Detained in Thailand, Cannabis Coffeeshop Pioneer Asks Dutch King for Rescue

[webfact]

Detained in Thailand, Cannabis Coffeeshop Pioneer Asks Dutch King for Rescue

DERRICK BERGMAN

 

BANGKOK: -- Former coffeeshop owner and Dutch cannabis pioneer Johan van Laarhoven, who faces a 103-year jail sentence in Thai prison, has written a letter to King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, pleading for help freeing him from “this Thai hell.”

 

“I didn’t do anything illegal,” Van Laarhoven, 53, wrote in his to the king. “I earned money in the Netherlands by selling cannabis. The Thai acknowledge that they have only convicted me for selling cannabis in the Netherlands. And they confirm that I have never done anything illegal in Thailand.”

 

The two-page letter is the latest development in a case that has attracted global media attention and drawn support of some political parties in the Netherlands. Member of Parliament Vera Bergkamp, of the D66 party, has repeatedly called on the government to take action to repatriate Van Laarhoven.

 

Full story: https://www.leafly.com/news/politics/detained-thailand-cannabis-coffeeshop-pioneer-asks-dutch-king-rescue

 

-- Leafly 2016-10-25

[Thechook]

If what he did in the Netherlands wasn't ilegal there and he hasn't committed any offence in Thailand, why the 103 yr sentence?  

 

I went to the casino when in Australia and spent $10.00 on the pokies which is totally legal there so does that now mean I can be arrested in Thailand because it's ilegal here? (Won $312.00 which I brought back to Thailand )

Edited October 24, 2016 by Thechook

[Nasrullah]

Absolutely absurd!...how is this even possible....

 

Ok...i've just read the article......He's been convicted more or less of money laundering.

 

Selling cannabis in netherlands legal (coffee shops etc)But the thais view this as an illegal act so any proceeds gained

and spent in thailand is 'money laundering'........Oh dear!......

 

What about all those bikies that have taken residence in LOS..A background check on them would make interesting

reading.

 

The man is a victim of the arbitrary thai justice system-which stinks!!

 

Show some cojones(netherlands)and get your man out of this hell hole.Don't forget you are public servants ,so serve 

your public.

[kalbo123]

This guy did nothing wrong in Thailand accept spending his legally earned cannabis money in the Netherlands in Thailand.

Does this mean all foreign (legal) cannabis sellers are outlaws in Thailand?

What does this mean for other people who have a profession abroad, but forbidden in Thailand?

Dutch government should take action in getting this guy out of jail asap!

 

 

[Nasrullah]

10 minutes ago, Thechook said:

If what he did in the Netherlands wasn't ilegal there and he hasn't committed any offence in Thailand, why the 103 yr sentence?  

 

I went to the casino when in Australia and spent $10.00 on the pokies which is totally legal there so does that now mean I can be arrested in Thailand because it's ilegal here?

As long as you don't win,you should be fine..........but  if you break even,make sure you bring

that  money on the next holiday.Your tourist dollar is welcomed and much appreciated..LOL

Edited October 24, 2016 by Nasrullah

[kalbo123]

Of course what really happened is that Thai officials took the guy's money and property in Thailand and that money is long gone...

They are in too deep and don't want or can return his and his wife money.

 

[trogers]

Why write to the Dutch King? Why is the Dutch government not doing anything?

 

Democracy rules!

[JohnThailandJohn]

And for the real story ...  http://www.chiangraitimes.com/dutchman-johan-van-laarhoven-and-tukta-his-thai-wife-innocent-in-bangkok-prison.html

[sharecropper]

When they want you, they'll get you. And nothing will stand in their way, unfortunately.

[JohnThailandJohn]

33 minutes ago, trogers said:

Why write to the Dutch King? Why is the Dutch government not doing anything?

 

Democracy rules!

 

Especially since the Dutch instigated this

[Boon Mee]

Man...how times have changed here in LOS...

[catman20]

theirs no smoke without any fire. theirs more to this story. what about the money laundering he been doing for years. 

[Briggsy]

"Money Laundering" includes "possessing the proceeds of crime".

 

It would appear a Thai court has deemed that Mr Van Laarhoven's wealth is the proceeds of crime.

 

I think in reality this is either because he has upset people here or the vast amounts of money he has brought here have been targetted by a gang involving police and other public officials or both.

Edited October 25, 2016 by Briggsy

[catman20]

this man knew he was up to no good thats why he told everyone he made his money from being a building developer before he was caught.

[BlindMagician]

Thai "logic" and bloody minded stubbornness.

[KneeDeep]

10 minutes ago, catman20 said:

this man knew he was up to no good thats why he told everyone he made his money from being a building developer before he was caught.

 

That's a scurrilous assertion. 

 

Why would you take the time to explain your whole history to everyone when asked? Then having to explain that it is quite legal to have done so.

There will always be the idiots who would mis-judge or simply misunderstand.

In addition, developments may have also been something in which he invested.

Regardless, the sentence is disproportionate to any likely crime.

 

Your statement smacks of envy..

 

 

 

[zorro1]

And for the real story ...  http://www.chiangraitimes.com/dutchman-johan-van-laarhoven-and-tukta-his-thai-wife-innocent-in-bangkok-prison.html

Interesting article. It was the Dutch embassy that repeatedly and urgently pushed thai officials to launch an investment into this guy.

