Prominent British rights activist Andy Hall, fearing for safety, leaves Thailand

[soalbundy]

This should help the culture of investment in Thailand no end, i'm waiting for it to hit the western press.

[metisdead]

Offensive posts and replies have been removed:

 

9) You will not post inflammatory messages on the forum, or attempt to disrupt discussions to upset its participants, or trolling. Trolling can be defined as the act of purposefully antagonizing other people on the internet by posting controversial, inflammatory, irrelevant or off-topic messages with the primary intent of provoking other users into an emotional response or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion.
 

[jamesbrock]

11 minutes ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

he was lucky to get out alive. any more publicity and they would have bumped him. guy deserves a medal for surviving 11 years trying to help the thousands of foreigners who get treated like s#it in thailand.

 

According to the likes of maxman71 and Deepinthailand - trying to help the thousands of foreigners who get treated like s#it in Thailand is a bad thing.

 

These 'accept-the-everyday-misery-inflicted-upon-the-less-fortunate-because-you-can't-change-it-and-anyway-it-doesn't-affect-me' folks really get on my goat. They're the same folks that bemoan those of us who rail against the wholly ineffectual police force overseeing one of the highest road told in the world because, hey, we can't change it and it doesn't affect us so no point discussing it on a discussion forum... Selfish <deleted> if you ask me.

[Jools]

Smart move on Andy's part. Living here is resembling North Korea more with each passing day.

[IAMHERE]

1 hour ago, simon43 said:

It is perhaps worth explaining how 'easy' it is to cause a foreigner to be barred from leaving Thailand.  It doesn't require a Court of Law to seize their passport, nor does it require any presentation of accusation or evidence to that Court or the poilce.

 

All it requires is filing of a charge with the police of a criminal act committed by that foreigner, such as stealing 50 baht.  Stealing is a criminal offence, not a civil offence.

 

After registering the charge with the local police (costs 30 baht I seem to recall to file a charge), it is a very simple process to then visit your local immigration office and ask that a bar be placed on the foreigner leaving the country. The immigration computers at all airports and border crossings are linked together and check for those trying to enter Thailand who are barred from doing so, and for those trying to exit Thailand who are barred from doing so.

 

Voila!  Once you name is on that list of foreigners barred from leaving Thailand, you cannot leave the country (by legal means), without going to a Court of Law to try to get the charges dropped or resolved.

 

It is the ease by which anyone (Thai or foreigner) who has a grudge against another person can get that person's name added to the immigration computer blacklist that makes a complete mockery of the due process of law.

 

 

Now that is scary.

[Jack Mountain]

3 hours ago, Thechook said:

No place for human rights in Thailand, the people are a commodity of the Thai hiso and thier companies. 

Tell me some countries where that's not the case?? Pls.

[jamesbrock]

5 minutes ago, maxman71 said:

"Trying to help the thousands of foreigners who get treated like s#it in Thailand is a bad thing."...Wake up Ace. You are a GUEST here. And if you come here expecting "help", you are sorely deluded. GO HOME. Or, enact change as an individual. Or, SHUT UP.

 

Like I said... 

[AlQaholic]

I am just a bit surprised that there is no action by the EU, as in the case of the fishery industry for example?

[Denim]

3 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

The state of this country with regards to this issue and other "rights" is very very troubling. 

 

Well , if you start thinking of it as a fiefdom instead it all kind of makes sense in a warped sort of way.

[JAG]

1 hour ago, Loaded said:

The lack of a consistent justice system is a sacrifice we need to make to live here. We're not going to change them.

 

No, WE are not.

 

That doesn't mean that a consistent impartial justice system, open to all and applying to all is not desirable . 

 

It does not mean that the Thais don't aspire to such a system . 

 

It doesn't mean that one day they may put one in place,, or more likely hold the existing system  to its claims to be so.

[Deepinthailand]

24 minutes ago, jamesbrock said:

 

According to the likes of maxman71 and Deepinthailand - trying to help the thousands of foreigners who get treated like s#it in Thailand is a bad thing.

 

These 'accept-the-everyday-misery-inflicted-upon-the-less-fortunate-because-you-can't-change-it-and-anyway-it-doesn't-affect-me' folks really get on my goat. They're the same folks that bemoan those of us who rail against the wholly ineffectual police force overseeing one of the highest road told in the world because, hey, we can't change it and it doesn't affect us so no point discussing it on a discussion forum... Selfish <deleted> if you ask me.

