Backpacker jailed in Thailand for 'picking up phone'

[Thistle]

Anyone seen any news articles regarding a backpacker who was jailed in CM for supposed phone theft? I just received a call asking me what happened,clueless!!

[Big Boy]

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-dorset-47998395

[Scout]

This guy’s story is very suspicious. Upon flying into the airport he finds a phone on the floor, looks around for an owner, not seeing one he sticks it in his pocket, departs the airport, takes it across the city to his hotel room. So he can continue to try to find the owner he says... sounds VERY suspicious to me. I hope this unlucky guy learned a lesson, either be more careful when stealing a phone or turn in lost and found items immediately.

[Ginjaninja]

This guy’s story is very suspicious. Upon flying into the airport he finds a phone on the floor, looks around for an owner, not seeing one he sticks it in his pocket, departs the airport, takes it across the city to his hotel room. So he can continue to try to find the owner he says... sounds VERY suspicious to me. I hope this unlucky guy learned a lesson, either be more careful when stealing a phone or turn in lost and found items immediately.

Not in Thailand but I have found a phone on the street and pocketed it and waited for the rightful owner to phone so the phone could be returned (which it was..). The story could may well be plausible enough I.M.O.

GN.

[Lost]

If he didn't look like a homeless junkie, he would have been let go. Maybe a couple hundred baht to keep the peace. He did... so he wasn't.

Appearance is key in Thailand. The Thai's will judge a book by its cover.

[europtimiste]

There is a lost and found at the airport. No excuse. Another Brit jerk.

[Lost]

thailand-chang-mai-british-backpacker-jail-prison-1117125.jpg (39.55 KiB) Viewed 772 times

[Thistle]

Personally i do not think he looks like at homeless junkie with our without the dreadlocks.Guess he has learnt a lesson possibly visiting Asia or a new continent for the first time.

[Lost]

Personally i do not think he looks like at homeless junkie with our without the dreadlocks.Guess he has learnt a lesson possibly visiting Asia or a new continent for the first time.

He is also covered head to toe in tattoos (face and hands the only thing clean). Complete body, chest, sleeve etc tattoos are still associated with jail/gangs in Thailand.

Basically everything considered ugly or bad about one's appearance (in Thailand) - he had it.

Could be the nicest guy in the world, who knows but - as unfortunate as it is - he would have been guilty in the eyes of the authorities the minute they saw him.

[Thistle]

Tattoos have been common place throughout Thailand and Asia with regards to gang culture for centuries.
Many people come specifically to Thailand to be inked,its cheaper and supposedly has been a fad for several years to be adorned in graffiti that is not common elsewhere.
So basically,without having a visible tattoo you are deemed to be acceptable to the eyes of the current regime,no matter what might be inked under your button down shirt and casual slacks!!

[dtaai-maai]

It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy when I see how freely the milk of human kindness flows on this forum.

[HHTel]

There is a lost and found at the airport. No excuse. Another Brit jerk.

And of course you would know just where the lost and found is in the airport!! And of course airport staff are 100% trustworthy. (Look up the many stories yourself)

I wouldn't know where it is, but of course I'm just another Brit jerk.

My wife has twice lost her phone and got it back by calling it. In both cases, it had been picked up guessing the owner would make themselves known. I have found a phone and returned it to it's owner without 'handing it in' (No guarantee that the police or 'lost and found' would put any effort into finding the owner whereas the 'finder' has a better chance of returning it.

On another note, tattoos are abundant in Thailand. Visitors come here for tattoos because they are cheaper. However, if you look around, you will see many Thais with tattoos, especially girls. It becomes a bit of a 'no-no' if the tattoos cannot be covered up. This guy was a tattoo artist so obviously he would have tattoos. Looking at his picture, he doesn't seem to have visible tattoos. I would agree with Thistle.

[Lost]

Whatever happened with the phone, the guy is back home safe and sound anyhow which is the main thing. The Go Fund me page set up for him paid for everything with some change to spare. Has now made some money selling his story to the newspapers.

He turned out just fine.

[REEM]

The photograph in the linked article shows the supposed dreadlocks shaved off his head, but the name on the piece of paper next to them reads Christopher, (surname) Murray, and not Chris Dodd, the name given in the article as the backpacker arrested.




So whose dreadlocks are we looking at?

[Lost]

^

Ewww yuck!

It's like Cousin Itt died and his body was found after he lay festering for quite some time.