Australian jailed for stealing a barmat

[Addadude]

But then the silly cow goes and tells the whole world that she tried to bribe them... They're hardly going to accept that bribe now...

[Lili Von Shtupp]

But then the silly cow goes and tells the whole world that she tried to bribe them... They're hardly going to accept that bribe now...

True, true

[baloo]

Have they slapped a charge on trying to bribe a police officer onto her yet ?

[Morrolan]

Have they slapped a charge on trying to bribe a police officer onto her yet ?

no, but if she and her dumbass lawyer keep going on like this, you can wait for that to happen.

[baloo]

yep, Phuket officials will use it as a way to dispell the general perception that the police are corrupt.

If she keeps going on like this she'll be up for a Darwin Award.

[Dinosaur]

According to P. Gazette today, the police said that "The owner of the Aussie Bar insisted [at the time of the arrest] that the police press charges and bring the case to court" in which case it's the owner who comes out looking like a right twat.

http://www.phuketgazette.net/news/index.asp?id=7386

[Tas]

" Steve Wood " does sound like he might be a bit of a prat eh, and this is not necessarily a situation of the polices making. Do you think he's got quite the advertising that he had hoped for. Bit of pot and kettle on that comment.

[Lili Von Shtupp]

Drunk and disorderly and bribery be damned, according to the police in this story, it is over the theft of a barmat after all.

[BoD]

Oh it was a branded bar towel (LV perhaps?) , not just cardboard beermat. Now all is clear

[daffodil]

Good point Tas, guess his bar trade won't suffer any!

Still have little sympathy for ladette in question though.

[Dinosaur]

" Do you think he's got quite the advertising that he had hoped for. Bit of pot and kettle on that comment.

Yes I'm beginning to smell a rat here. This morning we bumped into an Aussie guy we know, he goes over to Patong regularly, and says it is absolutely dead as a dodo there now. (Well it's dead everywhere actually ) Yeh, so the bar gets a lotta advertising - geez. Oh I just looked at their website "Comfortable Surroundings, Relaxed <<eek>> atmosphere, Friendly Management " If you want a larf, here it is http://www.aussiebarphuket.com/ Avoid it, I'd say.

[Scrummy Mummy]

Yep, definitely one I'll be avoiding.

Shooting himself in the foot I'd say.

Whereabouts in Phuket are you, PK?

[Dinosaur]

Yep, definitely one I'll be avoiding.

Shooting himself in the foot I'd say.

Whereabouts in Phuket are you, PK?

Nai Harn - most south-westerly point - good for monsoon winds

[daffodil]

Nai Harn - most south-westerly point - good for monsoon winds

Yes but how is it for barmats?

[Scrummy Mummy]

She'd be OK if she nicked one though. Wouldn't need to run away, could just trample the police with her dinosaur.

Nai Harn - that's quite near the Evason?

[Dinosaur]

I guess about a couple of miles away but we're on the south-west bit. Evason's on the other side, on the east coast - gets the winter breezes. Have you been there SM? We're not that far from the Royal Phuket Yacht Club <<where's that snooty smilie?>> http://www.theroyalphuketyachtclub.com/ which strangely enough, and I've never really figured this out, is not a yacht club

[baloo]

She's FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE !!!!!

Melbourne woman Annice Smoel has been released from detention in Thailand and is free to travel home, according to reports in Phuket.

The Phuket Wan website says Ms Smoel, who faced five years in jail for allegedly stealing a bar mat, was given a six-month suspended jail term and a 1,000 baht ($30) fine for theft.

It said the ruling came on Wednesday at provincial court in Phuket City.

"The jail term will be stayed for one year and if Ms Smoel does not commit any crime in Thailand for the year, her jail term will not have to be served," the website reports.

The website says her passport had been returned and she would be allowed to return to Australia.

The Melbourne mother of four pleaded guilty in court on Wednesday.

The website said the fine was paid by the Governor of Phuket, Wichai Praisa-nob.

He intervened after speaking to Thailand's Ministry of Tourism and the Foreign Ministry.

Ms Smoel, 36, and her husband Darren embraced after the ruling.

``I think I am going home,'' Ms Smoel told the website.

``The governor is waiting for my passport now. He has been very gracious.

``I don't know exactly how it all happened today. I think it was probably a combination of my lawyers here, my lawyers in Australia and my government and the Thai government.

``The governor has apologised to me and been very kind. He seems like a lovely man.''

Ms Smoel was arrested on May 2 for allegedly stealing the bar mat from the Aussie Bar in Phuket where she was celebrating her mother's 60th birthday.

She spent four days in jail and had been told she could have had to wait 14 weeks before her case came to court.

Ms Smoel claimed her friends had put the bar mat in her handbag as a practical joke.

AAP

[daffodil]

This has Woman's Day et al written all over it....

[Tas]

Oh don't know, New Idea is the classier one after all....

[Sardonicus]

Just re-read the title, thought it said she had stolen a barmaid, which had me wondering what all the fuss was about. Surely that happens all the time there.....

[Possum]

Glasses, coasters, towels etc disappear from bars all the time! Such a reaction to a minor misdemeanour is totally over the top!! Their time would be better spent dealing with the “real” violence, crime and sleaze that exists in Patong. Oh dear.... I’m off to Thailand tonight on a girl’s tour

[Morrolan]

Glasses, coasters, towels etc disappear from bars all the time!

which doesn't make it right... that's like saying everyone uses drugs, why is it a crime?

plus this was not a 3 cent cardboard coaster, but a 50 cm long, $60 thingamajig.

[Lili Von Shtupp]

Girl's tour! Poss, be a love and pick me up a barmat, will you?

Y'know, I just have to say - I think it would suck to be an Australian woman right now. I'm reading a lot of nasty comments that assume that all Australian women are this Kath&Kim stereotype and really, I think if I were an Australian woman I'd be feeling more than a little bent out of shape. You can never escape the ugly side of your own culture, but some of the things I'm hearing are really low.

[Possum]

True but the punishment should fit the crime. Luckily it wasn’t a ping-pong ball or she may have got life!

[Possum]

Dam! 6 of the 8 going are Aussies....must pack my "I love NZ T-Shirt"