Irish man facing 50 years in Thai prison for 1kg Cannabis Sale to Police

Qiaonasen · 28-10-2015 4:15am #1

I cannot post a link because I am a new user. But it is on the Irish times website.

Irish man basically has been caught selling 1kg of Cannabis to undercover police in Thailand and faces up to 50 years in jail. He is 23 years old.

Just saw this in the news. Have to say I have strange feelings about it. If he gets a full 50 years in jail at 23 he has completely wasted his life. Fair enough you might say. He commited the crime, he can do the time or whatever. Furthermore. Everybody knows the risk you run with drugs in Asian countries. Completely stupid on his behalf.

Although to be honest it is very harsh. I think these harsh penalties on drugs do absolutely nothing. They do nothing to discourage people. I am pretty sure the Ireland can do nothing in this case.

McDermotX · 28-10-2015 4:19am

Don't do the crime, if you can't do the time.

Here endeth the lesson.

desbrook · 28-10-2015 4:20am

Maybe "dad justice" is needed. Make him smoke the whole kilo in one go ??

pappyodaniel · 28-10-2015 4:34am

Absolute idiot. It's common knowledge how strict Thailand is when it comes to illegal drugs.

Junkyard Tom · 28-10-2015 4:50am

pappyodaniel wrote: »

Absolute idiot. It's common knowledge how strict Thailand is when it comes to illegal drugs.

If people were jailed for 50 years for being idiots most of us would be behind bars.

drunkmonkey · 28-10-2015 5:04am

Hard to imagine Gary Glitter got safe passage and a free flight home and one of our own if going to get banged up for 50 years for trying to give some policemen the giggles...

MJI · 28-10-2015 5:19am

I think cannabis should be 100% legal. Nobody should be jailed for, growing, selling, possessing or using. Anyone who is currently incarcerated for anything related to it should released.

Peregrinus · 28-10-2015 5:20am

Glitter's offences were in Vietnam, not Thailand. Your account ("safe passage and a free flight home") omits the two year, nine month sentence he served before his deportation. When his deportation flight touched down in Thailand he tried to enter Thailand, but was refused.

As for the defendant in this case, I think 50 years is the theoretical maximum sentence he could get. (In fact, my impression is that 20 years is the max if the only drug involved is cannabis, but I could have that wrong.) It remains to be seen what he will get but it will be much less than the maximum - first offence, maybe an early guilty plea, etc. Plus, remission and commutation policies are generous compared to what we are used to, so the time he serves will be different again.

Yes, you have to feel a bit sorry for him. He is unbelievably stupid, but any time at all in prison is a harsh penalty for stupidity. On the other hand, a fairly high proportion of those in prison in Ireland are pretty stupid too.

Peregrinus · 28-10-2015 5:24am

MJI wrote: »

I think cannabis should be 100% legal. Nobody should be jailed for, growing, selling, possessing or using. Anyone who is currently incarcerated for anything related to it should released.

You wouldn't be alone in thinking that. Nevertheless, there's a great gap between thinking that that's what the law ought to be, and behaving as if that's what the law actually was. That's where the "stupid" bit comes in.

_Brian · 28-10-2015 5:27am

Stupidity is no excuse.
He consiously made the decision to break the law and so must face whatever is coming down the tracks.

I'd say harsh jail terms do indeed reduce wanna be traffickers. I'd imagine it would be much more out of control if it were a 6 month max sentenance.

Orizio · 28-10-2015 5:33am

Everyone knows the risks of drug-dealing in Thailand.

MJI wrote: »

I think cannabis should be 100% legal. Nobody should be jailed for, growing, selling, possessing or using. Anyone who is currently incarcerated for anything related to it should released.

I think you are neither Thai nor part of the Thai government.

Orizio · 28-10-2015 5:34am

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Hard to imagine Gary Glitter got safe passage and a free flight home and one of our own if going to get banged up for 50 years for trying to give some policemen the giggles...

Irish person in massive geography fail shocker. Vietnam and Thailand are two entirely different countries mate.

crybaby · 28-10-2015 5:42am

I live in Thailand and if you are a foreigner over here selling drugs you are either thick beyond belief or a criminal looking for the next bit of money.

