Aussie woman released

[Guest taylorsquare]

The Aussie lady arrested in Phuket on May 2nd for stealing a bar mat from the Aussie bar has been given a suspended sentence and ordered to pay $30 aust.

She will be flying out tomorrow.

[Gaybutton]

The following appears in the PHUKET GAZETTE:

 

http://www.phuketgazette.net/news/index.asp?id=7389

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Aussie Woman Confesses in Phuket, Released on US$ 28.00 Fine

 

PHUKET CITY: Australian tourist Annice Smoel today pleaded guilty to theft charges at Phuket Provincial Court and was released after paying a 1,000-baht fine (approx US$ 28.00).

 

Pol Maj Songserm Preecha of the Kathu Police told the Gazette today that the maximum sentence for the theft charge was one year imprisonment and a 2,000-baht fine, but Phuket Provincial Court halved both the prison sentence and fine based on her confession.

 

The court then suspended the prison sentence because Ms Smoel has no previous criminal record in Thailand.

 

Ms Smoel’s case has made major headlines in her native country, which is a prime source of tourists to Phuket at this time of year.

 

She was arrested and detained for two nights in a cell at Kathu Police Station after police caught her with a stolen beer mat (aka 'bar mat') from the Aussie Bar on Soi Bangla in Patong.

 

The bar mat, measuring 145cm by 45 cm, was made of thick rubber.

 

The Australian mother or four initially denied the charges, saying friends had put the item in her handbag without her knowledge as a prank.

 

Kathu Police forwarded the case to the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office and seized her passport, preventing her from leaving Thailand to go home to her children.

 

The non-stop, worldwide publicity surrounding the case – and its possible impact on tourism – apparently made the court expedite the case.

 

A Thai person facing the same charge would typically have to wait weeks or months for a court hearing.

 

Maj Songserm also denied that Ms Smoel spent four nights in prison, as has been widely reported. She spent two nights in prison and was released after 48 hours, the maximum allowable under the law, he said.

 

Ms Smoel was in an angry mood and quarreled with staff at the Aussie Bar. She was arrested by uniformed officers after staff at the bar reported the theft, not by “undercover police” inside the bar as previously reported in major media around the world, he said.

 

– Kamol Pirat

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and this:

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http://www.theage.com.au/national/phuket-a...90520-bfp8.html

 

Phuket Accused Mum 'Going Home'

 

* Paul Millar

* May 21, 2009

 

MELBOURNE mother of four Annice Smoel, who had been facing a jail term in Thailand after being charged with stealing a bar mat, was trying to arrange a flight home last night after the governor of Phuket intervened to resolve the matter.

 

Governor Wichai Praisa-nob, who was under pressure from the Thai foreign and tourism ministers, made a personal appearance at Ms Smoel's case hearing yesterday - which was brought forward - and even paid her fine, according to local media.

 

Alan Morison, a journalist with the The Phuket Wan news website in the Thai resort town, said it was highly unusual for the governor to turn up at a court hearing and then pay the fine of the accused.

 

He said the governor had received calls from the Foreign Minister and the Tourism Minister about the case.

 

"It appears it was a clear attempt by the Government to expedite the matter as it was quite damaging to Phuket tourism," Mr Morison said.

 

The website said Ms Smoel had pleaded guilty to theft and was given a six-month suspended jail term and a 1000 baht ($A38) fine in a court ruling yesterday.

 

Bernard Murphy, the chairman of her legal firm, Maurice Blackburn, confirmed last night that there had been progress.

 

"There have been some very good developments today, but it is still sensitive and we would not want to say anything more until Annice is on a plane," Mr Murphy said. "The most important thing for us is to get her home."

 

According to the report, Ms Smoel's passport was being returned to her, and she was quoted as saying: "I think I am going home. 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."

 

The maximum sentence for the theft charge is a year's imprisonment and a 2000 baht fine, but her guilty plea had been taken into consideration.

 

A Thai facing the same charge would have to wait weeks or months for a similar court hearing, the Phuket Gazette said.

 

[Bob]

The rest of the story (all of which backs up the woman's claim to the Thai cops in the first place):

Her Friends Did It.

[Guest taylorsquare]

The owner of the AUSSIE BAR in Phuket really has no public relations skills.

If i had been him i would have made the matter out as a joke and donated the bar mats to charity,

 

instead he damaged his business reputation .

According to his radio interviews he has been reciveiving abusive phone calls from Australia and even the Prime Minister was not happy.

 

I would not like to be him.

[Guest gilo]

The owner/manager of Aussie bar must be rather dim not to have forestalled matters - he will no doubt rue the day that this transpired.