As if we needed a reminder that Drugs take their toll

[Chanman]

per Tbonz' post regarding the untimely death of the Softball Team's catcher, I thought this would make an interesting read for some. Albeit long, but informative this was posted on another site.
P.S.: I have nothing against weed, and grew up buying 'nickel bags.' Had a romp, but fortunately responsibility and common sense soon replaced the party'in days. No soap box rants or morals - just thought some would like to read the following...

Thailand jails British teen for life

BANGKOK: - A Thai court has jailed 19-year-old Briton Michael Alan Connell for life for trying to smuggle 3,400 ecstasy tablets into Thailand, his lawyer says.

Defence lawyer Prutti Kuranon told Reuters on Wednesday that Connell had escaped a death sentence by confessing and would appeal against the life term.

Connell was arrested in November at Bangkok International Airport for trying to smuggle in two moisturiser cream jars stuffed with the tablets, which fetch 1,000 baht (14 pounds) apiece on the streets of the Thai capital.

Connell told police during interrogation he was unaware that the jars he had bought at a department store in Manchester contained the pills and said they could have been switched during his stopover in Dubai, a court statement said.

The Customs Department, whose officials arrested Connell, said in November the ecstasy pills, estimated to have a Thai street value of 3.4 million baht (50,000 pounds), were wrapped in plastic inside the jars and hidden in his luggage.


And another report from a different source:

Drug smuggler jailed in Thailand

Michael Connell plans to appeal
A man from Greater Manchester who smuggled 3,400 ecstasy tablets into Thailand has been jailed for 99 years.

Michael Connell, 19, from Bury, escaped the death penalty at a Thai court on Wednesday, by pleading guilty.

Connell, 19, was arrested at Bangkok's international airport on 10 November 2003 with the pills hidden in facial cream jars.

Defence lawyer Prutti Kuranon said Connell planned to appeal against the life sentence.

Connell's father, Derek Connell said he was "absolutely devastated".

He said the family had hoped for a sentence of 25 years and planned to appeal against the 99-year life term.

He said: "We were told the 99 years would be reduced to 50, if he pleaded guilty and maybe to 25 because of his young age.

He was the perfect target for drug dealers who need someone to do their dirty work

Derek Connell
"But that didn't happen. He pleaded guilty and they hit him with the full 99 years.

"I'm absolutely devastated but what can we do? We will appeal the decision and just take it from there."

Mr Connell, a 48-year-old taxi driver, has visited his son once in
Thailand, but was not present for the sentencing.

He said his son writes letters home which describe conditions at
Khlong Prem Prison in Lard Yao, Bangkok, as "bad".

'Horrendous' conditions

He added: "When I visited the jail they take you to the bit they want you to see, which has plants and little ponds with koi carp in them.

"But everyone knows it is a different story in the actual jail.

"People who have seen the conditions say they are horrendous."

Mr Connell, who lives in Bury, believes his son smuggled the drugs to pay off a small debt.

X-ray scan

He said: "From what I can gather, he got into a bit of debt, probably just a few hundred pounds, and he was persuaded to smuggle the tablets to pay it off.

"He was naive and he has learning difficulties, so he was the perfect target for drug dealers who need someone to do their dirty work."

Customs officials found the ecstasy tablets in Connell's travel bag
after they were detected by an X-ray scan at the airport.

The pills had a street value of $85,000 according to the Thai customs department.



And from yet another message board...

| Khao San Road drug sting ordeal

Everyone fears being fitted-up by the Thai police in a fake drug bust. This actually happened to reader, Patrick. He befriended a Thai girl, Noi, on Ko Pha Ngan. Later, he bumped into her on Khao San Road and she lured him into a trap set by corrupt police officers. This is his story:

I got arrested in Bangkok and nearly ended up in the Bangkok Hilton. The reason I am writing this is that I read an article on your site about buying the police off with 15,000 baht ? or if you are unlucky you might come across a straight police officer and then you are toast. (See Smile, you?re in Thai jail ? David).
I spent 5 months in Thailand from November until March 2002. I went to Ko Phi Phi, Chiang Mai and Kanchanaburi and then hit Ko Pha Ngan for the full moon party and New Years Eve. On Pha Ngan I met up with about 15 other backpackers from all walks of life. It was great until this Swedish lad said he could get some pills ? E.


