The 3 Things You Must Do If You Get Arrested in Thailand
Our blog post for March 2019 is one that has been requested by many people, so we decided to focus on the 3 things you must do if you get arrested in Thailand. We often tell people that no one plans to get arrested in Thailand, but sometimes things happen. For example, we recently came across a foreigner who had been arrested with his friend for stealing a mobile phone, even though he claimed he had picked it up thinking it was his. A Thai citizen who we recently helped had been over a friend’s house for a visit when the police came in and arrested everyone for some methamphetamine they found on the premises. In Thailand, the Thai police often like to charge accused people jointly, or “ruam-gan” in Thai – to jointly commit a crime. This does not mean that you were caught in the act of doing anything illegal, but it just means that you were in the wrong place at the wrong time in many cases. Getting arrested in Thailand is a stressful event, so we advise you do the following 3 things as quickly as possible.
1. Do Not Sign Anything You Do Not Understand
The Thai police will most likely put a police report / charge sheet in front of you (in Thai language) to sign. Do not sign it. Nothing will happen to you if you do not sign. One of the best pieces of advice we provide for free is to write on the document in English language, or whatever your native language is, the following statement, “I will not sign any document until I have a chance to consult with my legal representative.” Please note that we highlighted the word “my” because the police may provide you with a so-called lawyer who is actually just another police officer or someone else. It is always better to have a knowledgeable person present before you sign any document. The most common story we hear from a Thai police station is that the police officer says, “You sign; you go home!” This is almost never true. Instead, call Thailand Bail (+66808734042 from a non-Thai phone, 0808734042 from a Thai phone) for free advice. We will speak to you and the police free of charge, just so you have a better understanding of what you are being charged with. WE also offer low-cost in-person consultations at the police station if you get arrested in Thailand, which leads us to the second thing to do if you get arrested in Thailand.
2. Call a Lawyer Specialising in Criminal Law
This seems obvious, but this is more challenging than you might think. You should contact a law firm or lawyer who knows how to deal with criminal matters. There are many law firms in Thailand, and most try to offer you “everything.” It is not possible to be an expert in every area of law, so do not call a lawyer or law firm that does not specialise only in criminal law. Thailand Bail specialises in criminal law and other cases related to criminal law, such as immigration law, blacklisting, and some civil cases. If you call a business law firm or a lawyer who “can do everything” you will get normal legal advice, not the special legal advice you need now. We are shocked with how many times people contact a corporate law firm to handle a criminal case. Contact Thailand Bail or other law firm that has experience dealing with the Thai police and the criminal courts of Thailand.
3. Find Money for Bail
If you are a foreigner who has been arrested in Thailand, you will need to find money for bail. If the case is serious enough that you have been arrested, then it means you will likely need to bail out. Bail can range from 10,000 Thai baht all the way up to 2,000,000 Thai baht. Common bail amounts for theft can be from 50,000 Thai baht to 200,000 Thai baht, depending on the details of the theft. Bail for drug cases depends on the category of drug you are being charged with, as even small amounts of category 1 drugs (methamphetamine, for example) can amount to automatic “possess with intent to sell” charges. Bail for 1g of a category 1 drug is often 300,000 – 800,000 Thai baht. If it is possible to have your lawyer post bail at the police station, this is always advantageous, so contact Thailand Bail immediately to see what your options are. We will provide as much free assistance as we can, and when it comes to the point where we need to dedicate more resources to your case, we present a clear proposal with clear legal fees listed.
Hopefully you have learned something from our March 2019 blog post on the 3 things you must do if you get arrested in Thailand. Remember, you can always contact Thailand Bail for free advice on your case. info@thailandbail.com or +66808734042 or Skype: ThailandBail
