Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are posing the question "what do you do if you get arrested in Thailand?" I thought of making this video after reading a recent article from the Pattaya Mail, that's pattayamail.com, the article is titled: Pattaya City Expats Club: Staying safe legally in Thailand in 2023. In this article they quote a Mr. Barry Kenyon who is down in Pattaya. As I have described him in other videos on this channel, a bit of a living legend as far as I am concerned at least; been around a long time, really knows a lot about how things work especially in Thailand specifically; matters pertaining to Immigration and specific matters pertaining to Pattaya specifically, a lot of insight. He is kind of one of those people that has probably forgotten more of Thai Immigration Law that I know; kind of one of those type of guys. 

I thought of making this video after reading this excerpt and I urge those who are watching this, go read the entire article in its entirety. Quoting directly: "He also offered advice on how to act if you are arrested, the first being to remain calm." Yeah, real good advice. Quoting further: "He mentioned that while being processed and before being placed in a cell, you will likely still be in possession of your mobile phone; use it. Call your friends to let them know where you are and what is happening. He did mention that having a good Attorney to call can be beneficial, but then defined a good attorney as one that doesn't turn their phone off when they go to bed." Well look, I'm here to tell you, all Attorneys need time off so it just is what it is. Yeah I get it. Everybody wants to believe their Attorney is on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The fact of the matter is, easier said than done. Now that said, we get calls from time to time in very off hours to deal with criminal proceedings. Late at night, you are probably not going to get processed out quite frankly depending on circumstances. 

Now again, 'remaining calm' - big deal and 'informing people of what's happening' - also a big deal so that you can at least eventually get some kind of representation to go ahead and figure out what's going on in the case; figure out a way to get for example bail if it is going to be offered especially in a criminal proceeding and then go ahead and get basically your ducks in a row essentially to get responses filed with the Courts and to start moving through and if necessary, defending your innocence or if possible depending on circumstances, dealing with a plea or something, whatever you end up going after, however you end up deciding to proceed I should say. 

Now again, I stress this again, as noted in that excerpt 'be calm'! Getting upset in light of an arrest in Thailand is just going to get you in way more problems than you are probably already in. Being calm and polite is going, 'you gather a lot more flies with honey than vinegar' as they say. Well at this point, 'gathering flies' may not be what you are trying to do but keeping the experience the least amount of unpleasant as possible is the name of the game; that is what you are going to want to do and as a result, calmness is a key factor in that. But again informing friends, family, informing an Attorney, these are going to be good things as well so that somebody can get in there and interact with you before the Police or possibly the Courts so as if nothing else get you released as soon as possible so that you can go ahead and mount your defense.