Phuket jet-ski thug gets first taste of swift tourist court justice

[madmitch 8,993]

I am confused.

Having read the original article it distinctly stated that the non-criminal element of the case was to be heard at the tourist court. This appears to be the exact opposite, or were unreported damages also awarded to the tourists?

[dcutman 4,315]

You all might makes jokes, but I consider this real progress. You have to realise that fines in Thailand seem low, but that is just the real Thai economy (not the tourist economy).

This is the part I really like ...

“If Mr Danaichet is caught committing a crime during his probation, he faces a penalty of three months in prison,” the officer explained.

Gonna have to call BS on that one. Beating an old an man and his son with a pole and getting a 1000 baht fine is not the real real Thailand. It may be in Kata Beach, or any where else in Phukett or Pataya but not in Thailand in general. But I am actually quite surprised the Farangs didnt get the fine in this cesspool.

To be honest I have heard before that the fine for assault is just 500 bt and this was double assault so 1000 bt. I am not sure but this really might be the maximum fine.

Ok I will agree with that, I am not sure on this, but I would assume there are many degrees of assault. Beating two men with a stick/flagpole would be rather high on the assault chart. I mean the guy didnt beat them with a pillow, this assault caused injuries. So I am gonna still say in the above mentioned places the penalty would not be this ridiculously low, at least without some sort of compensation. I would not expect any different in this case or any in the future from these so called tourist courts in the future. Like I said these places are cesspools and free for all rip offs, a complete embarrassment to this country.

[KED 567]

You all might makes jokes, but I consider this real progress. You have to realise that fines in Thailand seem low, but that is just the real Thai economy (not the tourist economy).

This is the part I really like ...

“If Mr Danaichet is caught committing a crime during his probation, he faces a penalty of three months in prison,” the officer explained.

THB 1,000 may be a lot to the average Thai person; however, it is nothing compared to the amount the jet ski operators are extorting from tourists.

[NamKangMan 5,621]

You all might makes jokes, but I consider this real progress. You have to realise that fines in Thailand seem low, but that is just the real Thai economy (not the tourist economy).

This is the part I really like ...

“If Mr Danaichet is caught committing a crime during his probation, he faces a penalty of three months in prison,” the officer explained.

Aren't the jet-skis rented at 1500 baht per half hour? I gather the father rented one, and the son rented one - that's 3000 baht.

1000 baht is just some part of the profit from the rental to the victims.

It does seem a little too lenient to me, and would tend to send a message to other jet-ski operators, and tuk-tuk drivers, that the going rate for assaulting a couple of tourists, with a weapon, (flag pole) is only 1000 baht.

In my opinion, it sets a rather low precedent for this Court to now abide by.

1000 baht is cheap for "tarnishing Phuket's image."

Edited September 30, 2013 by NamKangMan

[MK1 258]

I am confused.

Having read the original article it distinctly stated that the non-criminal element of the case was to be heard at the tourist court. This appears to be the exact opposite, or were unreported damages also awarded to the tourists?

Yes and they obviously wanted to deliberately withhold their nationality’s until it went to Court, perhaps because they didn’t want to weigh into Larry Cunningham’s Glory (Ex-Australian Hon Consul) in reopening the same old festering debate of corrupt jet-ski operators upon the eve of his retirement last Saturday. Thanks Gazette for the so called transparent reporting. An explanation by the editor of the Gazette would helpful in light of the error. It quite possible the Gazette had their nosed pulled too.

Edited September 30, 2013 by MK1

[madmitch 8,993]

I am confused.

Having read the original article it distinctly stated that the non-criminal element of the case was to be heard at the tourist court. This appears to be the exact opposite, or were unreported damages also awarded to the tourists?

Yes and they obviously wanted to deliberately withhold their nationality’s until it went to Court, perhaps because they didn’t want to weigh into Larry Cunningham’s Glory (Ex-Australian Hon Consul) in reopening the same old festering debate of corrupt jet-ski operators upon the eve of his retirement last Saturday. Thanks Gazette for the so called transparent reporting. An explanation by the editor of the Gazette would helpful in light of the error. It quite possible the Gazette had their nosed pulled too.

There now appears to be an explanation in the Phuket News, The case allegedly wasn't heard in the tourist court at all!

http://www.thephuketnews.com/no-phuket-tourist-court-hearing-yet-42160.php#news-alert

[NamKangMan 5,621]

I am confused.

