Edmonton man being held against his will in Thailand, family says

**Wilsonandson** · 13-01-2018, 12:31 PM

Global News
January 12, 2018

Edmonton man being held against his will in Thailand, family says

By Sarah Kraus Reporter

ABOVE: Friends of a young Edmonton man, whom they claim is being held against his will in Thailand, are fearful for his well-being. Sarah Kraus reports.

Friends of a 25-year-old Edmonton man are fearful for his well-being, after he made multiple emergency calls to them from Thailand. Shawn Johnson reportedly told them he was being held in a basement there by men who looked like police. Johnson’s best friend of five years, Andy Vinoly, said Johnson’s call woke her in the middle of the night Jan. 9.

He said, ‘They said if I don’t get them $3,000 within the next three hours that I’ll be sent to jail.’ Then when his sister talked to him, they changed the number to $5,000.” Vinoly said Johnson’s sister mentioned calling the Canadian embassy and it angered the men. “They said the option to pay them is off the table now. He would have a trial in 48 hours and we wouldn’t hear from him until then. The 48 hours went by and we still didn’t hear anything from him,” Vinoly explained.

“We couldn’t believe that in any way this would be cops. Because it doesn’t make any sense to us,” explained another friend, Zoriana Shewchuk. Johnson left Edmonton for a vacation in Thailand on Jan. 4. The calls came in at around 4 a.m. MST on Jan. 9 — it would have been 6 p.m. in Bangkok. “They’d arrested him and were charging him with having weed on him,” Vinoly said. “The thing is we don’t actually think he would’ve had that on him.”

In a statement, Global Affairs Canada said it cannot comment on details of the case due to privacy laws, but did say: “Global Affairs Canada is aware of the arrest of a Canadian citizen in Thailand and consular officials are in contact with local authorities, the individual and the family.”
On the federal government’s travel website, travellers to Thailand are advised to exercise a high degree of caution.

When it comes to drugs, the website says: “Penalties for possession, use or trafficking of illegal drugs are very strict and include the death penalty for serious offences. The possession of even small amounts of illegal drugs, including marijuana, can result in severe fines and prison sentences. Arrested offenders may be prevented from leaving Thailand while legal proceedings are in process.”

Shawn Johnson was vacationing in Thailand when something went wrong.
Courtesy: Andy Vitoly

Shawn Johnson was vacationing in Thailand when something went wrong.
Courtesy: Andy Vitoly

The last time friends spoke to the Canadian Embassy, they were told Johnson was being held at a police station in Bangkok. They haven’t heard from Johnson himself since the emergency calls on Jan. 9.
“(I’m) extremely worried,” Shewchuk said. “Very, very stressed out. Very concerned for his safety, also, because we know that regulations and such in Thailand aren’t quite the same as here. We don’t really know what that means for him. It’s a terrifying situation. We don’t even know if they’ve been feeding him.”
All of the confusion and unanswered questions have kept them up at night. “We want him home safe and sound and just to know he’s OK,” Vinoly said.

“He’s travelling by himself so he’s an easy target, I think, to be subjected to something like this.”
Shewchuk has set up a gofundme page, with donations going directly to Johnson’s twin sister to pay for a lawyer in Thailand. Friends are also hoping anyone with advice or tips will contact them through that page.

https://globalnews.ca/news/3962788/edmonton-man-being-held-against-his-will-in-thailand-family-says/

**Norton** · 13-01-2018, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by Wilsonandson

We couldn’t believe that in any way this would be cops

...

...

**Seekingasylum** · 13-01-2018, 12:45 PM

Patsy fodder, obviously.

**taxexile** · 13-01-2018, 12:50 PM

Shewchuk has set up a gofundme page, with donations going directly to Johnson’s twin sister to pay for a lawyer in Thailand

the thai lawyers (soo, krabbit and laan) will certainly welcome that little "kerching" like snippet.

**Seekingasylum** · 13-01-2018, 01:06 PM

They used to be Sue, Grabbit & Runne before they, well, er, ran.

**harrybarracuda** · 13-01-2018, 02:05 PM

Well the implication is that he got busted for drugs.

If that's the case he probably would have been better off shutting up and paying up.

**DJ Pat** · 13-01-2018, 03:29 PM

He should be grateful as Edmonton is an absolute shithole

A lawless wilderness between Waltham Cross and Tottenham

**HuangLao** · 13-01-2018, 03:47 PM

Doesn't look Canadian.

**baldrick** · 13-01-2018, 04:09 PM

Any pics of twin sis?

**wasabi** · 13-01-2018, 04:30 PM

They should do Canada a favour and deport him back to his roots, Belgium Congo.

**Albert Shagnasty2017** · 13-01-2018, 04:41 PM

Bit of an odd story.

