Click a thumbnail to view more photographs
Two Phuket Tourists Held for Possession of Marijuana
By Chutima Sidasathian Saturday, November 19, 2011
PHUKET: Two European tourists are being held in cells at Phuket Provincial Court after being arrested for possessing marijuana.
The men, Kevin Baukns, 24, from Belgium, and Sebastian Jbiloo, 30, from France, were arrested at a checkpoint in the small west coast beach village of Kalim about 11pm on Thursday night.
Officers from Phuket's Kathu Police Station found 10 grams of maijuana in a plastic bag in the motorcycle that the pair were riding towards Patong.
The men are likely to be held without bail until Monday, when a court will decide under what conditions they can be freed.
Phuketwan understands a Russian man was arrested earlier in the week in Patong for a similar offence. He is being held in custody and will appear in court on Thursday.
The ''no tolerance'' policy towards drugs means that amounts of marijuana that would pass without notice in some other countries bring the full force of the law on Phuket and in Thailand.
|
Comments
Comments have been disabled for this article.
your headline states "Two Phuket Tourists Held for Possession of Marijuana". I think it should be changed to "Two Phuket Tourists Held for Possession of really bad Marijuana"
Posted by
JimmyD
on
November 19, 2011 17:41
Every time I visit Patong for work or for pleasure, constantly I am harassed by Tuk-Tuk and Taxi drivers offering Marijuana, cocaine and other types of illegal drugs.
Seems the keep Phuket Clean campaign isn't really working.
Posted by
Tbs
on
November 19, 2011 17:57
The hysterical reaction to drugs, in asian countries, long prison sentences, death by hanging, whipping, ridiculous fines, ect is a product of western views passed on to these countries long ago. In the historical past most Asian countries looked upon drugs in a much more benevolent way. Some drugs were even ingrained into their cultures. As western views of drugs soften Asian has hardened. The power and voice of the DEA is taken more seriously in Asian countries than in Western ones. Many forms of aid are dependent on Asian countries reaction to drugs. I find it sad to see tourists "strung up" for marijuana and other drugs. The world is changing and Asia should change with it. Asian reaction maybe the outcome of "Western Christian missionaries" spreading their views on what is sinful centuries ago. Getting busted for Pot in the USA or Europe rarely leads to jail or even heavy fines. Asia should become more realistic and mellow out.
Posted by
Capealava
on
November 20, 2011 05:00
Hmmmm..so a Thai citizen can be arrested for attempted murder or vehicular negligence/manslaughter and be out on bail for a few thousand baht - but a foreigner with 10 grams of weed?
Posted by
larry
on
November 20, 2011 05:41
Lena, They are from Belgium and France. Of course they could have traveled to Holland where there is a more sensible view towards marijuana than in Thailand or simply stayed at home and would have risked a small fine for using marijuana. Anyway, you're right about something at least they are stupid to do drugs and even more stupid to do it in Thailand.
Posted by
Anonymous
on
November 20, 2011 07:36
What waste of police resources, two farang arrested for 10 grams...why don't the police just walk along Patong beach front, there they could arrest those who sell it to the tourists...
Posted by
Laurie Howells
on
November 20, 2011 09:40
The strict anti-drug laws in many Asian countries are partially a product of Western influence but at a political level I think rather than by missionaries etc. That's why they are applied as and when. Having said that if these boys can cope with a few days in (Thai) jail - and I couldn't - they'll get the standard 1000 baht fine and that'll be it. Same as with assault - which is far more worrying to me.
Lena ... ah what's the point....
Posted by
James
on
November 20, 2011 12:01
Thailand is well known for its no tolerance policy towards drugs and drug use. Its prisons are full of foreigners, who thought it would not apply to them. If you have to do drugs to have a nice holiday, stay away from South-East Asia, so simple. And all this 100K should get them free or usual 1K fine, that may not work, when your picture is in the news. I would not count on anecdotal knowledge here, its your life and its a Thai prison. But maybe a joint is all worth it, how would I know.
Posted by
Lena
on
November 20, 2011 16:53
10 grams???? wow, scary! I would rather have less kathoeys and hookers around on "ya baa" showing their goods, than tourists held for 10 grams of weed.
Posted by
Olivia
on
November 20, 2011 17:22
no sympathy for these two,yes you get caught with 10 grams in most european cities you get charged with possession and probably fined, but to even think of carrying any type of drug in thailand you must be mad, i go to patong each year and am offered coke cannabis on beach rd outside burger king by tuk tuk drivers most days, don't interest me unless you like thai prison food..
Posted by
darren walker
on
November 20, 2011 18:09
Make an example out of them and execute them. Result: Drug offences by foreigners in Thailand will disappear, and won't come back in a hurry, making Thailand a more family-friendly destination for all.
Posted by
Andreas
on
November 21, 2011 01:31
What a sad reflection on Thailand; and how ignorant some people can be; 10 grams of weed in Patong........as if there aren't far more serious crimes going on every soi......sad, sad, sad people
Posted by
john
on
January 27, 2012 19:38
|
Oh dear .. 100.000 should get them free, silly boys..
Posted by poppops on November 19, 2011 14:59