Locked Up Abroad! Help Repay Bribes – Samui resident asks for help!

[webfact]

Locked Up Abroad! Help Repay Bribes – Samui resident asks for help!

 

SAMUI: -- A resident of Koh Samui recently found herself locked up in jail after papers she thought were legal and correct and allowed her to run a backpacker resort were correct. However they were not. Loren has shared her story on a Go Fund Me page – here is what it says.

 

Hi, I’m Loren, as most of you probably know. I’m a traveler and try to be open and honest always, and as a result I have the most incredible luck. I always say it’s not always good luck, but always incredible!

 

This week my incredible luck was incredibly bad. I’ve spent the last 2.5 years building up a backpacker hostel in Koh Samui, Thailand. We are a simple, cheap place, but we thrive on being good to EVERYONE around us. We take our customers in like family, take on backpackers as staff to be part of that family, and take everyone out each night to local businesses to grow the community around us and show everyone a great time for the cheapest price possible. While we’re not fancy, I’m very proud of the community we’ve created. It’s been a huge ordeal operating a foreign business, and after many terrible lawyers doing paperwork wrong, and many police and immigration officers showing me what was wrong and how to fix it, I thought we were finally all correct.

 

But 3 days ago, police showed up at my hostel and inspected my current paperwork that just 5 days ago I was reassured in person by my lawyer was 100% correct and valid for me to legally operate my hostel under that business license. The police disagreed. They said the papers, which are 100% in Thai, weren’t correct or valid, and that I’m operating without a license. I called my lawyer and told her the police said her papers are all wrong. Instead of racing over like a lawyer is supposed to when police are holding their client, she hung up on us, and turned off her phone.

 

I later discovered she was not a licensed lawyer and the documents are all invalid. She knew she was busted, so she ditched me. The police just want SOMEONE to pay for it, so they hauled me off to jail. They took my passport, they took the lawyer’s card so I didn’t have her info, and they told me I had no choice but to sign the papers explaining my charges in Thai, but once I did, I would go home. I signed, and they took me downstairs and put me in a jail cell with 3 other prisoners. I spent the night on the floor there, except when I was taken out for fingerprinting and documents.

 

They started mentioning fines and a lot of under-the-table bribes that first were supposed to get me out right away, but after I paid, they said it would be 8am, then 10am, then after court. I messaged my mom and she called the embassy, and advised I didn’t sign the false confession, written all in Thai. When I mentioned the embassy to the police, they tore up the papers and told me now I have to just sit in jail a month and wait for them. I later learned that in Thailand you can be held 91 days without being charged, while they build their case against you. They told me they wouldn’t even consider my case again for a month if I denied wrongdoing and went after the crooked lawyer.

 

I’ve built my adult life on being open and honest always, no matter what. And while I was calm and relaxed, not scared or panicking through the whole ordeal, tears streamed down my face as I sacrificed all my morals and ethics and signed the paper full of lies. The officers told me to relax, now I will be free soon, and I told them it wasn’t the police, or jail, or money or anything. I used google translate and put my phone on the table with just the phrase “Sacrificed my morals” written in Thai. From that point on I kept my head down and couldn’t look anyone in the eye, even my friends and loved ones that came to help.

 

The next morning, 8am turned to 10, to 11, when police came and put me in a car. This officer was kind and stopped to let me pee and get some water. He offered food, but I couldn’t eat. We went to an office that was labeled Attorney General, but we only sat in that room in silence for 30 minutes. Someone gave me 20 baht and told me to pray to Buddha and put it in a display where others had done the same. Then they said I was going to see the judge. We drove up a hill where my friends were diverted and I was taken to the back of the building. They took my phone led me to a hall to a door full of bars. I realized it wasn’t the courtroom.