There is no sob story in here at all, I doubt very much that he will get anywhere close to 50 years, if he pays off the right people he could probably walk away from it completely.

R.D. aka MR.D · 28-10-2015 7:07am

I don't think the discussion should be about whether or not drugs should be legalized in Thailand. It's about some guy who was breaking the laws of another country for no reason other than personal gain.

There's a great show called banged up abroad. I live in Asia and my OH and I watch them to laugh at all the lazy idiots who get themselves into trouble. The episode about a guy in South Korea is particularly ridiculous.

Almost every single time it's because they are lazy. There are other ways to make money that aren't illegal but for some reason they choose to go down that road because it's faster/easier.

voz es · 28-10-2015 8:19am

Here is a little bit more from the Thai News:

http://www.chiangmaicitylife.com/news/irishman-arrested-for-pot-via-line-app/

I must admit I feel terrible for the Lad. I have read a book about the main prison in Bangkok they call it the 'Hilton'. There were two Australian lads in there what happened was horrid.

here is a book that one wrote:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/392438.The_Damage_Done
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_Fellows

NachoBusiness · 28-10-2015 8:34am

Might get an order from Camile tonight.

Lovely Bloke · 28-10-2015 9:01am

Hard to feel sorry for an idiot like this, I mean the world and it's mother knows the harsh sentences for drug related crimes in SE Asia, to get involved in that world out there is beyond all reason.

He's lucky it's only prison time imo.

zl1whqvjs75cdy · 28-10-2015 9:37am

The man broke the laws of another jurisdiction and will be punished accordingly. I don't get these people that get up on their high horses about the Irish flouting the law while abroad. The "Peru two" spring to mind, as does Ibrahim Halawah.

Duckworth_Luas · 28-10-2015 9:38am

NachoBusiness wrote: »

Might get an order from Camile tonight.

Got a snackbox from Midnight Express in Drumcondra myself

machiavellianme · 28-10-2015 9:40am

Pity the Irish justice system can't impose similar penalties and make them stick. I can't imagine too many people reoffend given the repercussions. Then again, if you're already locked up, there's very little opportunity to reoffend.

Stinicker · 28-10-2015 9:42am

If he can get his hands on around a million baht then he can surely bribe his way out by getting off on some technicality, the main thing is not to make the thais lose face and get embarrassed. If the lad or his family makes arrangements then it may be possible. Thailand is notoriously corrupt.

nxbyveromdwjpg · 28-10-2015 9:43am

_Brian wrote: »

Stupidity is no excuse.
I'd say harsh jail terms do indeed reduce wanna be traffickers. I'd imagine it would be much more out of control if it were a 6 month max sentenance.

I'm pretty sure no one doing it plans on getting caught, so the length of the sentence is going to be irrelevant at the point of doing the deed.

Is there any evidence out there that the introduction of mandatory minimum sentences ever worked as a deterrent after they were brought in? Do rates fall?
No they don't.

I mean this guy even did it in Thailand, we're hearing about it cos he's Irish but he's not alone. Drug use and drug crimes are rising despite executions and all sorts. Pointless endeavour all round.

The_Kew_Tour · 28-10-2015 9:48am

Junkyard Tom wrote: »

If people were jailed for 50 years for being idiots most of us would be behind bars.

Not everybody is that stupid though.

They're stupid and then they're insane

Peregrinus · 28-10-2015 9:49am

Giuliana Screeching Shoehorn wrote: »

I'm pretty sure no one doing it plans on getting caught, so the length of the sentence is going to be irrelevant at the point of doing the deed.

Is there any evidence out there that the introduction of mandatory minimum sentences ever worked as a deterrent after they were brought in? Do rates fall?
No they don't.

1. I don't think they have a mandatory minimum sentence for this offence in Thailand. What the newspapers are quoting is the maximum sentence.

2. Are mandatory minimum sentences effective? Hard to say. There are plenty of cases where they are introduced, and crime rates have risen, so they are certainly not effective in all circumstances. There are other cases where crime rates have fallen after introduction, but you can't necessarily conclude that this was because of the introduction of minimum sentences - lots of factors are known to affect crime rates.

