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Frenchwoman deported for vaping

Discussion in 'E-News' started by Rowdy, Feb 27, 2019.

  1. Rowdy
    Devilish

    Rowdy Thread Starter Old broken down Vaper

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    PHUKET: Karon police have responded to complaints made by a French tourist who was apprehended in Karon for possession of an e-cigarette.
    Cecilia Cornu, 31, was in Phuket for a family holiday in January and was caught by Karon police holding an e-cigarette on Jan 30 whilst on a scooter with her fiancée as her parents and brother followed behind.

    Cornu claims she was stopped by four police officers who snatched the e-cigarette and demanded B40,000, which she refused to pay.

    She claims she was then arrested and taken to Karon Police Station where officers tried to bully her into paying a bribe.

    Cornu was charged, her passport confiscated and a trial date set for Feb 11. Her return flight was scheduled for the following day.

    She posted bail of B100,000 and was released the same day pending trial.

    On Feb 11 Cornu attended Phuket Provincial Court where she was convicted for the offence and says she was fined B827 (23 euros). She was then sent to Phuket Immigration for what she thought was to collect her passport.

    Upon arriving at the immigration office, she was informed that she would be transferred to Bangkok for deportation.

    Cornu was then taken to Bangkok where she claims she spent four days and three nights in a prison cell shared with 60 other women in dire conditions where she had to sleep on a hard, dirty floor with no sheets or mattresses before returning home to France.

    Cornu claims the ordeal cost her a total of approximately 8,000 euros (B286,000) in legal fees and travel expenses.

    Karon Police Chief Col Prasarn Hankotha responded to Cornu’s claims this morning (Feb 27). He told The Phuket News, “Karon police arrested Ms Cécilia Cornu after she was seen using an e-cigarette in Karon on Jan 30.”
    “After waiting in the station for many hours while police worked on the case with her lawyer, she asked for bail which was granted at B100,000,” he explained.

    “She posted bail and was released the same day. We did not hold her in a cell during her time at the police station.”

    Col Prasarn went on to explain that the full bail amount was later returned to Cornu. “We have documents to prove this,” he said.

    “Ms Cornu was fined by Phuket Provincial Court on Feb 11 but we do not know the amount as we have not yet received a report from the court.”

    Col Prasarn flatly denied Cornu’s claim that his officers demanded a B40,000 bribe. “Karon Police had nothing to do with that,” he asserted.

    “We had to confiscate her passport to prevent her from leaving the country before the trial, which is a normal procedure,” he said. “Police then sent her to the Phuket Immigration Office on Feb 11 to process her deportation via Bangkok.”

    When asked about claims made by Cornu regarding her expenses, Col Prasarn replied, “We know nothing about 8,000 euros or B286,000. She paid a fine at Phuket Provincial Court and that is all we know.”

    The Chief of the Phuket Immigration Office, Col Kathathorn Kumthieng, explained the standard procedure for all foreigners who are transferred to Bangkok for deportation, highlighting that it can take about three or four days to process and all travel and living costs during that time are the responsibility of the deportee.

    When asked about Cornu’s case, he replied, “I don’t know about Ms Cecilia’s complaint. It is not an important issue.”

    Frenchwoman deported for vaping
     
  2. Siam Diesel
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    Siam Diesel Nauti Moderator Staff Member

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    Yep, saw this on FB last week. She was holding it in her hand whilst on a motorcycle...it was downhill from there. :(
     
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  3. Siam Diesel
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    Siam Diesel Nauti Moderator Staff Member

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    THB 100k bail for an offense that generated a THB 827 fine...madness!
     
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  4. -V-
    Cool

    -V- Administrator Staff Member

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    If shed of paid the under counter money she'd have saved a hell of a lot of cost and hassle

    Sent from my SM-G610F using Tapatalk
     
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  5. Siam Diesel
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    Siam Diesel Nauti Moderator Staff Member

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  6. Sue
    Breezy

    Sue Well-Known Member

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    Was she really just "holding" her vape gear, and the officers could recognize it as an e-cigarette from that distance on the sidewalk while they were driving by? That must have been a huge Mod...
     
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  7. Siam Diesel
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    Siam Diesel Nauti Moderator Staff Member

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    "Cornu claims she was stopped by four police officers who snatched the e-cigarette and demanded B40,000, which she refused to pay."

    I bet she got stopped at a random checkpoint. They probably recognized it because at least one of the BiB vapes, too. ;)
     
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  8. Sue
    Breezy

    Sue Well-Known Member

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    It is really a pitty she didn't just behave with respect and paid some money (1000 bht would have been enough), and she could have countinued her journey without any issues. Even the Thai newspaper TIP gives good pieces of advice how to react when this kind of "incident" occurs with police officers, not only with e-cigs ;)
     
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  9. Siam Diesel
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    Siam Diesel Nauti Moderator Staff Member

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    Agree she should have paid...seriously doubt that Bt 1,000 would have been enough. She probably could have negotiated it down to between 10-20k. The fact that her bail was Bt 100,000 (more than for serious drug offenses or murder) indicates that the BiB know they have a real 'cash cow' when they snag a vaper. :(
     
  10. etcyberdude

    etcyberdude Well-Known Member

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    Vape discretely, i wonder why there are still people still vaping in public.
    **Updated**
    i think we should see a big scene on video if it had been a chinese tourist.
     
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  11. Sue
    Breezy

    Sue Well-Known Member

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    @etcyberdude I'm afraid 90% of vapers simply don't know the vaping laws, and think, if you can smoke in public why would vaping be forbidden. Or, if you can import tobacco/cigarettes, up to 400 pcs. per person, why would a vape equipment be forbidden. Just normal common sense. Honestly, I wasn't aware of this strange law either when I first visited Thailand 4 years ago. I brought my allday equipment with me and probably had juest luck that time.
    There are still people (nonsmokers/Vapers) who don't even know about the latest international security regulations for batteries and fluids since 9/11.
     
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  12. Rowdy
    Devilish

    Rowdy Thread Starter Old broken down Vaper

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  13. SooKee
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    SooKee Contented Single Coiler

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    Me too. Meanwhile, back in Gotham, the Caped Crusader in a series of raids (that are connected to Immigration how exactly?) continues his relentless quest for justice (or rather to be in the headlines as much as possible for anything and everything, please sir look at me, me, me, me me). A cynic could be forgiven for thinking he's looking to get THE top cop job (good luck with your "no tips please" signs then!).
     
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  14. Ridwan Hartono
    Relaxed

    Ridwan Hartono MTL ♥️

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    what the.......... so if just lets say if. if i bring my vape gear and ejuice to bangkok. am i will get arrested at the airport?
     
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  15. Siam Diesel
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    Siam Diesel Nauti Moderator Staff Member

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    Not as long as you're clever. ;)

    She was arrested in Phuket...on the back of a motorcycle 'carrying' her mod. :(
     
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