 

They put me in an furniture-less room with 15 people in prison uniforms and leg shackles. And left me there for the rest of the day. At one point a lady came with papers for me to sign entering a guilty verdict. She was the first person to speak English to me. She reiterated that if I don’t sign, I would go back to jail for at least 15 days before I could take any action again. I signed and laid back on the bare floor for a few more hours. They finally called me name, took me into a hallway where they used a webcam to connect to a guy in an office who spoke all in Thai but apparently lowered my fine (because of all the bribes I was paying) and released me. They put me back in the cell and came to ask for more money. An hour later I was finally released and they drove me home and dropped me off, after a 1000 baht tip for “gas money”.

 

I’m extremely fortunate to have friends and loved ones that helped me through all this, and people that forwarded me large sums of money to get me out. But I’ve been forced to shut my business until I can redo all the papers my bogus lawyer did wrong. The police told me not to trust anyone, but to go to the mainland and do them all myself. In Thai. Somehow. So, I’m out a business, for now, and bankrupted and in debt to the people that fronted money to me. One Thai family liquidated 2 months’ salary to forward me everything they could. I’m determined to pay them back quickly.

 

I’ve been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from people asking how to help, even phone calls to send extraction teams in. People suggested starting a GoFundMe campaign to try to raise the money to reopen the business and get back earning before the high season in December, so I can earn enough money to pay off all these loans. So… Here I am. Asking for any little help my incredible group of friends can offer me. I don’t have much to offer in return, but if you ever come to any of my hostels, of course you’ll always have a place to stay and a friend to show you local life!

 

Thanks!

– Loren

 

Source: http://www.samuitimes.com/locked-up-abroad-help-repay-bribes-samui-resident-asks-for-help/

 

-- © Copyright Samui Times 2016-09-29

 

[tomwct]

Thailand is no place for a backpacker to set-up a business. Paying a woman who pretends to be a lawyer. She should never run a business especially with no backup funds. Go home and get a job and return to Thailand for retirement in 30 years! Motto, Good People In and Bad People Out!

[harada]

Do your research and don't be fooled by the smile. 

[colinneil]

Reading this looks like she knew all along what she was doing was illegal.

She had a lawyer who wasnt a lawyer?

As already stated go home get a job come back for retirement.

Stupid is as stupid does.

[evadgib]

What on earth have I just read?

[Tatsujin]

I hope they go after the "lawyer", but somehow that seems like it's gonna be too much hard work for them.

[Sharp]

Hostels? Or hostel! 

[impulse]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

I don’t have much to offer in return, but if you ever come to any of my hostels, of course you’ll always have a place to stay and a friend to show you local life!

 

Wonder if she's Nigerian?  'Cause this certainly reads like one of their finely woven stories.  

 

May, of course, be perfectly legitimate.  But I'd be at least a little skeptical.

[reptile91602]

It may be legit but it just isn't smart. With out Thai connections don't try this kind of nonsense or you end up like her.

[Remus1830]

In Thailand there is no recourse for bad or incorrect advice even from a real lawyer. Of course you can try to sue for wrongful advice good luck with that. 

[TheFishman1]

I am a believer TIT

[SICA]

Who owns the business? Where's your Thai 'business partner' in all of this? I hate the fact that i'm being skeptical but this is pretty incredulous. A lawyer for 2 and 1/2 years who turns out not to be a lawyer! How did you get an appropriate visa, work permit, 90 day reports etc....

So many questions, sorry!

[hawker9000]

50 minutes ago, Remus1830 said:

In Thailand there is no recourse for bad or incorrect advice even from a real lawyer. Of course you can try to sue for wrongful advice good luck with that. 

 

Yeah.  Sue and immediately be charged with defamation.   TIT.

[realenglish1]

I have no sympathy for her. She has really bad judgement and is trying to blame others from what she brought on herself

 

[useronthenet]

Rule of thumb in Thailand .... trust no one !

[RoboGeisha]

Welcome to Thailand, Loren.
I'm surprised he still believes the problem is a fake lawyer.
@SICA: Anyone can be anything as long as the right people benefit from it. I wouldn't be surprised if this lawyer aquires new customers for the machinery right now after Loren has been fleeced. Next.