Having read the original article it distinctly stated that the non-criminal element of the case was to be heard at the tourist court. This appears to be the exact opposite, or were unreported damages also awarded to the tourists?

Yes and they obviously wanted to deliberately withhold their nationality’s until it went to Court, perhaps because they didn’t want to weigh into Larry Cunningham’s Glory (Ex-Australian Hon Consul) in reopening the same old festering debate of corrupt jet-ski operators upon the eve of his retirement last Saturday. Thanks Gazette for the so called transparent reporting. An explanation by the editor of the Gazette would helpful in light of the error. It quite possible the Gazette had their nosed pulled too.

There now appears to be an explanation in the Phuket News, The case allegedly wasn't heard in the tourist court at all!

http://www.thephuketnews.com/no-phuket-tourist-court-hearing-yet-42160.php#news-alert

As far as journalism is concerned, we really are like mushrooms here. "Kept in the dark and fed bullsh*t." :)

[MK1 258]

I am confused.

Having read the original article it distinctly stated that the non-criminal element of the case was to be heard at the tourist court. This appears to be the exact opposite, or were unreported damages also awarded to the tourists?

Yes and they obviously wanted to deliberately withhold their nationality’s until it went to Court, perhaps because they didn’t want to weigh into Larry Cunningham’s Glory (Ex-Australian Hon Consul) in reopening the same old festering debate of corrupt jet-ski operators upon the eve of his retirement last Saturday. Thanks Gazette for the so called transparent reporting. An explanation by the editor of the Gazette would helpful in light of the error. It quite possible the Gazette had their nosed pulled too.

There now appears to be an explanation in the Phuket News, The case allegedly wasn't heard in the tourist court at all!

http://www.thephuketnews.com/no-phuket-tourist-court-hearing-yet-42160.php#news-alert

It’s about time the Phuket Gazette started reporting the real news rather than publish false and misleading information to the public in order to try captivate readers by desperate means. Thanks Madmitch

[JoeThePoster 4,135]

1000 baht - a mere dent in the jet ski profits.

[Paangjang 302]

Still swings and roundabouts in the corrupt/violent Phuket playground then... ฿1000 is cheaper than the tuk tuk to the court

[chooka 16,038]

1K baht fine and 2 yrs probation for assault with a weapon, what an absolute joke. Just going thru the motions and this court is a bloody laughing stock. Not hard to see it is on the side of the criminals. If it was a tourist who assaulted a thai with a weapon I am sure the court would of had an entirely different approach.

[NomadJoe 2,229]

You all might makes jokes, but I consider this real progress. You have to realise that fines in Thailand seem low, but that is just the real Thai economy (not the tourist economy).

This is the part I really like ...

“If Mr Danaichet is caught committing a crime during his probation, he faces a penalty of three months in prison,” the officer explained.

Totally agree.

First, there was moaning that nothing was done, now the moaning continues.

I am not familiar with the Thai penal code but I should suspect that fines in general are lower than say in Oz or the USA. Lots of Thais for which THB 1,000 are a fair chunk of cash.

1000B is also know as 12.5 minutes on one of his jet ski's.

[MK1 258]

1K baht fine and 2 yrs probation for assault with a weapon, what an absolute joke. Just going thru the motions and this court is a bloody laughing stock. Not hard to see it is on the side of the criminals. If it was a tourist who assaulted a thai with a weapon I am sure the court would of had an entirely different approach.

I think the minimum is 500bt fine for assault, but the problem for foreigners is we risk having our Visa cancelled and deported so indirectly there is more to lose if it’s the other way round.

[QualityTouristNumberOne 125]

Jaysus when I read the headline at first I thought it said

Phuket jet-ski thug gets first taste of swift tourist justice

and pictured a scene of "Rambo" Hunter being hired to send few of his boys to deal out some "Thainess" to these scumbags(well you know what they say about "set a thief to catch a thief") then I woke up from my daydream and realised TiT...or even worse TiP(This is Phuket)

[wolf5370 1,634]

This is a good start - it would do for the court to put greater penalties on people that get away with 5 and 6 figure cash-ins daily. A better sentence might have been 2 years suspended sentence and ban from operating in the tourist industry for 3 months. Next time, 3 months inside and year ban. Third time, 6 months in the poke and life time ban from owning or renting jet skis and the tourist industry/confiscation and enforced sale of all the jet skis (remittance returned to the guy of course). Lets have some teeth or these guys are just going to laugh at it - and do the scam one more time a week to cover the extra outgoings.