Thread: Urgent Help

Good luck. The cards are really stacked against your friend.

1) Money would have helped at the time of arrest. It's too late for that now.

2) The political system is in tatters and the judiciary are leading the fight against corruption.

3) Drugs are a hot-button item in Thailand and drug offenses are take quite seriously here.

4) Your friend is a Westerner and will get little leniency or sympathy from the police, courts, or media.

Ditto everything that Hamster said.

Also, lawyers here will work for you only up to the point where they could begin to lose face with their colleagues or the courts. Even though you're paying them they will never go against the grain of the legal community they are a part of to help you / your friend. They might try a bit harder for a Thai national but for foreigners, who they know will be on the 1st plane out of here when their problems are resolved, I don't think they will sacrifice their reputation with the establishment one iota.

The lawyer will probably counsel your friend to admit to the crime because the courts are a good bit more lenient with suspects who show remorse.

I hope we're both wrong about what we've written above and that everything turns out OK but you can probably tell I'm not optimistic. Good luck.

stfranalum has just given you as much help as you can expect from the US embassy in the matter btw.

Does the OP have any more deatails?
Was this a case of possession or possession with intent to sell?

What quantity of what substance was involved?

any quantity of any drug is taken seriously here, but some extra information might help a little.
are you in hold of the facts?

If I recall correctly, Thailand has a "deal" with the USA wherin US citizens charged with "minor crimes" are just deported. Check this out before spending money. The US has filled Thai coffers for years with bases, military equip, etc (the US Navy BUILT Pattaya during the Vietnam War for Christ's sake!). We built Thailand 3 huge air bases, even gave them an aircraft carrier.

You need to research this....

Originally Posted by cluezo

We even gave them an aircraft carrier.

What? Thailand has only 1 aircraft carrier and the US surely did not give them HTMS Chakrinarubet!
HTMS Chakri Naruebet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If it has made it to court it's too late for a bribe out afaik.

Originally Posted by james scotland

If the quantities were minor, surely it's not too late for a buy out.

It depends more on how many people know about it and how far along he is. If only a few cops are involved then there is a pretty good chance he can pay his way out. If its gone to court it will be a lot more difficult. If he was sentenced and then in prison it would be almost impossible.