No not true at all where have I ever said what you describe me as saying against thai people being used. I am glad the tree hugger has left. but no where ever have I said what you are now claiming about thai people so please before you spout your morale judgments on people based on your non existent fact. what exactly are you doing about what you percived to be wrong apart from popping up in forums like this anonymous I may add. And making things up.

[NextStationBangkok]

Andy is a brave fighter. It is shameful embarrassment for Thailand Government to release him from International pressure. Otherwise number of Thai company CEO's want Andy to die in Thai Prison.

 

Only problem can solve Human Rights problem in Thailand is sanction all Thai exporting companies doesn't allow International HRW exports to inspect and certify, also those who don't allow any independent NGO's visiting their labor unions. Probably along with all quality standard certification, world should recognize another symbol that "Good Labor Practices" that should printed and certified by experts.

 

Better to eat fresh water farmed fishes. Stop eating seafood for the good of the world, to protect nature, and protect environment, and to protect the slave laborers in the sea and in sea food factories.

[Sydebolle]

Name the chicken farmer as well (see the Reuters report) and actively get the Embassy of the European Union involved. Unknown to most, the latter exists and nobody really knows why and what they do. 
This is certainly something to keep those boycotters in Brussels busy; once National Fruit and the chicken guy gets boycotted they will have to get to terms with the reality. 

In closing - it is a very, very, very sad bottomline if Andy Hall has to leave - after all even Thailand should have reached the 21st century - or possibly not? Goes in line with the TV darling and his yellow Mini Cooper story. Good b(u)y(e) Thailand ;-) 

[Estrada]

Best thing he can do is leave  Thailand for good. My friend Somchai Neelapaijit, a Thai Human rights lawyer, disappeared in 2004 whilst defending Muslims in the South of Thailand who were in police custody. He is presumed dead. Another friend, Michael Wansley, an Australia Accountant who was carrying out an audit of Kaset Thai Sugar Company in 1999, was shot dead by hired assassins. The Mill owner was not charged and the Mill director, Pradit Siriviriyakul, was acquitted due to lack of evidence that the company had hired the assassins. I was also threatened with a gun after I exposed a Multi-Million Baht/year scam at a dairy company here in 1999, luckily I have friends in high places and they backed off. Andy Hall should have learnt by previous cases that there is one rule for the rich and one for the rest, as can seen in the Case of the Red Bull heir and others. 

[JLCrab]

It seems to me that the migrant Burmese workers come to Thailand because -- as bad as things might be in Thailand -- things in Myanmar are worse. When that circumstance changes, companies in Thailand might have no choice.

[Gandtee]

What a sad indictment of Thailand's attitude to being made to lose face as well as money. But more importantly, face.

[maewang99]

this is hugely negative for Thailand. it's not just something that gets whispered around... but at least it's not the 'disappeared' or 'accident' version.... that's good.

[timewilltell]

3 hours ago, simon43 said:

Although my own situation is absolutely insignificant when compared to that of Andy, (and the previous Andrew), it was corruption and the lack of rule-of-law that also caused me recently to leave Thailand after 15 years, fearing for my own safety and a 'fake' criminal charge.

 

Like Andy, some years ago, I was also subject to a criminal charge, which means that you are unable too leave the country, nor work, until the case against you has been fully resolved.  That can (and did in my case) take years and a fair amount of money to resolve.

 

It is much easier to fight your corner whilst outside Thailand.  As for me, when flying international out from Myanmar, I now chose routes that avoid changing in Bangkok.

 

 

And there are still a number of us in exactly the same situation. you are forced onto a court visa requiring a cycle of one month / two month stamps and need a letter and application to court each time. you cannot practically work and cases can take years. I am 6 years in and still no end in sight.

 

The strain through visas and restrictions on foreigners is a massively different one Thais suffering malicious claims and the Embassy does nothing to address this victimisation and racism.  if you have a family to support as well then the strain is even more unbearable and you get help from nowhere. 

 

Added to which you will likely have your life or your family threatened and had to run away for safety yet the cases will be in the province you were living in greatly increasing costs because of travel. the court will ignore this unless the police are investigating the threats which they will not be in the least inclined to do if the perpetrators have any connections at all and even then not unless you have photographic proof of the threats. how one takes photos while being accosted by a criminal gang I am not sure unless there is CCTV that works and overseas where the threats take place.

