British man facing charges in Dubai for smoking weed before he entered the country.

[Ruprecht]

I'm good with this. Something to be said for a good caning.

Singapore's too authoritarian and micromanaged for me (birth rates too low? how about mandatory, government run, social mixers, with your employer notified if you fail to attend), but I'm fine with the judicial caning and littering laws.

 

[Phisher]

first of all, eat a dick cocksucker. i didnt come after you personally, so dont so it to me cunt. second, yes she probably should have read that would happen. if i were a woman going to a backwards place, i would feel it a good idea to read about what stupid shit they might do. then i probably wouldn't go. fucking dick

Dubai is marketed as a sophisticated and modernized Middle Eastern kingdom. Native Emiratis are actually in the minority, and a large percentage of the permanent residents are from Western countries. Given the esteem with which the UAE is regarded in the Western world, I don't think that it's crazy for people who travel there not to be aware of the draconian laws.

Calling Westerners who've ended up in legal trouble over trivial nonsense "entitled" is judgmental bullshit.

 

[HomerThompson]

Lol @ all the old fucks in here, shaking their fist at those damn youngsters, with all their entitlement. So this kid smokes a spliff back in the UK, THC stays in his system for 6-8 weeks, he gets drug tested, fails, and now he's looking at 2 years in jail. Yea, there's something really fucked up about that story, and it's not the part about a 24 year old smoking weed.

Absolutely this. Dubai is what actual hell is. Perfect veneer, black souls inside.

 

[Pinyin]

The most astonishing thing about Singapour is how clean it is. I know they have stringent laws for littering etc.
But they sure pay off. And I am from small-town West Germany, so my standard for clean is already high.
Not even Switzerland can give Singapour a run for their money when it comes to cleanliness.

Singapore was impressive but still not as clean as Tokyo. you could literally eat your meal off the pavement in the alleys. Not a spec of dirt anywhere.

Also, some of the street food stands (muslim tea stands) that I saw in Singapore were less than sanitary. Reminded me of the muzzie food carts in NYC.

 

[splendica]

Singapore's too authoritarian and micromanaged for me (birth rates too low? how about mandatory, government run, social mixers, with your employer notified if you fail to attend), but I'm fine with the judicial caning and littering laws.

Interesting. Yeah, sounds like a bit too much.

 

[Black Helicopters]

Lol @ ever setting foot in a muslim majority country.

Can't you read? British man... he's from a Muslim majority country

 

[Seaside]

Stop going to shit hole countries. I don't care if they have money. It's still a shit hole with the way people are treated.

non western world we don´t want your human rights!

 

[Pupi]

I went to Dubai in 2011 and I had a great time. If you've got money and you're not fucking prostitutes (a lot of asian prostitutes there), doing drugs, or talking shit about the Royal Family you'll be good. Following the laws is not hard.

 

[FacePunch]

Can't you read? British man... he's from a Muslim majority country

 

[Ruprecht]

Interesting. Yeah, sounds like a bit too much.

The "Social Development Unit" has been reformed into the "Social Development Network" (mostly it's now privatised dating agencies with government accreditation/regulation), but that sort of heavy-handed micromanagement is very typical of the Singapore approach.

 

[AFCrookie]

I now feel vindicated for taking the longer layover from LAX to Melbourne, Australia... Thought about going through Dubai there for a hot second..

 

[Islam Imamate]

Fuck that noise.

I agree its draconian, just saying its not as simple as he was making it out to be. I don't think your average Westerner would think you're liable to be arrested on the basis of a drug test, least of all one done by your employer. Even if you know their drug laws are more strict its still a different kind of drug law, on another level.

Here, the crime is possession so even if the cops drug test you and find you test positive they can't charge you since you have to physically possess the drug. I could see someone missing that distinction.

 

[Bald1]

I agree its draconian, just saying its not as simple as he was making it out to be. I don't think your average Westerner would think you're liable to be arrested on the basis of a drug test, least of all one done by your employer. Even if you know their drug laws are more strict its still a different kind of drug law, on another level.

Here, the crime is possession so even if the cops drug test you and find you test positive they can't charge you since you have to physically possess the drug. I could see someone missing that distinction.

