Forums > Social Chat > help! I've been arrested and jailed for 55 years!!

Posted: 10th Dec 2004
ok i went once, my parents were in the military so it was under a dif situation, however you have to take in to consideration that the storys you hear are blown up or exagerated to some extent, millions of people vist Thailand each year and come home just fine...........;)

You can't avoid pain by fencing yourself from it.
Some times you need the help of others more than anything else
But you have to let them close enough to help......
People want to be needed, I found that out too

Posted: 10th Dec 2004
thanx! keep em coming! im such a woos i just dont fancy being jailed for eternity for doing nothing wrong! :worry wort. :x)

Posted: 10th Dec 2004
I've been to thailand and it's fine. It's getting in and out of Cambodia you need to worry about :P

Meh

Posted: 10th Dec 2004
If you worried, don't let your bags out of sight, don't except anything from anyone no matter what they say... enjoy your trip, I'll be there in 2 yrs hopefully!!!

(My friend was ripped off alot of money recently when he was there... and he thought it would never happen to him!!!!!)

I used to be indecisive, but I'm not so sure now.....

Posted: 11th Dec 2004
oooh ive heard cambodia is bad, any horrror stories?? ive heard the poi on the ebaches is amazing in thailand...

Posted: 11th Dec 2004
oops...sorry the BEACHES.

Posted: 11th Dec 2004
I'm going to Thailand in a couple of months too so this is an area of interest to me too. I've talked to someone that's traveled a lot and read a few books so here's what I've picked up.

They (generally) stick stuff into your bag to blackmail you rather than arrest you. If you're caught pay up, don't try to fight it.

Check your bag at anywhere important where you might get checked. Hold on to it rather than carry it on your back. This should also help prevent anyone taking anything out of your rucksack.

Everyone smokes dope in Thailand. If you're offered a joint by someone that you've been traveling with for a while, you trust them and you're not anywhere public you should be alright. However don't take anything offered to you from a local as they could be undercover.

Be careful but not hyperparanoid, like Fish said, millions of people go every year and have a great time without any proplems.

Give me a lever long enough and a place to stand and I can beat the world into submission.

Posted: 11th Dec 2004
If thai people ask you how long you've been in the country then tell them a few weeks. Don't say you just got there.



That way they're more likely to think that you've seen their scam before and not bother.



An old wearied traveller dude told me that and it kept me in good stead









Oh and try the crunchy fried insects that they sell on Khosarn Road. But only after you've got someone to pay to see you do it

Meh

Posted: 12th Dec 2004
personally i'd rather go to central america, more relaxed!

"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"

jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley

Posted: 12th Dec 2004
Ooo lucky, thailand is such an interesting country to visit. Not all things in thailand are enjoyable or nice to see but its a fascinating cultural experience and some places are beutiful. Theres so much to do, shopping in the markets, going to beaches etc. I went last year and we spent Christmas there. So if you want any travel tips jst PM me. There are a few things you really need to be aware of like the Tuk Tuk drivers and the food and drink.

Anyway, the drugs thing. I cant say i know that much about this. Thailand has very stern and severe punishments for drugs, your right. But it seems drugs are quite common there, so im not sure how often their actually fully enforced. i would just be cautious, but dont let it put you off going. Dont let your bags out of your sight, of course appart from when u have to check them in.

But id say that the chances of anything like that happening are a lot slimmer than people make out. Stories are exaggerated a lot. And even if they arent think of how many people must fly in and out of thailand everyday without any problems. So chances of anything bad happening are small.

But also be aware. Airports are prejudiced. Its harsh but true. If you look like say someone who is backpacking or have dreads or your clothes dont look pristine i believe your a lot more likely to be searched. When we flew back from thailand last time i saw quite a few backpackers being searched in England before they exited the airport :S

Posted: 12th Dec 2004

Written by: Bretch

---

If you worried, don't let your bags out of sight, don't except anything from anyone no matter what they say... enjoy your trip, I'll be there in 2 yrs hopefully!!!

(My friend was ripped off alot of money recently when he was there... and he thought it would never happen to him!!!!!)

---

Yeah dont get ripped off. Its depends where u go, but the prices they will ask u for in shops and markets varies a lot. DO NOT pay what they ask for!!! Even if in England that price wood seem reasonable dont pay it. Your in thailand!

Unless its like a supermarket. They will ask tourist automatically for often over double what they expect to get for it or what theyd sell it to a local for. Bangkok they asked for quite a lot for stuff. than we went to phuket and noticed they were pricing some stuff ridiculously. Like 5 times more than bangkok. but i still payed the same amount id been paying. U feel a bit stingey bartering the price right down but you've got to. 150 bhat for a tshirt is ok. for example.

Posted: 12th Dec 2004
I've got a friend from Australia who has been to Thailand eight time and nothing bad has happened to him.

Posted: 14th Dec 2004
cheers, was on the verge of not going there totally panicking but now i hear your tales i am more at ease!!! my boyfriend wanted to go to san fransisco instead but i wasnt sure of that cuz im too scared to go back the the usa!! thats another story! what a pussy i am...how i can stand and happily spin fire round my body but not get on a plane or go somewhere interesting i wil never know!!

Posted: 14th Dec 2004
Thailand's fine. You'll get ripped off and conned anywhere - if you let fear dictate you movements then not even your own home is safe.

I've spent a fair deal of time in Thailand and my mother has lived there for about a year now. So far no problems except disappearing post and stuff you'll never have to deal with as a tourist.

Just remember you won't get jailed for 55 years - you'll be shot within a few months of arrest. There is a death sentence for drugs out there. There is corruption, so if the police tell you to pay a fine don't expect to be able to argue out of it. I've never had this happen to me, but I know Thais who have had it happen to them. Also the country is basically a military state and the government is corrupt and a human rights abuser and generally accepted as such by the people. The King, on the other hand, is well respected.
So, respect authority, the king and the religion.