Maybe a scam to get money from the funding page.

**tomcat** · 13-01-2018, 04:44 PM

Originally Posted by Albert Shagnasty2017

Maybe a scam to get money from the funding page

...maybe?...

**Thailandbound** · 13-01-2018, 05:26 PM

Originally Posted by DJ Pat

He should be grateful as Edmonton is an absolute shithole

Edmonton is famous as it has one of the biggest shopping malls in North America with skating rink inside, etc. Check West Edmonton mall.

The guy perhaps had weed on him and is in trouble. I don't know how Thai cops treat people who are caught with weed, but it is possible they are asking for that amount of money to get out of trouble.

**Albert Shagnasty2017** · 13-01-2018, 05:35 PM

^A small bit of weed for personal use carries a small fine. Maybe 500bt to 2000bt.

That said, the police will not generally tell the person caught that, as if they can scare the tourist into believing it's a big problem, they can get a much bigger bribe.

**Maanaam** · 13-01-2018, 05:47 PM

So, apparently legit cops (because Embassy says he's at a police station) hold him, get him to ring family asking for money, threaten him with going to court, speak to his family on the phone and up the ante?

I'm with Albert and (maybe) Tom.

**DJ Pat** · 13-01-2018, 05:48 PM

Oh...silly me !

I assumed it was Edmonton in north London

He's the right complexion for that area anyway.

**sabang** · 13-01-2018, 06:50 PM

Can you hear that sound? That's the worlds smallest violin playing. Gofundyerself.

**pseudolus** · 13-01-2018, 07:02 PM

Originally Posted by baldrick

Any pics of twin sis?

Usually these things are very disappointing. Not this time though. Hell's teeth! She's a bit dim though bless her. But with a body like that she doesn't need to be einstein

Edmonton man being held against his will in Thailand, family says-capture-jpg

Edmonton man being held against his will in Thailand, family says-capture-jpg

https://www.facebook.com/kaelyn.karm...friends.search

**david44** · 13-01-2018, 07:20 PM

Once locals get up to speed with this crowdfund ransomware it'll be llike Yemen guaranteed abduction.

**Dragonfly** · 13-01-2018, 07:27 PM

big ass, fugly, gang brothers material, I'll pass

**pseudolus** · 13-01-2018, 07:40 PM

Originally Posted by Dragonfly

no penis, no shitty stubbly arsehole and no masculine voice. I'll pass

I'm sure she'll lose a nights sleep if she knew.

**tamsin** · 13-01-2018, 09:49 PM

Originally Posted by Albert Shagnasty2017

Bit of an odd story.

Maybe a scam to get money from the funding page.

A few years back I ended up in the ICU of a local hospital. On my being discharged, I had been told by friends and family in my home country they'd all received calls from someone claiming to be Chiang Mai police (even though they all knew I was living in the arse end of this country, perhaps the police who were indeed floating about my sickbed were trying to cover their tracks, apes that they are) informing them of my accident and asking for 1 million baht for treatment from each of them. This was a very common scam at that time, may still be but it appears the Royal Thai Police may very well have been warned off and moved on to newer pastures. This isn't the first time I've heard about a foreigner being detained/held to ransom.

I sometimes take as swift a scan on this forum as I do Thaivisa, just to make sure you're all as moronic as each other. I'm rarely disappointed. The only difference being there're far less posts on this forum to not have to trawl through as the utter bile and bullshit on the other one. Fucking morons all

**harrybarracuda** · 13-01-2018, 11:16 PM

Originally Posted by Maanaam

So, apparently legit cops (because Embassy says he's at a police station) hold him, get him to ring family asking for money, threaten him with going to court, speak to his family on the phone and up the ante?

I'm with Albert and (maybe) Tom.

Well we don't know what he had (if anything) but would you rather pay three grand (dollars) or do even a few months in a Thai chokey?

**BKKBanger** · 15-01-2018, 12:23 PM

Sounds legit, he has dark skin so is almost certainly in Thai eyes up to no good with his black heart. All they have to do is fit him up and justice will be done for whatever else he has done. However they will not bother unless they have an angle as justice is a cash industry.

Demanding money, hardly new story once arrested. My advice is, if guilty as hell, pay up quick before the pack of sharks enlarges. If innocent be nice and polite and they will lose interest when they find no cash. The cops do not waste time prosecuting innocent people, once the chance of a buck fades they are too lazy to do so, (not beacuse they are moral people) so look for the next sucker instead.

Twenty years practicising this and i have never paid a bean, been threatened many times, even made a few acquaintances.

**Dillinger** · 15-01-2018, 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by BKKBanger

Twenty years practicising this and i have never paid a bean, been threatened many times, even made a few acquaintances.

What have you been practising exactly?

Walking around with no drugs or concealing them up your poop shoot?

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