I think there are two popular views among criminologists. One you have already pointed to - criminals don't plan on getting caught (they either don't plan at all, or they calculate that they will get away with the crime) and so their decisions aren't really affected by contemplating the possible sentence. The other is that minimum sentences are a massively, massively expensive policy to administer, and if you are prepared to devote that amount of money to reducing crime rates, there are usually more cost-effective ways to spend it. Putting money into improving policing, detection and conviction will normally yield better results, in terms of lower crime rates, than putting the same money into longer prison terms.

QuinDixie · 28-10-2015 9:53am

America can be blamed for this BS, from the 80s on their war on drugs saw millions given to indonesia, thailand etc. to fight this war and of course to keep getting funds states have fallen over each other to show whose tougher on drugs.
whats laughable is the cops involved in stinging this irish man have probably sold these drugs on to other tourists themselves.

One eyed Jack · 28-10-2015 9:55am

Qiaonasen wrote: »

Although to be honest it is very harsh. I think these harsh penalties on drugs do absolutely nothing. They do nothing to discourage people. I am pretty sure the Ireland can do nothing in this case.

They actually seem to work quite well as a deterrent to most people who would want to transport drugs, which is why rare cases like this one where a person is caught, make international headlines.

Perhaps if we introduced harsher sentences for crimes in this country, we wouldn't have the revolving door justice system we have now where we have young offenders with 20 odd convictions before their 18th birthday.

mathie · 28-10-2015 10:35am

MJI wrote: »

I think cannabis should be 100% legal. Nobody should be jailed for, growing, selling, possessing or using. Anyone who is currently incarcerated for anything related to it should released.

I think theft/murder/using nutri-bullets should be 100% legal. Nobody should be jailed for, stealing, killing, possessing or using a nurti-bullet. Anyone who is currently incarcerated for anything related to it should released.

osarusan · 28-10-2015 10:41am

One eyed Jack wrote: »

They actually seem to work quite well as a deterrent to most people who would want to transport drugs, which is why rare cases like this one where a person is caught, make international headlines.

Even if we accept that these headlines actually mean smugglers being caught is rare (which I don't see any reason to accept), that might just as easily mean that most smugglers go undetected as it might mean that they are being deterred from attempting to smuggle drugs.

Ash.J.Williams · 28-10-2015 10:41am

He looks like a privileged type..he was observed selling hash on the street...what was he thinking? how low would you have to be to sell hash on dublin city streets??? They are usually bottom feeders

nxbyveromdwjpg · 28-10-2015 10:50am

Do people about the subject in question before commenting on it here?

One eyed Jack wrote: »

They actually seem to work quite well as a deterrent to most people who would want to transport drugs, which is why rare cases like this one where a person is caught, make international headlines.

He bought and sold a kilo of cannabis in Thailand, so he didn't really transport anything (presuming you mean 'traffic').

It's not particularly rare at all and the only reason he's in the headlines is he's 23 and Irish, instead of a thai local.

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

He looks like a privileged type..he was observed selling hash on the street...what was he thinking? how low would you have to be to sell hash on dublin city streets??? They are usually bottom feeders

According to the article linked a page back, they called him on some app which I take it is similar to whatsapp, called "Link", and set him up. He wasn't walking around with it at random.

Dublin city streets..?

Ash.J.Williams · 28-10-2015 10:51am

Giuliana Screeching Shoehorn wrote: »

Do people about the subject in question before commenting on it here?

He bought and sold a kilo of cannabis in Thailand, so he didn't really transport anything (presuming you mean 'traffic').

It's not particularly rare at all and the only reason he's in the headlines is he's 23 and Irish, instead of a thai local.

According to the article linked a page back, they called him on some app which I take it is similar to whatsapp, called "Link", and set him up. He wasn't walking around with it at random.

Dublin city streets..?

yeah street dealers...

the article said he was observed selling hash on the street to tourists and locals and they tipped off the cops who then set him up

Irish man facing 50 years in Thai prison for 1kg Cannabis Sale to Police

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