[evadgib]

4 hours ago, Kerryd said:

No doubt he will write/publish more in the future. He'll just be doing it from a place where he won't get thrown in jail for speaking the truth.

He was outside los when he drafted his original piece!

[IamNoone88]

Sun Tzu: Choose your battles wisely.

[A Skeptic]

Andy Hall should be thanked for his work, and I hope it is acknowledged worldwide. He is a brave man who got absolutely no support from the British Embassy in Thailand, an institution that is established precisely to help people like Mr Hall, but which is too busy being obsequious to a corrupt Thai establishment.

 

Mr Hall, you have my admiration, and once safely out of this country I hope you will continue to expose its dark side, which is not a true representation of the majority of Thai people, people who are quite likely to 'disappear' if they themselves speak up.

 

Good luck.

[Jai Dee]

Several troll posts (and replies) have been removed from this thread.

[Enoon]

A wise move. 

 

The reasons why it became a necessity should be publicised as widely as possible.

[jayboy]

16 minutes ago, Estrada said:

Best thing he can do is leave  Thailand for good. My friend Somchai Neelapaijit, a Thai Human rights lawyer, disappeared in 2004 whilst defending Muslims in the South of Thailand who were in police custody. He is presumed dead. Another friend, Michael Wansley, an Australia Accountant who was carrying out an audit of Kaset Thai Sugar Company in 1999, was shot dead by hired assassins. The Mill owner was not charged and the Mill director, Pradit Siriviriyakul, was acquitted due to lack of evidence that the company had hired the assassins. I was also threatened with a gun after I exposed a Multi-Million Baht/year scam at a dairy company here in 1999, luckily I have friends in high places and they backed off. Andy Hall should have learnt by previous cases that there is one rule for the rich and one for the rest, as can seen in the Case of the Red Bull heir and others. 

 

19 minutes ago, hyku1147 said:

Messing with big money... He was lucky to get a warning...

 

I think the tragic case of Somchai Neelapajit falls into a slightly different category.However the root cause is the same, specifically the thuggish violent characteristics of ruling or influential groups in Thailand.Dissent is not tolerated and indeed seems to represent an existential challenge.The courts are usually co-opted (I will not comment on how this is done) but as we have seen there remain some fine Thai judges with honour and integrity.The other cases you mention seem to be good examples of the ruthlessness and criminality of the Sino Thai corporate mentality.There is never any accountability.

[simon43]

but his stay come to expire will he be going to jail forever for 50bht??

 

If your visa has expired and you cannot leave Thailand, then if your case is proceeding through a Court of Law, you get a letter from the court to present to immigration to extend your visa for another month. How much does that extension cost?  It is purely up to the immigration officer, because they have got you by the balls.  They know that if they don't extend your visa, then you are off to the IDC pretty damn quick.

 

I used to have to pay 10,000 baht for each month's extension, and the immigration officers made me grovel and plead in front of them before they would stamp my passport.

 

As you can read from Timewilltell's post, you can understand why those of us who have been through the Court system do not want to repeat such an exercise.

 

Andy has done the right thing, no question about it.

[DiscoDan]

There were a lot of accusations on social media by other activists in the Koh Tao case of Andy misusing money from the fundraiser for the Burmese, He also opened a new fundraiser only a few days asking for USD 10k for legal fees in a case against a chicken company. Last time I checked it only had raised $150, maybe he ran out of money? 

 

[Goingmad]

4 hours ago, greenchair said:

Pleased to hear he is safe and not going to be another dead foreigner. 

I was expecting to pick up the paper, with him as front page dead news any day.

Good luck andy hall. 

 

Run, run as fast as you can. You can't catch me; I'm the Ginger Bread Man.

He should have stayed; continued to fight; if he believed.

[Thailand]

6 minutes ago, Goingmad said:

Run, run as fast as you can. You can't catch me; I'm the Ginger Bread Man.

He should have stayed; continued to fight; if he believed.

You would wouldn't you?

[Goingmad]

1 minute ago, Thailand said:

You would wouldn't you?

10 years of work; down the drain. Now he will try to do from a safe haven. Using locals for information. The locals

may get arrested; or worse. But they don't matter ?

[tigermoth]

Free speech is non existant under the present regime. When friends from overseas visit me I only discuss the poltical situation here behind closed doors or if we are outside socialising note who is near us before talking, and then in whispers. A shocking state of affairs and similar to North Korea and several other third world countries.