Ticket to Nowhere

I really didn't imagine myself being able to post from here in Thailand again, but after all the strange stuff I've seen here, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised.

My court case is finished. I entered a guilty plea on all counts, and was sentenced to a fine and two years probation. I paid the fine at the courthouse, and was turned back over to the police who are still in possession of my passport. It all sounded too good to be true. That's because it was. As I suspected and have written before, my case is being handed back over to the immigration authorities. They will be detaining me for deportation.

In the midst of everything, I have had a few strokes of good luck. First of all, I am able to write this message today because the paperwork has not yet been processed. The local dept policeman who I've dealt with through this whole ordeal has been a pretty decent guy. He told me that he could keep me locked me up until the paperwork was done, but chose not to. He also told me that he appreciated my promptness over the last four months in showing up every time when asked. So, I have at least a few days of freedom before I go back behind bars for a third time.

Now on to what will happen in the next few days once all the court paperwork is processed. In a case like mine, Thai law says that I must be deported to my "country of origin". They certainly aren't going to foot the bill, and I don't exactly have the kind of money laying around for a ticket out. I've got about enough for a bus to Burma, but certainly not enough for an airline ticket around the world. At the moment, I have two options. Buy a one way ticket to anywhere in the states, or submit myself for an indefinite lock up till I can.

I've tried to explain this time and time again both here in my blog and emails at various times over the last couple years. Some people get it. Some don't. Yes, it's a kinda screwy system, but it's what I'm stuck with.

So, here's what I need:

A big pile of money to buy a one way ticket to the U.S. (yeah right..just a little joke). On they day they call me in, I will need to have a paper ticket in hand bound non-stop for the US. If I have that, I will get a police escort to the airport and they will put me on the plane. Without that, it will be back to the shackles and it could take months or years before I get the chance again.

Seriously though, at this point my only hope is going to be the US Consulate here, and this is where I do actually need some assistance. If they are able to get me out and ship me back sometime in the coming months or years, they will need a delivery address and contact person on the other end. So, who wants to take a special delivery? Please email me with your current information if you are willing and or able ASAP so I can get the information to the Consulate before I go back in sometime in the next few days.

So, there you have it. I'm happy to have the court case finished, but dreading the idea of leaving everything behind that I have worked so hard to get only to be dropped penniless into one of the most expensive countries on the planet. Such are the breaks, but we just take what we can get I suppose.

As always, take care of yourselves out there and each other. Tomorrow is always still just a mystery.

.