Russian tourist's Phuket ordeal comes to a close

Kongleaphy Keam

 

 

PHUKET:-- A Russian tourist who was ‘caught’ feeding a fish on Phuket's Racha Island last month flew back to her home country yesterday after being cleared by the Phuket Provincial Court on Monday. 

Olga Smirnova, 53, was arrested on the island on February 19 (story here), and jailed for two nights in Phuket while her bail money was being arranged (story here).

“The court ordered her to pay a 1,000 baht fine, but as she had already served two 'inconvenient' nights in jail, the time spent behind bars was accepted in lieu of the fine,” confirmed Lt Sakarin Saengjaroen of Chalong Police. 

 

Full Story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Russian-tourists-Phuket-ordeal-comes-a-close/66342?desktopversion

 

-- © Copyright Phuket Gazette 2017-3-8

 

 

And Don't come here feeding our fish again!

 

.

Another happy tourist, who will never come back.

Well done Chalong police, you have helped tourism in Thailand immensely.

Good grief what was that all about? 

Were their multi language signs. Saying do not feed the fish?

I heard Olga beat the crap out of five lady boys at the same time while in jail.

 

Seeing her photo, I believe it.

 

and a perfect headline. good job Thailand.

1,000 baht fine?  Originally her friend had to post a 100,000 baht bail.  seems silly of course. Now, does anybody here have any experience with bail bonds there?  Do they bonds get returned in some reasonable and quick fashion? 

8 hours ago, clockman said:

Were their multi language signs. Saying do not feed the fish?

Yes.

21 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

1,000 baht fine?  Originally her friend had to post a 100,000 baht bail.  seems silly of course. Now, does anybody here have any experience with bail bonds there?  Do they bonds get returned in some reasonable and quick fashion? 

Yes.

Now for a look at the tour guides negligence and the bread providers.....no way!!!!!

 

1 hour ago, gk10002000 said:

1,000 baht fine?  Originally her friend had to post a 100,000 baht bail.  seems silly of course. Now, does anybody here have any experience with bail bonds there?  Do they bonds get returned in some reasonable and quick fashion? 

From my experience, you have to pay in cash (or some form of security), but the cash payment is returned by cheque. Takes several days to clear and get your money!

2 hours ago, stevenl said:

Yes.

And, in any case, irrelevant.  The law is the law - it does not need to be posted everywhere in multiple languages.

Feeding breadcumbs to fish lands you in custody pumping 120.000 cubic meter wastewater into the ocean per day goes unnoticed. Protect our fish- let them eat s#%t.

36 minutes ago, exalll said:

And, in any case, irrelevant.  The law is the law - it does not need to be posted everywhere in multiple languages.

For the inane law of feeding fish, then I disagree. Of course it should have been posted in multiple languages, or even better the boat crew should have told all pon board of the law!

3 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

Do they bonds get returned in some reasonable and quick fashion?

You can expect to receive a cheque of Government Savings Bank, and the bank will probably refuse to pay out cash, because the cheque is filled out wrongly. No other bank will accept the cheque to credit it to your bank account, and GSB will not open an account for you if you don't have a work permit. Expect to wait about two weeks for a proper cheque, because the responsible officer is in a meeting, on a seminar, or just does not feel like returning your bail. If you stay long enough and you get a lawyer to do the work for you (for a payment), you can be lucky to get the money before you leave the country. That's exactly what happened to a friend of mine. I will not name the police station responsible, and not the lawyer causing the two weeks delay for obvious reasons.

It would be much better if thailand treats its tourists the same way as thai tourists are getting treated abroad.more tourists will make more trips and not just one time.

1 hour ago, prakhonchai nick said:

For the inane law of feeding fish, then I disagree. Of course it should have been posted in multiple languages, or even better the boat crew should have told all pon board of the law!

So laws that you determine to be inane need to be posted in multiple languages?  How many?  But no, there is no obligation to have signs explaining the law.

 

But I do agree with you that any (tourist) boat crew should (a) know the laws related to the marine environment; and (b) ensure that tourists are aware of the laws.

Amazing Thailand. Irreparable damage done to the tourism sector, outrage everywhere and 1,000 Baht collected in fines.

Despite it having cost many times this in bureaucracy, these morons probably think it was all OK.

I am sure the lady will be very happy to finally get home, with probaly a few choice remarks for any Russian thinking of going to Thailand.

From the Gazette:

“The court ordered her to pay a 1,000 baht fine, but as she had already served two 'inconvenient' nights in jail, the time spent behind bars was accepted in lieu of the fine,” confirmed Lt Sakarin Saengjaroen of Chalong Police.

 

Chalong Police - good guys!

Good job Thai Tourism.

Two nights in jail for feeding fish?? If I were back home, I would immediately assume that she did something to seriously get on somebody's bad side with some horrible attitude problem and physical and verbal resistance. But being that we are in Thailand... but seriously... for feeding fish!!???
When was the last time anyone was jailed for feeding the marine life endless amounts of sewage everyday? Maybe they should outlaw feeding soi dogs! I can't even begin to fathom jail time for feeding fish! I can't even imagine 10 seconds in handcuffs for feeding fish! These people are sick.

7 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

1,000 baht fine?  Originally her friend had to post a 100,000 baht bail.  seems silly of course. Now, does anybody here have any experience with bail bonds there?  Do they bonds get returned in some reasonable and quick fashion? 

Yes, I put up 100,000 BT bail for someone and got it back, the day after the case was resolved. No problem at all, provided you have a receipt course stop

Ah well, one tourist down, only 31,999,999 to go !

17 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

“The court ordered her to pay a 1,000 baht fine, but as she had already served two 'inconvenient' nights in jail, the time spent behind bars was accepted in lieu of the fine,” confirmed Lt Sakarin Saengjaroen of Chalong Police. 

Great media fodder. 

Death, maiming, robbery and jail time for feeding fish...

Take it serious, or all will be lost.  There are many beautiful cheap places in Asia, that tend to take the care of tourists more seriously.

For the inane law of feeding fish, then I disagree. Of course it should have been posted in multiple languages, or even better the boat crew should have told all pon board of the law!

It was posted, and where did you learn the boat crew didn't tell the passengers?

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9 hours ago, stevenl said:

Yes.

Ask the Pattaya bridge players. Their's were returned only after signing confessions. You another Thai-bashing policeman?