Agreed, 100%.

However, I was talking about reading OPs prior to commenting. That's just crazy talk!

 

[Islam Imamate]

Agreed, 100%.

However, I was talking about reading OPs prior to commenting. That's just crazy talk!

Oh, haha that went over my head.

I'll admit sometimes I skip the article or even the OP itself but in my defense I usually don't post in the thread and if I do its not in any way that addresses the OP or the facts in the link and is probably just some cheeky gif or something.

I went to Dubai in 2011 and I had a great time. If you've got money and you're not...talking shit about the Royal Family you'll be good. Following the laws is not hard.

Now that's just too much to ask.

 

[Black Helicopters]

I went to Dubai in 2011 and I had a great time. If you've got money and you're not fucking prostitutes (a lot of asian prostitutes there), doing drugs, or talking shit about the Royal Family you'll be good. Following the laws is not hard.

If you've got money and you're not having any fun whatsoever you'll be good... gee what a place, you sold me on it

 

[Grenz]

its not a question of us old fucks. the law is stupid and i dont think anyone disagrees with that. but what is even more stupid is going to another country, especially one in the middle east, and being too ignorant to realize they might have a different outlook and laws than you are used to. and that is the problem with you young whippersnappers. you think everyone should have to just deal with what you do and get over it. well, those fucked up people in the middle east dont play that shit

Bottom line: that cool, hip pot smoking kid might be doing 2 years in jail. my old ass wouldnt

I'm 37 mate

The problem isn't expecting everyone to deal with whatever we do and get over it, the problem is that cannabis is either in the process of being legalized, treated as quasi legal, or decriminalized in a lot of Western countries. Those same countries that places like Dubai want to do business with. So we're over here dishing out medicinal licenses, ordering triple strength sativa sours over the internet, and in Dubai they'll lock you up just for having THC in your blood. In a globalized economy which Dubai clearly has aims at being a relevant player, they need to get with the times and fuck off with that draconian shit.

 

[jefferz]

Stop going to shit hole countries. I don't care if they have money. It's still a shit hole with the way people are treated.

Didn't Snoop get arrested in Norway about 3 years ago for the same thing?

 

[2DUM2TAP]

Didn't Snoop get arrested in Norway about 3 years ago for the same thing?

No he actually was trying to smuggle some into the country.

 

[Oeshon]

One thing in Thailand is you can decline to do a drug test and pay a 1000 baht (30$) fine instead under Thai law. But only if you are a foreigner.
Thai laws .

This just isn't true or reality, specially with the country being run by a military junta. You cannot decline a drug test but you can refuse to do a drug test on the spot and instead be taken to the nearest police station to have it done.

good luck telling a lumpini copper asking you for a piss test on asoke that you aren't going to do it and just want to pay 1000 baht. if that was the case, everyone on drugs would just refuse and pay 1k.

as for the topic, this is a very scary reality for Thailand and I've found myself in the same position before. I don't smoke in Thailand but I don't mind having the occasional smoke when I'm traveling Europe/Aus/US etc.

 

[snakedafunky]

This just isn't true or reality, specially with the country being run by a military junta. You cannot decline a drug test but you can refuse to do a drug test on the spot and instead be taken to the nearest police station to have it done.

good luck telling a lumpini copper asking you for a piss test on asoke that you aren't going to do it and just want to pay 1000 baht. if that was the case, everyone on drugs would just refuse and pay 1k.

as for the topic, this is a very scary reality for Thailand and I've found myself in the same position before. I don't smoke in Thailand but I don't mind having the occasional smoke when I'm traveling Europe/Aus/US etc.

Ah ok, I didn't know you can be taken to the police station. Because I drive regular from Issan to BKK or Pattaya so I get stopped quite often never had to take any Test because I could just pay the fine. While Thais had to take it. That's actually good because I don't think there was a time in my life in the last 15 years a weed test wouldn't come back positive.
I have been stopped ones in BKK near that Ekkamai Bus station. I just said no paid the fine they searched for drugs no problem. I think a lot of foreigners don't know that they can refuse the test. But I remember a few years ago they had that campaign for tourists to inform them not to take the test.
I guess if they have to fulfill some kind of quota they might still take you to the station.