© Tom Blewitt & Zack Griffiths – HMP Prisons Justice Group
A British traveller has recounted a terrifying ordeal in Thailand after allegedly being framed by local police for possession of a vape—an item he claims was planted in his belongings. What began as a routine holiday spiralled into a life-threatening nightmare, culminating in a dramatic escape across borders and a desperate bid for freedom.
🚨 A Vape, A Cell, and a 1 Million Baht Ultimatum
While visiting a small Thai island known for its strict enforcement of vaping laws, the traveller was detained by police who accused him of possessing a vape. Despite asserting the device wasn’t his, he was told he faced immediate court proceedings unless he paid a staggering 1 million baht (£24,000). The alternative? A grim stay in what he described as a “monkey cell” until trial, and a potential four-year prison sentence.
“I was scared for my life,” he wrote. “It wasn’t even mine. It was planted.”
🏃♂️ The Great Escape: 15 Hours to Bangkok
With no viable legal recourse and fearing further fabricated charges, he made the split-second decision to flee. Over 15 hours of travel by coach and ferry brought him to Bangkok, where the stakes remained high. “It was life or death as to whether I got through,” he said, describing the anxiety of navigating airport security while others openly vaped in front of police with no consequence.
Adding to the surreal injustice, he observed locals openly selling vapes on the streets of the island—right under the noses of law enforcement. “The locals was selling them on the streets,” he said. “The Police ignored them.”
✈️ India, Then Home: A 12-Hour Dash to Safety
After narrowly escaping Thailand, he travelled through India before finally landing back in the UK. The relief was palpable: “Happy to be on UK soil,” he declared, still shaken by the ordeal and the surreal contrast between enforcement on the island and the rest of the country.
⚖️ A Broader Question of Justice
This incident raises troubling questions about selective enforcement, corruption, and the vulnerability of tourists in regions with non-transparent legal systems. While vaping is technically banned in Thailand, enforcement varies wildly—and in this case, appears to have been weaponized.
HMP Prisons Justice Group 