Aussie arrested in Phuket over mat theft (AAP)

[alex1]

PHUKET: A Melbourne mother of four is facing five years in a Thai jail after allegedly "stealing" a bar mat (coaster) from a Phuket pub. The report says 36-year-old Annice Smoel was arrested by undercover police as she left the Aussie Bar in Patong on May 3. She says friends had put the bar mat in her handbag as a prank, but the undercover police working in the bar found the mat and arrested her. She spent two nights in a four-metre-by-four-metre jail cell.
"I had only just picked it up … had a quick look inside and saw there was something I didn't recognize in it," she said.
"I was nowhere near the handbag
One of the girls involved went down to the police, confessed and apologised, they told her to go away."
Ms Smoel, who was in the country to celebrate her mother's 60th birthday, has been stranded in Thailand for the past 17 days after police confiscated her passport. She said she was hanging in there, but wanted to get home as soon as possible to see her four children, aged six, eight, 11 and 12.
If she is found guilty, Ms Smoel faces between two and five years in jail.
Ms Smoel is now stranded in Phuket as the police have seized her passport pending adjudication of the case.
It is understood that her husband has returned to Melbourne to look after the couple's children.
The incident follows the arrest and incarceration for 3 weeks of British national Simon Burrowes earlier this year after he had spoken "rudely" with an Immigration officer at Phuket International Airport. He was finally found guilty of the offense in a court and fined 500 baht (approx US$ 14.28).

Who are these "undercover police" working in Patong bars - The "New Gestapo"
Welcome to Thailand, The Land of Smiles Enjoy your holiday but don't laugh, don't talk (your conversation is being monitored), don't complain about anything (especially about the THB150 ATM charge), watch what you eat and drink (it could be poisoned), don't wander around alone especially after dark, you're likely to be mugged, raped or murdered, just give them your money and [MOD EDIT, word change]: "bugger off" cos that's all they're interested in and Immigration/Police will arrest you on the slightest pretext in order to make sure that they get some of your money too.
It's a country of bandits and they're all out to rob you

Yeah, whatever You do not to get involved in something, they will find a way to overcome

[pachangamac042]

Ups, they did it again. How silly can people be? Is this not typical Thai? Keep on kicking somebody who is already on the ground! Tourism is down, and still you find overzealous officials, who do everything to keep it down. Let us face it, if you do not want us to come to your country, just close down the borders. How ridiculous, guests going to jail and being detained in Thailand for nothing really. Abhi what about an other 200 billions for tourism ads?

Latest news; a German lady dies on the way to hospital because of flu…

[kiwitim]

Far too many people go around stealing or damaging other people's property and calling it a "joke". Not so funny now though , is it? This reminds me of the idiots who go around making ill-advised remarks about the Royal Family. The obvious solution in this case would have been to offer some "coffee money" to the Police, but I'll bet she got on her farang high-horse demanding her rights etc.

[Sean Moran]

Thank you for the reality check, Tim, and welcome to the forum.

[pachangamac042]

What could be next?

56 year old Canadian lady incarcerated for picking a flower in a local park?

23 year old Dutch girl gets 10 years in prison for picking shells from a beach?

Retired Austrian men gets life time in prison for farthing in immigration?

Kiwi teenager gets 15 years for wearing a “I love Thailand t-shirt” to a temple?

French man gets 8 years in prison for smoking a cigarette at a bus station?

…

Amazing Thailand¿¿¿

[pachangamac042]

Or what about a new logo for TAT. “Pay for a one week holiday in the land of smiles and stay for 4 month courtesy of the Thai authorities?”

[Sean Moran]

Don't worry about that, mate! They'll probably extradite her back to Australia sometime in the next few weeks, so it will be just like the holiday vacation health and recreation adventure she never had to pay for!

[pachangamac042]

Hmm, or maybe this one; “ You do not know Thailand, until you did some time in a Thai jail!”

Thailand the land of real adventure holidays; “Book one week at a beach resort, and we invite you 2 month, free stay with full board at a Thai penitentiary?

Free Thai language lessons; “Do some time in an overcrowded Thai cell and learn local dialects for free!”

Thailand the culinary experience; “Free food and accommodation at Phuket Hilton!”

[Sean Moran]

See you in court on Monday morning.

---o0o---

"There must be some kinda way outta here, said the joker to the thief ..."

[Sean Moran]

Please provide sources for the articles you cut and paste.

The link in the location bar of your browser window is okay.