Everyone gave this lad their orders and within an hour he had 100 pills. We all had a ball and didn't think we were doing anything wrong as the whole island seemed to be on them. I went to Thailand for the culture and not for drugs. I know the punishment for having anything on you. When you are on a party island and everyone?s doing it, you feel like you aren?t doing anything wrong and just go with the flow. I didn't touch drugs in any other part of the country ? except when I smoked a bit of ya-ba in Bangkok. I'm not a druggy.
There were some Thai girls at our resort (Tommy?s resort). We knew they were prostitutes but didn't mind as they made us laugh. We would help them out if they were skint. After spending a month on this island, we all went our separate ways. The Thai girls thought we were millionaires because we spent a small fortune. We did explain that we had to save for a good year to stay for so long.

Anyway, we all left and I headed back to Bangkok on my own. After stopping off somewhere for a week, I arrived in Bangkok and had to sort my return flight home ASAP as I was running low on funds.

I booked into the Grand Guesthouse on Khao San Road and went for a walk. I walked up this side street and heard my name being called. I looked around and spotted Noi and Bud ? these 2 Thai girls I knew from Pha Ngan. They called me over and we were pleased to see each other again. We went into their room and there were about 8 people there smoking ya-ba pills. They asked if I would like to try some and I said yes. I thought, as I'm in their country I?ll sample it. I've taken in all of the other Thai culture, like bamboo rafting, elephant rides, trekking, temples and meeting the monks.

After a while, this lad called Mike who I knew from Pha Ngan started to get scared and asked everyone to leave because, if the police turned up, we would all be doomed. Some people found it funny, but I got up and said I'm off. I read the book by Warren Fellows and I'm not going to end up in the Bangkok Hilton for anyone ? so I left.

Two days passed and I didn?t see the girls again until I was sitting in a pub on the corner of Khao San Road. I was talking to an English man, late 40's, and a German woman. As we were talking, Noi came in and looked very depressed. I asked her what the matter was and she said she was so skint that she couldn't pay her rent. I said sit here with me and I'll buy you a drink and a bit of food. She had the drink and asked me to sit outside on the step with her. I said ok but, just as I was going to leave, this English man said don?t go mate ? stay here with me. I said I'm going to try and help her. He said just watch your back then. What he didn't know is that I knew her from the island.

We went outside and sat down. The pub is at the bottom of Khao San Road and opposite the police box. We started to chat and I said why not stay at mine, go to work, save the money until you get on your feet again and then move somewhere cheap? She asked me four times the name of my guesthouse and then she said I should stay at hers. I wasn't very keen on the idea and asked her if she had seen my other friends. She said no and asked to stay at mine. I said ok. She asked if she could borrow 500 baht to pay off someone and pay the night?s rent. I said I didn?t want her to spend it on that ya-ba shit. She said no, I've stopped all that now.

I said fair enough. As I passed over the 500 baht I noticed that a Thai police officer was watching me. Noi said she'd be back in 5 minutes. Before she left, I asked her to promise me that it was not for drugs ? because I was being watched. She said no it?s not.

 

[Chanman]

When she had gone, I noticed another police officer watching me. By now, I was really concerned and started to get a bit scared but I cheered myself up by saying I?ve got nothing to hide, I haven't done anything wrong. I just sat there drinking and chatting to another backpacker. After about 10 minutes Noi returned and nodded at me. I got up and followed her. As we were walking along, I said I'll only come back if you swear you haven't anything illegal on you. She said she hadn't.

We got back to her hotel. It was a big place with 60 rooms. As we walked up the stairs, she knocked on her friend?s door but there was no answer. Then we headed to her room. As we went in, I knew that there was something wrong. I was scared. Something was going to happen and I bloody knew it. We just sat there for a few minutes but she wouldn't talk to me. I said Noi what?s wrong. She then pulled out 5 ya-ba pills!! I said you stupid woman, the police have been watching me. What happens if they come in here? She said they won?t. I replied if they do, they saw me give you 500 baht and will think those are for me!!

She started to break one up to smoke it. I got up and said I'm off. I don?t want anything to do with you again ? you are trouble. With that, there was a knock at the door, then another one and Noi said is that you Joy? Now I was bloody scared. I was shaking. I knew it was the police. I said throw those out of the window. She said no. I looked out of the window. It was on the 9th floor, so I couldn't jump out.

Then the door handle turned and ? yes you got it ? in walked a Thai police officer. He said something to Noi and turned to me and said you go to prison long time!! I got up and then sat back down because my legs gave way. I said they aren't anything to do with me. Noi said you are guilty. It doesn't matter if you didn't have any ? you are in the same room with someone who has, so that makes you guilty.

I then said tell him I'll do anything, I'll pay anything you want. I read in the Lonely Planet you could sometimes buy the Thai police off with a bribe and kept saying to myself please let him be a bent copper. I gave him my wallet to show him that I didn't have anything to hide. He looked in my wallet and he wasn't interested in whether I had drugs but how much money I had.