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk

[Crash999]

That article explains a lot more about the case but it still seems he should not be in jail. Looks like confusion surrounding the facts made worse by a letter from the Dutch pushing the Thai government for information on his assets that ended up putting him in jail. 

[hansnl]

2 hours ago, Nasrullah said:

Absolutely absurd!...how is this even possible....

 

Ok...i've just read the article......He's been convicted more or less of money laundering.

 

Selling cannabis in netherlands legal (coffee shops etc)But the thais view this as an illegal act so any proceeds gained

and spent in thailand is 'money laundering'........Oh dear!......

 

What about all those bikies that have taken residence in LOS..A background check on them would make interesting

reading.

 

The man is a victim of the arbitrary thai justice system-which stinks!!

 

Show some cojones(netherlands)and get your man out of this hell hole.Don't forget you are public servants ,so serve 

your public.

No, the man is a victim of the Dutch Public Prosecutors who wanted dearly to "get him" but could not, because he did nothing wrong legally.

So sent a request to Thailand asking for help, in such wordings probably the Thai prosecution could only do what they did.

The man is behind bars in Thailand because of a dirty game by the Dutch justice system.

Shameful behaviour of the Dutch justice system, again.

 

[StefanBBK]

I feel really sorry for that guy. 

Hope the Dutch government does the right thing and works hard getting them both back to the Netherlands. 

[gk10002000]

1 hour ago, JohnThailandJohn said:

And for the real story ...  http://www.chiangraitimes.com/dutchman-johan-van-laarhoven-and-tukta-his-thai-wife-innocent-in-bangkok-prison.html

yes.  Very interesting story.  The Thais seem to have dismissed all the legal things, and decided he was laundering money in Thailand and that laundered money was money the guy had hidden from Dutch authorities and evaded taxes.  All well and good, but since he wasn't convicted of anything in the Netherlands, and was just being investigated, it is hard to stomach what the Thais did.  They basically are saying they can charge and hold anybody if the Thais even  think he may have done something illegal.  I don't buy the argument that the Thais were worried about the Cannabis being illegal in Thailand, even though legal in the Netherlands.  There are many many industries and ways of making money overseas that are perfectly legal overseas, but illegal in Thailand. 

[ChrisY1]

57 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

"Money Laundering" includes "possessing the proceeds of crime".

 

It would appear a Thai court has deemed that Mr Van Laarhoven's wealth is the proceeds of crime.

 

I think in reality this is either because he has upset people here or the vast amounts of money he has brought here have been targetted by a gang involving police and other public officials or both.

Certainly something along the trail you mention.....there's some very upset legal people in this mess.

[gk10002000]

1 hour ago, JohnThailandJohn said:

And for the real story ...  http://www.chiangraitimes.com/dutchman-johan-van-laarhoven-and-tukta-his-thai-wife-innocent-in-bangkok-prison.html

yes.  Very interesting story.  The Thais seem to have dismissed all the legal things, and decided he was laundering money in Thailand and that laundered money was money the guy had hidden from Dutch authorities and evaded taxes.  All well and good, but since he wasn't convicted of anything in the Netherlands, and was just being investigated, it is hard to stomach what the Thais did.  They basically are saying they can charge and hold anybody if the Thais even  think he may have done something illegal.  I don't buy the argument that the Thais were worried about the Cannabis being illegal in Thailand, even though legal in the Netherlands.  There are many many industries and ways of making money overseas that are perfectly legal overseas, but illegal in Thailand. 

[gk10002000]

Frankly, I would scrutinize his Wife's dealings.  She may be innocently stuck in the middle, but she wouldn't be the first one that got involved in milking the wealthy foreigner

[PattayaBoy]

Well known story.
Terrible.
He did nothing illegal.
http://en.justiceforjohan.nl/en/

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

[NextStationBangkok]

Probably he failed to bribe the Thai police at the right time. That's the problem, not for selling anything illegal.

[spidermike007]

2 hours ago, trogers said:

Why write to the Dutch King? Why is the Dutch government not doing anything?

 

Democracy rules!

 

It it is simply another example of a petty judiciary, that is utterly lost in the wilderness with an agenda of unconvincing moralization. 

 

The world continues to look on with bewilderment, astonishment, amusement and incredulity. Meantime, Thailand's reputation diminishes daily. 

[ChoakMyDee]

This is very sad but it seems like he may have brought this on himself. He was probably avoiding the Dutch government when they were trying to contact him regarding their investigation. They only went to the Thai government because he avoided them I guess? If he would have been forthcoming with the Dutch authorities then the Thais may never have become involved.

 

You can't avoid the long arm of the law by hiding in Thailand like the old days., with lots of governments cooperating with each other.

[wilkie111]

Thankfully i am not dutch ,but in all seriousness this should never happen and can only hope this guy and his wife get justice i mean come on whats his wife done guilty for shopping ?

[catman20]

1 hour ago, KneeDeep said:

 

That's a scurrilous assertion. 

 

Why would you take the time to explain your whole history to everyone when asked? Then having to explain that it is quite legal to have done so.

There will always be the idiots who would mis-judge or simply misunderstand.

In addition, developments may have also been something in which he invested.

Regardless, the sentence is disproportionate to any likely crime.

 

Your statement smacks of envy..

 

 

 

so if it was quite legal why did he not say i have a chain of shops that sells cannabis ????????????????? yes im really envious of being locked up in a Thai jail for 103 years