On 21 May 2009, Mr. Tharit Charungvat, Director-General of the Department of Information and Foreign Ministry Spokesman, answered further press queries about the case of Ms. Annice Smoel, the Australian who was arrested and indicted for allegedly stealing a table mat from a bar in Phuket after the bar owner had decided to press charges.
The spokesman said that, on 20 May 2009, the Phuket Provincial Court made a ruling on the case against Ms. Smoel, sentencing her to one-year imprisonment and imposing a 2,000 baht fine. However, given her confession, the Court reduced the penalty to six-month imprisonment and a 1,000 baht fine, with the prison term suspended for two years. After her release, Ms. Smoel returned to Australia, the Foreign Ministry spokesman added.
For further information, please contact the Press Division, Department of Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tel.02-6435170, Fax.02-6435169, E-mail: div0704@mfa.go.th