[vivasamui]

Loren has a beard. Before sending money, please provide:

Name and location of hostel?

Name and location of "lawyer"?

[ronaldo0]

Take on backpackers as staff ?? That must be a hassle getting visas and work permits for all these customers passing through  who want a job !!

[Kasset Tak]

After reading this I'm just shaking my head! And after checking the crowd funding page I'm just amazed over the amount of idiots that believe this BS!
There are so many contradictions when you read his statement that its just amazing, and when you start add all the times when he admits braking the Thai law in this statement its getting even worse...

Owning a business, all people here knows that we as foreigners can only own 49% so where is his Thai partner in all this?!

Hiring backpackers as staff, no visas or WP's

Paying bribes is as bad as taking a bribe in the Thai law

And the list goes on...

 

[daiwill60]

Funny how the story begins with his one backpacking hostel and ends in the last paragraph talking about how he would repay anyone helping , with a stay at any of his hostels???

" I don’t have much to offer in return, but if you ever come to any of my hostels, of course you’ll always have a place to stay and a friend to show you local life!"

[williamgeorgeallen]

well i have been through a similar experience in pattaya over some incorrect details in my work permit. you need a real lawyer and you need them to help you post bail. the lawyer may be able to help negotiate a one time cash fine. this is your best way out. good luck. hope this story serves as a warning to anyone wanting to start a business here. 

[daiwill60]

1 hour ago, realenglish1 said:

I have no sympathy for her. She has really bad judgement and is trying to blame others from what she brought on herself

 

Loren is a guy in the  Bangkok Jack report http://bangkokjack.com/2016/09/29/locked-abroad-help-repay-bribes-samui-resident-asks-help/

 

[The Old Bull]

Just naive, hasn't spent enough time seeing how this place ticks. It's not just about red bull and rum there is a lot of sly buisnes going on that you don't notice unless you have a Thai partner to point things out.

[Anythingleft?]

Nah not having that crock of #$@£ to have done what sounds like so much for long to then have it all taken away through miss information? As already posted visa's, business partners, taxes and the utter myriad of paperwork for a foreigner to do this alone would be immense

 

[Scotwight]

2 hours ago, realenglish1 said:

I have no sympathy for her. She has really bad judgement and is trying to blame others from what she brought on herself

 

It's not a she.  It is an Aussie bloke.  

[Bob9]

Seems it may not be a scam - it may be a real idiotic stupid person.

 

But I cant believe people have paid money on the website (or pledged to do so). Even if it is true, paying the idiot money will not solve the problem (stupidity).  The last thing you should give an alcoholic is a drink. 

[elgordo38]

4 hours ago, evadgib said:

What on earth have I just read?

A confession of gullibility, unseasoned youth and a desire to trust everyone. Then someone took her to the Coliseum and fed her to the lions.  

[Scotwight]

1 minute ago, elgordo38 said:

A confession of gullibility, unseasoned youth and a desire to trust everyone. Then someone took her to the Coliseum and fed her to the lions.  

And an inability to read forums.  Her is an Aussie bloke with full beard.  

[little mary sunshine]

Sounds like a lot of BS to me.   Operating the "business " for 2 1/2

years and just now thinks everything is legal.....I am so Honest..maybe

not....if you have to pay bribes to everyone something might be wrong!.,

looks like a mess of your own making!!l. God luck

[Khon Kaen Dave]

Brings to mind the thing about the other girl here.She was a middle class twit who believed everything that people told her No life experience,no suspicion ability,and it was her boyfriend who got her ten years or so in the Bangkok Hilton.Even after release she ended up in Durham max because of a letter from another stupid friend,that she received whilst locked up here.

She wrote a book about it,'Forget you have a daughter'But there was some conjecture as to the things she wrote,not being actual.