It was not much help as I only had 200 baht. He then turned to Noi and said something. She said to me he wants 20,000 baht and then you can go. I said yes, I'll get it, no problem. One small problem ? I only had 8,000 baht left to last me till my flight but I wasn?t going to tell him that. I said to him I've got the money in traveller?s cheques ? can you give me 20 minutes please? He said NO! I'll give you ten minutes and there is a tuk-tuk waiting outside for you. If you don?t come back, we'll find you and you'll have made things far worse for yourself. I said I'll be back.

I left the room and took 4 steps at a time, got to the bottom and another Thai police officer moved out of the way for me. He just smiled. I saw the tuk-tuk waiting and thought sod that. I ran as fast as I could and when running I kept saying think boy, think. What am I going to do? I thought about my little sister and brother and my mum and dad thousands of miles away back in England and, boy, how much I missed them now and just wanted to be with them again. My eyes started to well up with tears. I was so scared but no one could help me.

I turned into Khao San Road, went into the pub and told the Englishman what had happened. He said I told you not to go with her. You've just been had my friend. He said sit here and have a beer. I said no way ? they'll probably look in here for me. I said bye and I was off again to my guesthouse. On arriving, I pushed open my door and started packing, left half my clothes but managed to fit my chess board in the rucksack. Anthony, who is from Brighton and is 19, said what?s up Pat? I told him. He said shit mate and went into his room and told everyone to get rid of their weed. The place was bedlam.

I gave him my email address and said email me if they turn up. He said he would and told me to take care and good luck.

I went and cashed up my last 800 baht. I then had to decide whether to go back and say I've only got 800 baht. Would they take that and still nick me or take it and pat me on the back and say don't do it again? I think not somehow. What would happen if I did have the 20,000 baht and went back? They might still take it and nick me. I thought sod that, I've got to get out of Bangkok now ? not tomorrow but now.

I moved 3 guesthouses up Khao San Road, booked in and came back out. This time I put on my jeans, a woolly jumper and a cap. I must have stood out like a sore thumb. After 5 minutes, I couldn't take any more and burst into tears. I put my head in my hands and just cried. I couldn't believe this was happening to me. I would pay ?50,000 to be home right now. I really missed the cold, snow and rain and couldn't stop thinking about my family back in Sussex.

Just as I was going to get up, I noticed 3 policemen coming up Khao San Road. Now I was bloody scared. I knew they weren?t going to give up and knew if they caught me then I'd be toast, big time. One was walking and looking left to right and the other two were on a motorbike. The one at the back was the one who arrested me. I went to the internet cafe and sent a message to my mate, asking him to ask my family to send out ?700 ASAP but not to say why I needed the money. They would be in tears if they knew what was going on.

I had to get out of Bangkok now. I went back, got my rucksack and sprinted up Khao San Road like a headless chicken. I got to the top and got a taxi ? Pattaya please. 3 hours later, I was in Pattaya and got the cheapest place I could find ? 100 baht a night. I couldn't risk catching the flight out of Bangkok. What would happen if Noi had told them where I was staying? She knew my name, so they could get my passport number.

I waited 3 days, collected my ?700 and got a coach back to Bangkok. I got a coach down to Surat Thani, then a mini bus to Songkhla, I think, then a coach down to Singapore. Crossing the border had me shaking and I thought my number was up. I made it to Singapore and got a direct flight home. When that plane took off, it felt like I had won the lottery.

I feel so sorry for the people who do get caught in Thailand ? whether they are guilty or not. My adventure in Thailand nearly became a living nightmare.

David ? What punishment would they have given me if those police officers weren't corrupt? I know ya-ba is classed as class A. To this day, I think about how long I would have been in prison for.


Thanks for sharing your story, Patrick ? what a nightmare. You were incredibly lucky to escape. Khao San Road is notorious for this type of scam. Many people believe that Thailand is soft on drugs but, in fact, nothing could be further from the truth. In a recent police crackdown, around 3,000 drug suspects were murdered. Their deaths have yet to be investigated. Though the campaign had no farang victims, we get treated as harshly as Thais in all other respects. Prison sentences are long and the conditions horrendous.

If convicted, you could have faced between 5 and 25 years in a Thai jail. However, if you had gone back with the 20,000 baht, they would almost certainly have let you go. These bloodsuckers only want to extort money ? they don?t want to draw the World?s attention to their nasty little scam. Of course, many foreigners are already rotting in Thai jails. No doubt, some of them are innocent. Wise visitors don?t just avoid drugs ? they avoid getting involved with dodgy characters too.

Posted by David | December 10, 2003 12:55 PM