Have been a bit busy recently but just wanted to update everyone after my appeal a few days ago over the series of libel cases brought against me by people who should really not be here.
First of all thank you all very much. Together with money that has come in and pledges I should have no trouble with bail and fighting the next case.
But more positively some Thais are waking up and have taken notice and have also pledged support. As you all know I have decided to play this game straight. I have never intended to call on ‘influential people’.
The only way I can fight this is in court and of course by waking up officials to the injustices committed under Thailand’s criminal libel laws and Crime Computer Act.
Of course I am fighting people who do not play with straight bats. But I would not consider it a victory if I played by their rules.
Readers here have been really generous and I can see reflected in all this is the fact that many foreigners in Thailand have been the victims of fraud and deceit by other foreigners and I hope before I leave this country with other people I will have left a structure that will put an end to all this and help the victims.
Already my colleagues have been getting money back and properties back for several victims. But it’s something that needs to be staffed so we need to see how that can be funded. I don’t think UNESCO will help.
Among the odd requests I have been dealing with this week is the ‘rescue’ of a Thai woman called ‘Sugar’ who has been dumped in Albania. She got a Schengen visa valid for 12 days to enter Germany – and that was some six months ago.
Whoever took her dumped her in Tirana the capital. Albania is of course one of the poorest countries in Europe and formerly run by a communist regime which created a secret country, once almost as inaccessible as Burma or North Korea.
Its just well she is not nicknamed ‘Lek’ – as the Albanian lek is the unit of currency there – 169 to £1.00.
So I was down at the German Embassy today passing info onto the Bundespolizei – as that is where she got her visa – and checking to see if the people at the gatehouse were as ferocious as those at the British Embassy.
More of that later – but I am hearing there are quite a few Thai women in Albania.
We have been wondering how to get over Sugar’s ‘overstay’ issues – but it seems perhaps that our worries are unjustified. Well for heaven’s sake the international airport at Tirana is called ‘Mother Teresa Airport’ so hopefully we do not need a miracle. Hopefully she is coming back on the 6th.
Andrew, I wouldn't be over concerned about the 'Influential people' card.
Somchai duping "influential people' into a photo moment (often depicting Somchai leaning into the shot at an odd angle and with a strained neck) is not the same thing as Somchai calling on these same 'Influential people' and asking them to interfere on his behalf to get him off criminal charges.
Look again at those photos he loves posting of him with his 'influential friends'….. "and we've been friends for such a long time'.
How many do you imagine will want to be anywhere near Somchai when they learn of his (alleged) activities?
He might turn up at court with his photo-album … he might be better advised to bring his tooth brush.
Somchai understand that every time one of his influential friends fails to acknowledge him, doesn't pick up his call or un-friends him on facebook that one more person he's put so much effort into grooming has found out the truth about who Somchai really is.
Unfortunately the Thai Government only takes action when embarrassed or as a face saving measure. Publicly Thai officials are in total denial about how corrupt their society is but privately they know the system is a mess. If it wasn't these people like Noyes and Goldie wouldn't be able to do what they do.
Look at the news from Phuket today, in response to the diving industry's complaints about police corruption, local authorities how responded by ordering a crackdown and check of……..the diving industry!!!!
No looking into the claims of extortion and intimidation by the police, just a witch-hunt against the victims for having the audacity to complain about corrupt police. Of course there was the token transfer of the local police chief to another area. How often have we seen the Chalong police involved in stories on this site?
^ Yes and "checking the immigration status of clients " reports Phuket Gazette. Shot across the bow, for sure. Message is clear, don't make waves in the corruption industry…
Andrew, I'm glad you are getting enough funds to see you through these cases, you deserve a medal for what you have been through.