
I never really liked Melbourne much, but why would memories of there be so much less palatable than his present situation?Originally Posted by bor

Interesting article. Nobody seems to be willing to make a stand or stick their necks out for this guy. I wonder why.
I guess because
a) He is not linked to any organisation e.g. multinational corporation, media organisation, NGO, government, aristocracy, footy club, etc. i.e. For all intents and purposes, he is a nobody.
b) Australia's links, relationship, treaties, etc. with the Thai government are not worth jeopardising over this issue.
c) Nobody has linked his incarceration with a cause or struggle e.g. mistreatment of Moslem prisoners by the west, anti-communism, etc.
d) He seems to have few friends.
There have been a few articles particularly in the Age. I mean I very much feel for the guy. He must be having a very hard time but if, and it's a big if, he tried this on for self-publicity, he picked the wrong issue at the wrong time. He should have waited till we entered the reign of Rama 10 for a start.

"But it's another illustration of the fact that when you go to another country, if you fall foul of their judicial legal processes there are limits to what Australia can do on your behalf."
Therein lies the issue, he isn't being supported with all guns blazing by the Oz Gvt because he knew about the laws, knew what he was doing and chose to ignore the consequences. I disagree with his treatment, because I come from a liberal western democracy, but I know, if I fall foul of the lese majeste laws in Thailand, what to expect. I disagree with the strict interpretations of these laws, as they are often being used for purposes other than what they were intended, however I do respect the laws.
I hope he is freed in the not-too-distant future, then gets kicked out, never to return. He will have many years ahead to rue his foolishness. None of us can alter the law, we should all respect it.

Originally Posted by Chairman Mao
An immigration officer told a woman she had to have sex with him if he was to approve a visa for her boyfriend, a court has heard.
Afshin Abolfotouh, 41, was jailed for 18 months in Brisbane District Court on Monday over indecent proposals he made to 27-year-old Chinese national Qiao Liyuan in late 2007.
This Afshin arsehole was the one who rejected my wife's permanent residency visa. His decision was eventually overturned by the case review officer. When I say eventually, I mean 10 fucking months.

whiner.Originally Posted by bor
that's just wrong, certain jobs should be withheld for recent immigrants.Originally Posted by EmperorTud
but about the guy in jail, from what I've heard it's just a boring book, so maybe it's a clever publicity stunt
(I find the smiley list here hopelessly inadequate btw)
Sometimes my mind wanders, sometimes it leaves completely

- Nice name . . . Iranian.Originally Posted by JoGeAr
** - How pathetic . . . and what is that supposed to mean . . . jailed for 18 months to be released after serving 3 months? What a friggin' joke we have becomeA Brisbane judge has jailed a former Immigration Department official after he tried to force a Chinese national to have sex with him in return for processing a visa application.
The District Court in Brisbane heard 41-year-old Afshin Abolfotouh emigrated from Iran to Australia in 2004 before being employed by the Department of Immigration, where he assessed partner visa applications.
Last year 27-year-old Chinese national Liyuan Qiao applied for a visa for her boyfriend.
She called Albofotouh to ask about her application and was told it was weak.
He also asked her if she would cheat on her partner.
She went to the police, who recorded Albofotouh asking for sex during another phone call.
He was arrested when he arrived at Ms Qiao's home.
Acting Judge Tony Collins jailed Abolfotouh for 18 months, to be released after he serves three months.
- I'd tend to agree, but you can't discriminate if someone is a PR, quite rughtly so IMOOriginally Posted by Kikiat2009
- Open the smilie menu and go all the way down, loads more to choose formOriginally Posted by Kikiat2009
**ABC Brisbane - Ex-immigration officer jailed for sex blackmail
no, sometimes allowing your students to name a teddy bear Mohamed is enough.Originally Posted by Repubblicano
Originally Posted by Repubblicano
Stupid bastard should of known better, every body knows the rules regards this stuff so let him suck it up for a while.
Silly tosser wont do it next time.![]()
One point of optimism is that, in most respects, Thais have been keenly sensitive to how they were perceived by more advanced countries. Even past monarchs have been eager to make reforms when subjects of countries such as England considered some of their customs to be "barbaric". Rama IV and Rama V were greatly influenced by western ideas during a time when sweeping changes could be made by decree. Lese Majeste will surely be the last such barbarism to fall into the dustbin of history, but it will happen eventually. The precipitating factor will most likely be the coming succession crisis.
I feel that if the Dumbo was silly enough to pen this stuff and then stay in country he has sealed his own fate.
He had been around long enough to know this was a No No under Thai law and whether you like it or not its Thai law and all people in country are bound to it same as English or Australian law.
When in country play the game.
If he wants to play with fire do it from back here and never go back, balls in his court so to speak.
Anyway matey, did you read the post about the Thai that is in serious shit because he or she did not stand up in the picture theater?
Apparently us round eyes are subject to the same treatment so I'd give the theaters a big miss if I was you.
Besides that, Cheers.
An outstandingly excellent point that bothered me some what. So I went and checked (wonderful thing, google). And what I came up with was:
The arrest warrant alleged Nicolaides had insulted the Thai royal family in his second book, Verisimilitude, a novel Nicolaides self-published in Thailand in 2005.
www.theage.com.au - The trouble with Harry
(admittedly, so far I have not been able to corroborate the publisher)
however, perhaps more interestingly:
Yet when he published Verisimilitude three years ago, Nicolaides took the precaution of sending his book to the National Library, the Thai Ministry of Culture, the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Bureau of the Royal Household to check that its contents were acceptable
The trouble with Harry | theage.com.au
which is a bit difficult to reconsile with the "scouring the world to hunt for evidence".

I wonder how his new year and Christmas were.
Party hats, crackers, turkey till yer fit to burst followed by port and the cheese board?
The whole thing's just a ploy anyway. His next book on '6 months of hell in a Thai prison (for writing a book)' will sell more than his entire back catalogue. And make Thais look like the retards they are on an international stage.
Congrats to both of them.

^ fair point there Mao.


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