

[Alan81]

On my visa extension a small red stamp says waiting for court in thai or something like that

[Alan81]

Visa

[Koosdedooes]

On my visa extension a small red stamp says waiting for court in thai or something like that

If this is the case and they have noted this in your passport, i wouldnt even try leaving Thailand unless you get permission from the prosecutor, as there is a very strong possibility you will get stopped at the airport

[stoneyboy]

All this headache for a dog,it's absolutely ridiculous.

Good luck mate either way.

[johnatong]

That stamp may signal a "stop" to an immigration officer at an international departure point.

You should inquire at your local immigration office before making any attempt to leave

[Alan81]

Thank you for all the advice and help.Appreciate it.Will leave the topic for now and report back on what happens this following week.

[Koosdedooes]

Thank you for all the advice and help.Appreciate it.Will leave the topic for now and report back on what happens this following week.

In the interim, try and get a letter from the hospital or his GP in the UK, stating his condition, prognosis etc to strengthen your request to leave Thailand for the 10 days

[Koosdedooes]

All this headache for a dog,it's absolutely ridiculous.

Good luck mate either way.

This is one of the problems with legal system, once money starts changing hands even the simplest legal issues can be turned into a big deal, and things which are a deal can be reduced to minor legal issues...as always money talks

[thaiduncankk]

Go and offer her some money and the charge will be dropped

If you just clear off you may have problems if you ever want to return

It is in the court system, she cannot drop the charges, it is in the hands of the judge.

Why it ever got this far baffles me !

[thaiduncankk]

I had to go to court, for a more serious offence than yours, but it was a set up, as the outcome proved.

However, I was free to do what I wanted until the court date, and my passport was not affected.

If that stamp is about the court appearance, it would be foolish to try to leave the country, without some proper legal advice.

I would be very interested to hear more about things, as and when they happen, in the meantime, good luck, and I hope your father makes a full recovery.

[Alan81]

Thank you very much.Well i just got my wife to call a immigration guy from soi 5 kind of feel bad cause i disturbed him he is relaxing with his familly in Bangkok.I dont have contacts but he arrested me years ago for overstay and gave me his number.He told me that tommorow he will check if i am in the system or not.Am i flagged saying i cannot leave or not.He said if i am flagged he will need pics of my dad in hospital and proof from the hospital back home.He will then take me to the court or whatever and get me persmission to fly home.All of you are being very helpful and kind thank you

[fstarbkk]

Visa

Just to be clear: The small red stamp means there is a court case pending. The larger red stamp is incomplete in the pic, so...

In any case, the chance of getting past immigration unimpeded, without an explicit permission from the court (not the prosecutor or the police), are very slim.

[colinneil]

If you try to leave Thailand you will be stopped at the airport.

I was stopped after my court case was finished.

I had a letter from the court saying case settled, without that immigration will stop you.

When it is in the hands of the court, red flag will be raised at immigration.

[Alan81]

Ok thank you.The immigration officer said he will take me to the court and get a letter of permission to leave.Hope it works

[thaiduncankk]

Alan, what is the actual wording of the charge or charges ?

[Alan81]

The important word mate is i "stole" i stole the dog with the use of a vehicle.Apparently if i "stole"the dog while just on foot my baio would of only been 50 thousand baht but because i used a bike to steal it was 150.She forgot to put in the report that i was with her fpr 10 years and i bought all the dogs.She has it on camera i drove past the bouse to see if they ok.One of them was jumping up try to play with me.He always like to try to escape i noticed thr gate wasnt locked so i was worried about them him especially because if he got out he would run everywhere the othwr dogs would stay.Anyway she now has the dog back but case still going to court They didnt want any money i asked them to please drop the case but no luck.I took the dog in the afternoon.Apparently bail would if been higher if i took the dog"under the cover of darkness"

[Alan81]

Sorry for spelling..am walking while writing.

[thaiduncankk]

The important word mate is i "stole" i stole the dog with the use of a vehicle.Apparently if i "stole"the dog while just on foot my baio would of only been 50 thousand baht but because i used a bike to steal it was 150.She forgot to put in the report that i was with her fpr 10 years and i bought all the dogs.She has it on camera i drove past the bouse to see if they ok.One of them was jumping up try to play with me.He always like to try to escape i noticed thr gate wasnt locked so i was worried about them him especially because if he got out he would run everywhere the othwr dogs would stay.Anyway she now has the dog back but case still going to court They didnt want any money i asked them to please drop the case but no luck.I took the dog in the afternoon.Apparently bail would if been higher if i took the dog"under the cover of darkness"

The bail should not be a problem, as it is in the system, it will not just 'disappear', as some here would think.

However, you are spending a lot of money for the lawyer to defend the case.

Has your lawyer explained the best case, and, worst case scenarios ?

Although This is Thailand, I really cannot see the judge giving more than a nominal fine, if found guilty.

Is the actual prosecutor your ex girlfriend or the police ? If it is the latter, it adds a whole new dimension to the case.

[Alan81]

Hi mate.Worst case could be 2 years in jail i think.

My ex is the one who made the case not the police

[Alan81]

Ex made a report police were not really intrested untill they got a big incentive then the police spent time trying find me a warrent was out for my arrest i didnt know they found me and got the dog back and gave it to ex misses.Then i paid bail and first coyrt hearing is on.end of the month