Also go off the beaten track and far away from Bangkok and experience the real life there. And avoid Cambodia in favour of Laos. And enjoy!

Posted: 14th Dec 2004
"you'll be shot within a few months of arrest"

hahahah

Honestly Shaz, the only thing you have to worry about in Thailand is that your visa will run out before you want to leave.
You live in Glasgow for god's sake, you're in more danger out on a saturday night than you would be in Thailand!!

The drugs: if you want to smoke a joint, find other tourists you get on with (don't worry you'll meet loads of people in the backpacker hostels) and ask where is the best place. Don't smoke in the streets or public places and you should be fine. Avoid pills. And don't take anything from a Thai person you don't know (but hey, you wouldn't do that in Scotland anyways). If the worst happens and you are caught with something you may have to pay a huge fine - but that won't happen if you are careful. Find out the number of the British embassy in Thailand before you go and keep it with your passport.
Never, never let your passport too far out of your sight.

As everyone has said, keep a close eye on your stuff (but you shouldn't be travelling with anything priceless anyway), keep passports, money, tix etc in a money belt and just be sensible. The country is corrupt, but more often than not, they'll leave random tourists alone. As Dom said, the King is well-respected. You will know what he looks like very quickly - glasses and a camera

Tourism has taken a firm hold of Thailand, and a certain route through Laos and Cambodia. Everyone is friendly and eager to get your money (not surprising, really, many of them have nothing). You will get ripped off at least once, but bear in mind it'll probably only be for about 50p, so don't get too upset. Be alert and you'll be fine - also, they expect you to barter, but have fun with it, don't take it seriously. Also be reasonable, these people have to live (I saw loads of tourists trying to barter well below what the product was worth). An important thing to remember in SE Asia is that the locals frown on loud and vocal arguments. It is a sign of disrespect and most people (especially if they're from rural areas) will give you strange looks or even laugh if you get upset in public. So stay calm.

Definitely get out of Bangkok. Thailand is very touristy - Pai (a small town in the northwest) is not as bad, but the well-trodden path from the islands up to Bangkok, up to Chang Mai and down to Koh Chang is established. You will meet hundreds of other backpackers doing the same thing.
It is good to get off the beaten path, but I didn't very much.
My own belief was that I didn't want to be responsible for pushing western culture any further into a country that didn't really want it in the first place. Everyone has their own take on that.

I travelled from Thailand into Laos, then down through Laos and into Cambodia. Laos is stunning. The southern part is quite untouched by tourism and the 1,000 islands (Don Det) is breathtaking. However, Cambodia was my favourite. The people are open and warm and wonderful - the country has been through so much, it is a little bit crazy, but everything is an experience.

When you get there, the beaches of Cambodia are found in Siahoukville. You'll find an amazing staffer called Titi when you get there (he owns Eden bar in Serendipity beach - the backpacker area).

Anyways, the other thing to consider is the time of year you are travelling in. It should be coming into the dry season, so there will be fewer malaria-carrying mosquito around. I did not use any anti-malarials and I was there in Jan-May this year. But that is up to you.

The most important thing is to have fun. SE Asia is one the most incredible experiences I have ever had and I hope to go back there next year. It is a non-stop photo opportunity and the smells, the warmth, the colour, the upset stomachs are all part of it.

Sometimes you may find it a bit relentless and hard going, but when you're sitting on some paradise beach, with you and your boy and noone for miles you'll know it has been worth it

Take care and push yourself a little bit harder - it will pay off

Getting to the other side

Posted: 14th Dec 2004
I've been told not to use a money belt (particularly one that hangs around you neck) as people specialise in cutting them. Also the tell-tell strap around you neck is a dead give away. I was told to sew hidden pockets in everything I can (so on the insides of trousers) and hide things like passports in there. Also to keep particular denominations of money in particular pockets so you need to go to to get the right amount of money. Fold notes seperately. Another idea I've heard is to get a "dummy wallet" with a small amount of money in it, so if someone does courner you you can hand over the dummy.

Give me a lever long enough and a place to stand and I can beat the world into submission.

Posted: 14th Dec 2004
Jeez. That's cautious.

A money belt, however, as it's name suggests, is a belt worn under the clothes and around the waist. The best ones are made of cotton so they don't make you too hot and sweaty. They're also easy for you to get to.

Purses that hang around the neck are not a good idea for all the reasons above - but also because you'll be wearing light clothes and you won't want anything hanging round your neck.

Anyways, if the worst happens and you do lose your passport and/or money... don't panic... there will be plenty of friendly people around to help you out and you will get things sorted from the embassy

Getting to the other side

Posted: 21st Dec 2004
AAHHHHHHH!
I'm very excited for you! I've been to Thailand 3 times in the past year, for a over a month each visit, if you take basic precautions, just as you would at home you'll be fine. It's a good idea to photocopy your passport and tickets, also record the details of them and your important phone numbers on your email account so even if you lose both copies you have your passport number etc...
One word on the fire spinners, I learned to spin out there (if you go to ko pha ngan there's a guy called Bai Lei who works in the drop in bar-awesome), it's amazing and you'll learn a lot but be careful with the quality of the equipment, the metal is cheap and becomes brittle/melts very quickly so always check the chains you're using for damage. If you're worried, use your own stuff. Don't fire breath while you're there.
Feel free to PM me if you want to ask anything about this stuff, and don't worry about the drugs things, there's a lot, but it's easy to avoid if you want to. If you're worried about planting, lock your bags.
Have fun! Don't let your fears ruin anything!