Thailand Bail won a massive 3900 kilogram (3.9 metric tonnes) drug case in the Criminal Court in Bangkok. We achieved the absolute best decision in the Thai court system – a “yok-fong” decision. This case was very challenging, but our Bangkok lawyers were able to structure the defense narrative in a way that convinced the judges in the court that our client was innocent. With no other defendants in this case, it was even harder for our legal team in Bangkok to convince the court that our client was not guilty. After all, someone had to have been responsible for this container – load of drugs that had been exported from Bangkok, Thailand to Sydney, Australia. After 16 months of preparation and fighting for our client’s innocence, we finally won in trial! Read below for more details. 

Our client is a dual citizen of Australia and Thailand. He also holds residency in a third country that borders Thailand. He fled the civil war in that country back in the 1970’s and settled in Australia. After decades of successfully building up businesses in Australia, he was ready to retire, spending his time between Australia, Thailand and Lao PDR. However, he became the target of a massive AFP (Australian Federal Police) operation. This operation, which was widely reported in the news, involved the import of a container load of drugs into the Sydney Port in Australia. This container of bottled green tea contained 3.9 metric tonnes of methamphetamine precursor, and the AFP seized the shipment and arrested at least 2 individuals in Australia. Later, the AFP contacted the Thai authorities and alerted them that our client was going to be traveling through Bangkok. He was arrested by the Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB; Por Sor) and sent to the Bam Bat Prison in Bangkok. He was charged with exporting this massive amount of drugs. 

The lawyers and case managers at Thailand Bail were contacted by a well-known and successful solicitor in Sydney to co-manage this case, and we agreed. We were already aware of the case in Australia, and were confident we could assist here in Thailand. After initial meetings between Thailand Bail’s lawyers and the Sydney-based solicitor, we agreed to work together to fight for our client’s innocence. 

In the early days of the case, we made some very, very important decisions that laid the groundwork for the “not guilty” verdict later. We provided evidence in support of our client during the very important police investigation period. This 84-day period is critical to a case’s success. Our lawyers in Bangkok were successful in providing enough positive evidence to support our client’s case during the Narcotics Suppression Bureau investigation. 

Later, once the case was passed to the prosecutor in Bangkok, we continued our hard work, gathering the facts that would eventually lead to our victory. After over 1 year of preparation, we went to trial. Our lawyers successfully cross-examined the prosecutor’s witnesses and properly prepared our client to give testimony as well. 

After more than 2 months of consideration by the judges in the Criminal Court in Bangkok, they delivered the “not guilty” verdict. This “yok-fong” is a complete dismissal, meaning that based on the witnesses and evidence presented in trial, we proved that our client was not guilty. 

Our client and his entire family is very happy with the decision. For those who have experience with drug cases in Thailand, you will know just how difficult this case was, winning the case against the prosecutor and the huge 3,900 kilograms on drugs. 

Thailand Bail’s Bangkok lawyers and international case managers have decades of experience successfully defending against massive drug cases in Bangkok and the rest of Thailand. If you have a drug case in Thailand and need a capable international legal team, contact Thailand Bail now so we can review the details of your case and provide advice. —